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Welcome to Mr. Koch's AP Psychology Page 2013-2014! = Click here to fill out student evaluation form  =

Hello and welcome to my AP Psychology website. Let me take a moment to introduce myself. My name is Mr. Koch and I am in my 8th year teaching Social Studies at Forest Lake High School. Prior to that I taught for one year at Farmington High School in Farmington, MN. I have a strong passion for psychology as it was one of my majors at the University of Wisconsin - Madison (an excellent school for psychology if any students are interested) and have had the opportunity to teach it at three different schools: James Madison Memorial High (Madison, WI), Farmington, and Forest Lake. I am very excited to be teaching the AP Psych courses again this year and look forward to what I hope will be a fun and challenging experience for both myself and my students.

This website is primarily designed to be a resource for students currently registered for AP Psychology. However, parents of AP students may also find it useful as a way to help keep track of what is happening in class. Students that are considering registering for AP Psychology may also wish to look around to get an idea of what the course is about. If you have any questions for me, please feel free to contact me using the information at the bottom of the page.

//Using this page as a wiki// This is also a space for students in my AP Psych class to view and share information relevant to our course of study in Psychology. In order to post, you need to become a member of the wiki page by creating a username and then clicking on "join this wiki" at the top of this page. I will need to approve your request for you to join the page, so please create a username that includes your first/middle name/initial and full last name so I can check that you are registered for my class. Once you have done this, you will be able to post on these pages.

On a final note, you may also use the discussion board as a place to talk about the class, ask each other questions, set up study groups, etc. Each tab along the left hand page has its own discussion board. So use the "home" page discussion board for general questions, comments, etc. We will use the discussion boards for some of the unit tabs on the left for online discussions.

Be sure to check this site from time to time to see what's new and to help you review old material.

What is Psychology?
media type="custom" key="23718712" align="right" Have you ever wondered why people do the things that they do?... How could atrocities like the Holocaust happen? Why do teens form cliques?Why are some people shy and other people the "life of the party"? Why do I sometimes get that deja vu feeling? Why do people develop mental disorders and how can they be helped? Can seeing violence on television and in video games make children violent?... These are just a few examples of the many different types of questions that psychologists try to answer. Basically psychology is about trying to understand why people do what they do. It's about understanding human behavior. For this reason, students often find that psychology has strong applications to the "real world." By studying psychology, we can better understand ourselves, other people and organisms, and their interaction with the world.

What is the purpose of the AP Psychology course?[[image:psychology20head.jpg width="175" height="224" align="right"]]
The AP Psychology course is designed to introduce students to the systematic and scientific study of behavior and mental processes of human beings and other animals. Students are exposed to the psychological facts, principles, and phenomena associated with each of the major subfields within psychology. They also learn about the ethics and methods psychologists use in their science and practice. (Taken from the Advanced Placement Course Description in Psychology by the College Board.)

//Click on the link below to download the// = Course Syllabus and Survival Guide=

= Units & Reading Assignments Overview=

=[| AP Psychology Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)]=

= Characteristics of Successful Students= As this is a "college level" course, this chart is intended to help give students and parents an overview of the characteristics of "successful college students" and "unsuccessful college students."

My Contact Information
dkoch@flaschools.org 651-982-8550

AP Psychology National Exam Monday, May 5, 2014 - Noon media type="custom" key="23718752" align="center"