Text: Michael Cole and Sheila R. Cole: The Development of Children, 2nd Edition.
New York: W.H. Freeman and Co. 1993.

Course Reciuirements

ASSIGNMENTS: There will be two (2) in-class assignments throughout the semester. These assignments will be comprised of questions from each of the chapters to help you review and prepare for your exams. Therefore, these assignments are required and to be worked on in groups during class. These assignments are to be turned in at the end of class on the dates noted in the syllabus with no exceptions for late assignments.
 

PAPERS: There will be two (2) papers (3-5 pages each), based on data collected by you from children or their parents at two different ages. Papers are due at the beginning of class on the dates noted in the syllabus. Late papers will be accepted up to two class periods late, but they will be marked down one grade from the grade earned (for example, an earned "B" will become a 'IC". After that date, no late pgrers will be accepted.
 

EXAMS: There will be an in-class midterm and a final exam. Failure to take either exam will result in a zero there will be no make-up or substitute exams. If you are unable to take an exam because of illness, I must be informed before the exam.
 

CLASS FORMAT: The class format will be a combination of lecture and discussion. I will lecture the first 45 minutes of each class and the remaining 30 minutes will be used for discussions covering the lectured and read materials. The discussions will contribute to your grade (see below). To ensure participation, each student will be required to write a question for each class period and are to be turned in at the end of class. These questions will be used as an impetus for discussions and may also be used for some of the questions on the midterm and final exams. However, these discussions are designed to be fun and informative so participation should not be a burden.
 

The above course requirements will contribute to your grade as follows: Exams 50% (midterm 20% and final 30%), Assignments and Papers 40% (10% for each assignment and paper), and Discussion I 0%.
 

Extra Credit: Extra Credit may be earned by completing a set of short answer questions over the course of the semester (10 points each). Extra Credit may also be earned by answering student questions during discussions for I point each. You may only earn up to 5 points of extra credit by answering questions. Alternative ways of earning extra credit will be discussed over the course of the semester. The maximum points for extra credit is 15 points.
 

Course Schedule
 

Week I Introduction and Chapter I

Jan. I 1, 1 3 Central Questions in Child Psychology
 

Week 2 Chapter 2

Jan. 18, 20 Genes and Environment
 
 
 

Week 3 Chapter 3

Jan. 25, 27 Prenatal Development

Jan. 27, Assignment of Paper I
 

Week 4 Chapter 4

Feb. 1, 3 Early Capacities and their Coordination and Mechanisms of Development@l
 

a,
 

Change
 

Week 5 Chapter 5

Feb. 8, 10 Achievements of the First Year

Feb. 10, Paper 1 Due at the Beginning of Class
 

Week 6 Chapter 6

Feb. 15, 17 Cognitive, Social, and Emotional Development in the Second Year
 

Week 7 Chapter 7

Feb. 22, 24 Effects of Early Experience on Development
 

Week 8 Review of Chapters 1-7 with an In-class assignment

Mar. 1, 3 Mar. 3 In Class Midterm Exam
 

Week 9 Chapter 8

Mar. 8, 11 Language Development
 

Week 10 Chapter 9

Mar. 15, 17 Early Childhood Cognitive Development
 

Week I I Spring Break!

Mar. 22-27

Week 12 Chapters IO and I I

Mar. 3 1, Early Childhood: Identity and Relating to Others

Apr. 5 Family as a Developmental Context and the Broader Social World Apr. 5, Assignment of Paper 2
 

Week 13 Chapters 12 and 13

Apr. 7,12 Middle Childhood: Biological and Cognitive Development School Leaming and Academic Skills
 

Week 14 Chapters 14 and 15

Apr. 14, 19 Middle Childhood Social Relations and Understanding of Self Theories of Adolescence, Puberty and Reorganization of Social Life Apr. 19, Paper 2 Due at the Beginning of Class
 

Week 15 Chapters 16

Apr. 21, 26 Adolescent Thought and Integration of the Self
 

Week 16 Review of Chapters 8-16 with an In-class assignment Wednesdgy. May 5, 2:00-3:50, Final Exam