Sample of Semi-Detailed Lesson Plan in Developmental Psychology

I. Objectives

           

            General Objectives

           

            At the end of the discussion, students are expected to:

1. Discuss Piaget’s Cognitive Stages of Development from sensorimotor to concrete operational stage
2. Recognize individual differences in reference with the stages of cognitive development individuals belong to 
3. Apply acquired concepts to make insights about self and others

            Specific Objectives

1. Identify each stages of Cognitive Development — sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational – through its definition, features, characteristics and by citing real life examples
2. Compare and contrast each stages of development based on the cognitive abilities that can be performed by individuals who are under it
3. Manifest worth and positive attribution on individuals and self despite their cognitive differences
4. Express own opinion, agreement and disagreement and experiences towards concepts on laid upon discussion of the topic
5. Reflect on own cognitive ability to find ways to contribute meaning to life

II. Subject Matter

    A. Topic: Piaget’s Cognitive Development Theory

            The lesson to be discussed will highlight the definition, features and description of each Cognitive stage theorized by Piaget. Since the target learners are on the adolescent stage, it will give emphasis on adolescent thinking processes, which would inform them in decision making and problem solving i.e. beneficial to guide their self-direction towards effective social cognition and maturity.

     B. References

            Arenas, Aggie — Carson Ph. D. Introduction to Psychology: Understanding Human Behavior. Rex Printing Company. Quezon City. 2004.

            Gines et. al. General Psychology. Rex Printing Company. Quezon City. 2003

            Gines et. al. Developmental Psychology. Rex Printing Company. Quezon City. 1998.

            Handouts in Developmental Psychology — Piaget’s Cognitive Stages by Prof. T. Rungduin 1^st sem. A.Y. 2007-08          

     C. Materials

o   Visual Aids – made up basically of cartolina, pentel pen and other art materials which contain the key concepts of the lesson content 

o   Pictures/ Drawings/ Real Objects – to illustrate the features of each cognitive stages, examples would be presented with this aids so as to stimulate students

o   Prizes – reward for students which would make learning enjoyable

o   Video Presentation – a video clip with a message emphasizing the affective domain of the lesson. This will show pictures of babies, children, adolescents, adults — those who are in different cognitive stages — all have the capacity to think differently as it may seem yet all contributes to impart meaning to life.

III. Methodology

A. Preparatory Activity

1. Prayer to be lead by a volunteer student

2. Greeting

3. Initial Activity/Mood Setting

Challenge Your Mind

Through the use of their prior knowledge and experiences, students will be given different figures which they would be asked to unfold the hidden meaning. Students will enjoy the activity and at the same time, encouraged to activate their curiosity and stir their mind.

These are the following samples of figures:

 

Hidden Meaning: (From right to left, top to bottom)

                        1. open up

                        2. get up

                        3. scrambled eggs

                        4. slow down

                        5. tricycle
                        6. worn out
                        7. big mac
                        8. I understand
                        9. sweet sixteen

Processing Question

1.   How did you find the activity? Why do you say so?

2.   How were you able to come up with those answers?

3.   Will children construct their answers similarly? Why? Why not?

            4.      What can you infer about how people think as they get older?

B. Main Activity

1.      Lesson Proper/ Abstraction

Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development

Sensorimotor Stage

·          (Birth – two years old)

              A newborn’s primary way of interacting with the world through reflexive responses, such as sucking and grasping.

            When a five month old is shown a toy he tries to grab and put it in his mouth believing that object are mostly for mouthing. If a screen, however, is place in front of a toy the child looks a way .He doesn’t push the screen away to get a  the toy. At this point he behaves as if things that are out of sight no longer exist.

Beginning at around his ninth month if he is shown a toy which is then covered by a screen, he will try to push the screen away and look for the toy. He has learned that a toy that is out of sight still exist behind the screen.

            Object Permanence-refers to the understanding that objects or events continue to exist even if they can no longer be heard, touch or sensed.

Preoperational Stage

            As defined by Piaget, operations are actions that one performs mentally in order to gain knowledge. Since the preposition pre is attached to it, it is plausible that the children’s operational functions are not yet capable of higher and complex mental processes.

            However, they still have cognitive features which allow them to understand their environment.

  

            Preoperational stage (2-7 years)

-          refers to a stage where the child begin to use symbols, by which they develop ways on mentally manipulating them as they progress.

-          the cognitive system in this stage develops in creating a symbolic thinking wherein they can socially communicate with adults

            What are symbols? Symbols often took forms of language and mental images to represent what they are thinking about.

            How is this possible? At this stage, children are keen observers in their environment; they listen when adults speak to them and they watch them closely. Let’s take Sarah as an example:

            Sarah is a two-year old girl. Every time her mother would carry her, she would say to Sarah, “Come to Mommy…” Whenever she cries for food, her mother would say, “Oh poor baby, here’s your milk”.

            Given this story, what Sarah would likely say if she wants to be with her mother? Or when she needs milk? (Allow students to answer)

            When Sarah wants her mother to carry her, she would say, “Mom…my c, come”. If her father would come instead, she would still insist, “Mom…my..?” At the same time, when she cries for milk, she would say “Mom…my, milk… milk…” If she would be given a toy, not milk, she may take the toy but she would still ask for milk.

            From this example, it can be understood that at this stage, a child is able to:

o   Imitate

-          Sarah imitates her mothers words “Mommy…” “milk”

o   Acquire and use language, as symbol, to represent what is being thought

-          When Sarah seeks for her mother’s company, she says it.

-          When she needs milk, she says it.

o   Acquire and store mental images

-          When Sarah was not given the exact thing/object she requests she continues searching for it — an implication that she has an exact mental image of the thing/object she requests.

            Simply put, we can say that they acquire the capacity to understand and through imitation, make use of language. Moreover, they try various sounds and words and focus less on its correct usage.

            Children at this stage are also fond of imagination, fantasizing and dreaming. They enjoy drawing. They also make collective monologue. The term refers to the manner by which children talk to toys, tell wild stories and have imaginary friends.

            Does any one of you have a sibling at this stage? Can you observe this to him/her?

            What does this imply?

-          Language Development is essential at this stage. Thus, it is important for adults to talk, read and sing for their children. Adults should also expose children on correct pronunciation and usage of language. 

-          Children enjoy drawing. They express their mental representations in their artwork. Engage children in such activities in order for them to express what they are thinking and what level of thinking they are in.

Concrete Operational Thought

      Operations – mental actions that allow the individual to do mentally what was done before physically. And concrete operational thinker can engage in mental actions that are reversible.

Reversibility – the ability to reverse one’s own thinking

Characteristics of Concrete Operational Thought

1. Conservation

-          Conservation is Piaget’s term for an individual’s ability to recognize that the length, number, mass, quantity, area, weight and volume of objects and substances do not change through transformations that alter their appearance.

-          It is the realization that the essence of something remains constant, although surface features may change.

2. Seriation

-          Seriation is the ability to arrange objects by increasing or decreasing size.

3. Logical Reasoning

-          Logical Reasoning replaces intuitive reasoning, but only n concrete circumstances.

4. Number Concept

-  it refers to the ability of the child to understand numbers

5. Classification

 

-          Classification is the ability to group objects with some similarities within a larger category.

-          Classification skills in the concrete operational stage are dividing things into sets and subsets and reason about their interrelation.

Questions about Concrete Operational Thought

1. Did you find the stage of concrete operational thought true to you?
2. How do you differ in your reasoning now on when you were a child?
3. Do you know the importance of these skills in your everyday life and how does it help?

 C. Application

1.      Synthesis of Lesson

    The teacher will ask students to recall concepts on the lesson and relate it on their past experiences. Students will be encouraged to raise their questions relating to the topic.

2.      Concluding Activity

       

      After the video presentation, the students would be given a sentence completion sheets that will allow them to express their reflections and insights regarding the topic.

(Click the link to read the Sentence Completion Sheet.)

IV. Evaluation

            Group Activity: Students are to be given stories. (Click the given links to read the stories: Story No. 1: My Child... Leila; Story No. 2: Here Goes... Johnny; Story No. 3: She Just Came Out of the Womb) Based on the concepts presented on the discussion, they should be able to categorize the characters’ cognitive developmental stages through their observable features. The students should accomplish this table:

STORY NO.	CHARACTER	AGE	FEATURES	COGNITIVE STAGES
1
2
3

V. Assignment

                       

            A. Relate personalities, characters or other persons you know of who are in these three cognitive stages and answer the guide questions.

SENSORIMOTOR STAGE: _____________________________________

PREOPERATIONAL STAGE: ___________________________________

CONCRETE OPERATIONAL STAGE: ____________________________        

1.      Provide evidences which would qualify them to be in that stage.

2.      Compare and contrast your perceived thinking capacity of the person you listed to be in:

a.       sensorimotor stage

b.      preoperational stage

c.       concrete operational stage

3.      Knowing that that individual differs in their cognitive ability due to the stages they are in, is it possible that children can function more than what Piaget claimed? Why? Why not? 

4.      React to the Piaget’s statement, “Childhood is a necessary evil.”

5.      How does your knowledge in these different cognitive stages changed your perception on child thinking?

         

           B. Read the Story No. 4: Who says I'm not Beautiful? Identify what cognitive stage of development is the character in and identify what are the cognitive features during this stage.

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