DESCRIPTION
For your bonus assignment, I want you to write a “listicle” for parents of adolescents (similar to a Buzzfeed article) titled, “4 Things from about Adolescent Psychology every Parent or Caretaker should know”. The assignment is worth 10 points total (see rubric for a specific breakdown of points).
Format: This assignment must be typed, double spaced, and with 12 point Times New Roman font. You must turn it in via canvas. Full paragraphs are not necessary, given the nature of the assignment, but full sentences and appropriate grammar must be used.
• Each “thing” you list should be a general idea or finding from topics covered in the lecture or textbook that you think is important for all parents or caretakers who work with children to know.
• You can write your answers out like a list, but please use full sentences for each item on your list.
• Feel free to use humor in your post! Try to make it interesting and entertaining for parents to read. Use your creativity, as well as your knowledge of adolescent psychology.
• Each thing you list must be supported by information from your textbook or lectures (you do not need to use APA style citation. You can simply say “textbook” or “lecture” in your citations). You cannot list things that are “common sense,” pseudoscience, or things about adolescence that are not supported by science. For example, it would be incorrect to say “your adolescent’s moodiness is caused by hormones.” We know that this is not the case, so please stick only to things that are supported by strong research (information presented in the lecture and textbook).
Example: 1) Does your adolescent look a little like a poorly drawn stick figure? That might be normal! It is normal for your adolescent’s body to seem awkward and out of proportion during puberty. During the adolescent growth spurt, adolescent’s extremities (arms and legs) often grow much faster than the other parts of their bodies. In fact, they are growing so rapidly during their growth spurt that their facial features (like their nose and mouth) may also grow at different rates, which may contribute to their feelings of insecurity and general awkwardness. This is completely normal, and their proportions will go back to normal as their growth spurt ends (Textbook).
Rubric:
Each of your 4 “things” must have the following components to receive full credit. Each “thing” is worth 2.5 points:
• Statement: A clear and concise statement that explains the “thing parents should know”. This should be a single sentence that summarizes the point you want to make (1 point)
• Supporting Evidence: 2-4 sentences explaining the statement and any research that supports your claim. This must be clear, concise, and accurate. Statements that are inaccurate or unclear will lose substantial points (1 points)
• Grammatical structure and Citations: Sentences must be free of grammatical errors and must include a citation indicating whether the information is found in the textbook or lecture. You will lose points for any grammatical errors, typos, or lack of clarity in your writing (.5 point)
Learning Objectives and Skills:
• Discussing complex research ideas in an accessible and digestible way.
• Discerning information that is based on good science from information that is not.
• Applying research findings to everyday experiences.
• Applying important course concepts to solve problems or questions parents, teachers, or others who work with adolescents might face.
• Discussing concepts of adolescent psychology with parents, teachers, or other people from the community who might be interested in the topic.
• Building concise, accessible, and clear writing skills.