Title: Creating Neat and Tidy Graphs in Psychology

Lesson Objective: Students will learn how to create graphs that have a title, labeled axis, correct scale, a key if necessary, and are neat and tidy. They will also practice identifying independent and dependent variables in different scenarios related to psychology.

Lesson Duration: 60 minutes

Materials Needed: - Downloadable PDF with scenarios, tables, and graph paper - Pencils, erasers, and colored pencils or markers

Introduction (5 minutes): 1. Begin the lesson by explaining the importance of graphs in representing data visually. 2. Emphasize that graphs need to be clear, organized, and easy to understand. 3. Introduce the concept of independent and dependent variables, explaining that independent variables are the factors that are manipulated or changed, while dependent variables are the outcomes or results that are measured.

Scenario 1: Favorite Colors (15 minutes) 1. Provide students with the first scenario: “A psychology class conducted a survey to determine the favorite colors of students in their school.” 2. Show the table of data that includes the number of students who chose each color as their favorite. 3. Instruct students to create a bar graph based on the data, ensuring that they include a title, labeled axis, correct scale, and a neat and tidy presentation. 4. After completing the graph, ask students to identify the independent and dependent variables in this scenario.

Scenario 2: Sleep Duration (15 minutes) 1. Present the second scenario: “A sleep study was conducted to investigate the relationship between sleep duration and academic performance.” 2. Share the table of data that shows the average number of hours slept per night and the corresponding GPA of the participants. 3. Ask students to create a line graph to represent the data, following the guidelines of a title, labeled axis, correct scale, and a neat and tidy presentation. 4. Have students identify the independent and dependent variables in this scenario.

Scenario 3: Anxiety Levels (15 minutes) 1. Introduce the third scenario: “A psychology experiment measured anxiety levels before and after a relaxation technique was taught to a group of students.” 2. Display the table of data that includes the anxiety levels of each student before and after the relaxation technique. 3. Instruct students to create a bar graph to represent the data, ensuring that they include a title, labeled axis, correct scale, and a neat and tidy presentation. 4. Ask students to identify the independent and dependent variables in this scenario.

Scenario 4: Reaction Time (15 minutes) 1. Present the fourth scenario: “A psychology experiment measured the reaction time of participants when exposed to different types of stimuli.” 2. Share the table of data that shows the average reaction time for each stimulus type. 3. Ask students to create a line graph to represent the data, following the guidelines of a title, labeled axis, correct scale, and a neat and tidy presentation. 4. Have students identify the independent and dependent variables in this scenario.

Conclusion (5 minutes): 1. Review the key elements of a graph: title, labeled axis, correct scale, and neat presentation. 2. Emphasize the importance of organizing data visually to make it easier to understand. 3. Summarize the concept of independent and dependent variables and their role in psychology research. 4. Encourage students to practice creating neat and tidy graphs in their future assignments.

Note: The downloadable PDF will include the four scenarios, tables, and graph paper after each scenario to allow students to create their graphs.