Development Across the Lifespan

The lesson aligns with APA standards for Development Across the Lifespan courses.
This lesson aims to help students understand human development across the lifespan.
Students will create a life event timeline demonstrating their understanding of:
- Major developmental stages
- Milestones
- Theoretical frameworks
- Domains of development
- Contextual factors
- Research methods
- Applications in human development

Learning Objectives

Construct a life event timeline that accurately represents major developmental stages from conception through late adulthood, incorporating key developmental milestones.
Analyze personal life events through the lens of prominent developmental theories like Erikson, Piaget, Vygotsky, and Bronfenbrenner, demonstrating an understanding of their strengths and limitations.
Evaluate how various contextual factors (culture, socioeconomic status, family dynamics, etc.) have influenced their own developmental trajectory.

Materials Needed

Large sheet of paper or digital timeline creation tool (e.g., Google Slides, Canva, Miro)
Markers, colored pencils, or digital equivalents
Handout summarizing key developmental milestones for each stage
Handout summarizing the core concepts of Erikson's, Piaget's, Vygotsky's, and Bronfenbrenner's theories
Optional: Personal photos or mementos

Lesson Structure

Opening/Hook (5-10 minutes) involves "Think-Pair-Share"
Students should reflect individually for 2 minutes, then share their answer with a partner, to the question, “What is one major event or experience that significantly shaped who you are today?”
Duration of reflection: 3 minutes
Brief Class Discussion: Briefly solicit a few responses from the pairs to the entire class, highlighting the diversity of experiences and the concept that development is shaped by many factors. Duration: 2 minutes
Introduction of Timeline Activity: The life event timeline is introduced as a way to visually represent and analyze lifespan development and its connection to major theoretical frameworks and domains within developmental psychology. Duration: 3 minutes
Main Activities (25-35 minutes):
Individual Timeline Creation: students begin creating life event timelines, marking the major developmental stages (prenatal, infancy, toddlerhood, early childhood, adolescence, young adulthood, middle adulthood, late adulthood). (5 minutes)
Students should identify and add key developmental milestones to their timelines, drawing upon personal experiences and memories while reflecting on how they have embodied or diverged from typical developmental norms. Duration: (10 minutes)
Students should choose at least three significant life events from their timeline and analyze those events through the lens of Erikson's, Piaget's, Vygotsky's, and Bronfenbrenner's theories and note which aspects of each theory resonate with their experience and discuss any limitations. Duration: 10 minutes
Small Group Sharing and Discussion:
Students are divided into small groups of 3-4.
Each student briefly shares their timeline and one key insight they gained from analyzing their life events through the developmental theories and contextual factors that have influenced these life experiences and developmental trajectories.
Timeline duration: 10 minutes
Closure (5-10 minutes): Class Discussion
“What did you learn about yourselves or about human development in general from this activity?" students share their insights regarding contextual factors and the applicability of the different theoretical perspectives. Duration: 5 mins
Wrap-up: The lesson should summarize key concepts and emphasize the ongoing nature of human development and the importance of considering multiple perspectives when analyzing individual lives, then specify where students can find additional information that coincides with course modules. Duration: 2-5 minutes

Assessment & Checking for Understanding

Observation: Monitor student engagement and participation during individual work, small group discussion, and class discussion.
Timeline Review: Collect and review the life event timelines. Assess the accuracy of milestone placements, theoretical analysis, and reflections on contextual factors.
Multiple Choice and Short Answer Quiz (5 minutes) example questions:
Which theory emphasizes the importance of social interaction in cognitive development? (Vygotsky)
Erikson's stage of psychosocial development and the corresponding conflict (e.g., Trust vs. Mistrust, Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt) How might socioeconomic status impact a child's development?
Limitation of Piaget's theory of cognitive development (e.g., underestimation of social and cultural influences)
What stage of development would be categorized from birth until 2 years old? (infancy)?

Differentiation & Support Strategies

For Advanced Learners:

Encourage research of developmental theories not covered in the main example lesson (e.g., attachment theory, social learning theory).
Encourage analysis of a hypothetical case study of someone from a different cultural background to create a timeline based on that individual's experiences.

For Struggling Learners:

Providing more scaffolding and one-on-one support during timeline creation, focusing on the most essential milestones for each stage.
Offering pre-populated timeline templates with key stages and milestones already identified, for personal reflection and theoretical analysis.
Partner up with other students to create timelines.
Visual Aids: Use charts and diagrams to illustrate the different developmental stages and theories
Use of colored markers or digital tools to visually represent different aspects of their timeline

Extensions or Homework (optional)

Written Reflection Paper: Assign a short paper in which students elaborate on their timeline analysis, focusing on a specific theme or question related to their development.
Interview Project: Students interview an older adult about their life experiences and create a developmental timeline, analyzing it through the lens of developmental theories
Research Project: Research a specific developmental challenge (e.g., learning disability, mental health disorder) and develop an intervention plan based on developmental principles.