APPLIED ASSIGNMENT OPTION 1
CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT PORTFOLIO
Objective: Apply understanding of the seven development themes to observations, interviews, and creative
reflections about childhood development. This assignment encourages you to connect developmental psychology
theories to the everyday lives of children in real-world contexts.
Instructions:
1. Form a group of no more than three students. You will collaborate to observe, research, and analyze
different aspects of development.
2. Read Chapter 16 carefully to familiarize yourself with the developmental themes. These themes will serve
as your analytical framework.
3. Divide the seven themes among group members. Each member should be responsible for at least two
themes. It is not necessary to cover all seven themes.
4. As a group, choose one age range to focus on for all assigned themes: Early Childhood (3–7 years) or Middle
Childhood (8–11 years)
5. Your observations and interviews should focus on the selected age group. Activities and deliverables should
be adapted accordingly.
Developmental Themes, Activities, and Deliverables
Theme 1: Nature vs. Nurture
• Activity: Interview a parent, teacher, caregiver, or coach about their views on how genetic traits and
environmental influences shape children’s behavior, learning, and/or academic performance.
• Deliverable: Write a short reflective piece comparing their perspective on one developmental theory of
your choice.
Theme 2: The Active Child
• Activity: Observe a child (within the selected age range) during an unstructured activity or during both a
structured (e.g., homework) and an unstructured (e.g., free play) activity. Note how the child explores,
solves problems, interacts with peers, seeks help, or shows initiative during these activities.
• Deliverable: Create a journal entry, sketch, or storyboard illustrating the child’s active role in their own
development.
Theme 3: Continuity vs. Discontinuity
• Activity: Interview a parent or teacher about how the child’s cognitive, social, or emotional abilities have
changed over time. Choose one area and ask about how the child has gained the skill or set of skills. Explore
whether these changes are described as either gradual or occurring in stages.
• Deliverable: Design a developmental timeline or visual chart that reflects the patterns described in the
interview.
Theme 4: Mechanisms of Developmental Change (Must begin observations early in the semester)
• Activity: Observe how a child develops a specific skill (e.g., drawing, storytelling, reading fluency, teamwork,
puzzle-solving) across 3 months. Document examples of practice, feedback, or scaffolding over at least five
sessions, or supplement with textbook or research-based insights.
MELZI, APSY.UE.0010 Fall 2025, M W 4:55-6:10
• Deliverable: Create a step-by-step case study or flowchart showing how the skill develops, highlighting the
role of specific supports or mechanisms.
Theme 5: The Sociocultural Context
• Activity: Attend a child-centered event (e.g., classroom, story time, sports practice, community gathering,
birthday party). Observe how the social or cultural environment (e.g., adult expectations, group norms, or
cultural values) shapes children’s behavior or interactions.
• Deliverable: Write a reflective piece or create a visual “sociocultural map” illustrating how these contexts
influence development.
Theme 6: Individual Differences
• Activity: Interview a teacher, childcare provider, or coach who works with multiple children. Ask how they
support children with varying temperaments, language abilities, learning styles, motivations, or social skills.
• Deliverable: Write a brief summary of their strategies, create a comparison chart, or highlight specific
approaches used to support diverse learners.
Theme 7: Research and Children’s Welfare
• Activity: Choose a current issue affecting children (e.g., screen time, bullying, access to play, school
readiness). Explore how developmental research has informed practices, interventions, or policies related
to the issue.
• Deliverable: Create a one-page advocacy brief, OpEd, or infographic that summarizes your findings and
demonstrates how research informs real-world action.
Bringing It All Together: The Portfolio
Combine your group’s activities and deliverables into a Childhood Development Portfolio. The portfolio can be
presented in booklet format, as a digital presentation, or using slides. Choose the format that best fits your project.
Your final portfolio should include:
• Each group member’s theme-based deliverables. These should represent the different developmental
themes you explored.
• A collective group reflection component that addresses the following:
o How are the developmental themes interconnected within the age group you studied? Use specific
examples from your observations/interviews.
o What was the most surprising or impactful insight your group gained from applying theory to real-
life situations?
o What challenges did you encounter in conducting observations or interviews, and how did you
address them?
o How did this hands-on experience deepen your understanding of developmental psychology
beyond the textbook?
Be creative and thoughtful in how you compile and present your portfolio. Submissions can be either electronic or
hard copy.
Reminder: Include APA-style citations and a reference list, including AI platforms. Use brief in-text citations or
citations on slides as appropriate.
MELZI, APSY.UE.0010 Fall 2025, M W 4:55-6:10
