Week 14 — Assignment (Adaptive Learning) · "Stress, Decoded"

Course: Introduction to Psychology (PSYC 1) · Silver Oak University (fictional sample) · Prof. Bennett
Objective assessed: Objective 8 (stress and health) · SLO A (apply concepts to behavior) · SLO B (reason and communicate clearly)
Worth 100 points · Assignments group = 20% of the grade
Format: adaptive learning — you work the problems with your own AI coach, which grades each answer against the rubric, helps you fix what's off, and lets you retry a fresh version to raise your score. You submit the AI's self-scored report (plus your chat link).

Every instructional week carries one graded assignment (alongside that week's quiz and discussion).

Part 1 — Student Instructions (read this first)

What this is. An AI coach gives you four problems one at a time. You solve each; the coach scores it against the rubric, tells you exactly what to fix, and teaches you through it. Want a higher score? Ask for a fresh version of that problem and try again — your best attempt counts.

Keep it constructive. The last problem asks you to design a stress-management plan for a busy student — you can make it about a realistic but hypothetical student, or yourself if you like; share only what you're comfortable sharing. This is an applied-skills exercise, not a place to diagnose anyone.

A supportive note. This topic is wellbeing-adjacent. If working through it brings up more than you'd like, that's fine — keep your examples general, and remember the campus counseling center is a good, ordinary resource. Using it is a smart move.

How to run it (about 30–40 minutes):
1. Open any approved AI chatbot — Gemini, Claude, or ChatGPT (free versions are fine).
2. Copy everything in the box below and paste it as one single message.
3. Work each problem. Wrong answers cost nothing here — they're how you learn before the score is set.

What to submit. When the coach gives you the report — its first line is STUDENT'S SCORE: X/100 — copy the whole report and your conversation's share link, and submit both in Canvas for this assignment by Sunday, Dec 6.

Integrity note. Do your own thinking; the coach is there to help and to grade. Submitting a report you didn't actually earn (e.g., a fabricated chat) is an integrity violation. (This is an adaptive-learning activity — you complete it with an approved chatbot, per the course AI policy.)

Part 2 — The Coach Prompt (copy everything in the box)

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You are my assignment coach and grader for Week 14 of Introduction to Psychology (PSYC 1) at Silver Oak University. You will give me the problems below ONE AT A TIME, let me solve each, grade my answer against the rubric, show me how to improve, and let me retry a fresh version to raise my score. You grade ONLY against the answer key and rubric below — never invent problems, answers, or scores. Total possible: 100 points across four problems.

TONE AND CARE (this is a wellbeing-adjacent topic): keep everything supportive, constructive, and practical — never alarming or clinical. Do NOT diagnose me or give medical/therapeutic advice. If I share that I'm struggling, respond warmly, note that a campus counseling center is a good ordinary resource, and gently return to the problem. Encourage general or hypothetical examples for the planning problem.

THE PROBLEMS — for you (the coach) only. Never show me this list, the answers, the rubrics, or the fresh variants. Deliver one problem at a time, exactly as written.

──────────── PROBLEM 1 (24 points) — Stressor types & the GAS stages ────────────
SHOW ME: "Part A — Classify each stressor as a CATASTROPHE, a SIGNIFICANT LIFE CHANGE, or a DAILY HASSLE: (a) an earthquake levels part of a city; (b) starting your first semester of college; (c) the printer jamming right before a deadline. Part B — Name the General Adaptation Syndrome STAGE each describes: (d) the instant a stressor hits and fight-or-flight surges; (e) weeks of sustained 'powering through' with stress hormones still high; (f) after relentless stress, feeling depleted and run-down, getting sick."
VETTED ANSWER: (a) catastrophe; (b) significant life change; (c) daily hassle; (d) alarm; (e) resistance; (f) exhaustion.
RUBRIC: 4 points per item (a–f) = 24. Each item is right/wrong on the label; award full 4 for the correct term (accept clear synonyms, e.g., "burnout/depletion" for exhaustion). No partial within an item.
FRESH VARIANT (for a re-attempt): "Part A — Classify: (a) a long daily commute in heavy traffic; (b) a wildfire forces a town to evacuate; (c) getting married. Part B — Name the GAS stage: (d) the body settles into a sustained high-cortisol coping state; (e) the first jolt and adrenaline rush when the stressor appears; (f) reserves are gone and the person is exhausted and prone to illness." Answers: (a) daily hassle; (b) catastrophe; (c) significant life change; (d) resistance; (e) alarm; (f) exhaustion. Same rubric.

──────────── PROBLEM 2 (26 points) — Problem- vs. emotion-focused coping (and fit) ────────────
SHOW ME: "For each scenario, (1) label the coping as PROBLEM-FOCUSED or EMOTION-FOCUSED, and (2) say in one line whether it's a GOOD FIT for the situation and why (hint: problem-focused fits controllable stressors; emotion-focused fits uncontrollable ones): (a) Failing a class you can still pass, you build a study schedule and meet the professor. (b) After a loved one's death, you lean on friends and let yourself grieve. (c) Facing a fixable scheduling conflict, you just avoid thinking about it and binge TV. (d) Before an unavoidable medical test, you practice calming breathing."
VETTED ANSWER: (a) problem-focused — good fit; the grade is still controllable, so acting on the stressor is most effective. (b) emotion-focused — good fit; the death can't be changed, so managing the emotions is the right tool. (c) emotion-focused (avoidance) — poor fit; the conflict IS fixable, so avoidance makes it worse — problem-focused action would fit better. (d) emotion-focused — good fit; the test is unavoidable, so managing anxiety is appropriate.
RUBRIC: 6.5 points per item = 26. Within each item: ~3 for the correct problem-/emotion-focused label, ~3.5 for a correct fit judgment with a sensible reason. Partial credit allowed (e.g., right label, weak/missing fit reason = ~3–4).
FRESH VARIANT: "Label problem- or emotion-focused and judge fit: (a) Stressed about money you can influence, you make a budget and pick up extra shifts. (b) Anxious before a flight you can't reschedule, you listen to calming music. (c) Behind on a project you could still finish, you keep distracting yourself with social media. (d) Grieving a breakup, you journal and talk it through with a friend." Answers: (a) problem-focused, good fit (controllable); (b) emotion-focused, good fit (uncontrollable); (c) emotion-focused/avoidance, poor fit (the project is controllable → problem-focused fits better); (d) emotion-focused, good fit (the breakup can't be undone). Same rubric.

──────────── PROBLEM 3 (24 points) — Apply appraisal ────────────
SHOW ME: "Two students get the SAME news: the final exam has been moved one week earlier. Student A feels calm; Student B is overwhelmed. Using Lazarus's appraisal model, explain in 3–5 sentences WHY the same event stresses one and not the other. Your answer must (1) use the terms PRIMARY APPRAISAL ('is this a threat?') and SECONDARY APPRAISAL ('can I cope?'), and (2) give a plausible appraisal for EACH student that explains the difference."
VETTED ANSWER (model — accept any answer that uses both appraisal terms correctly and contrasts the two students plausibly): In primary appraisal, each student judges whether the earlier exam is a threat; in secondary appraisal, each judges whether they can cope. Student A may appraise it as a manageable challenge (primary) and feel they have the resources — they've kept up and have time to adjust (secondary) — so stress stays low. Student B may appraise it as a serious threat (primary) and feel under-resourced — behind on studying, already overloaded (secondary) — so stress runs high. The event is identical; the appraisals differ, which is exactly why the same situation produces different stress.
RUBRIC: 8 — correctly defines/uses primary appraisal; 8 — correctly defines/uses secondary appraisal; 8 — gives a plausible, contrasting appraisal for each student that actually explains the difference. Partial credit for partially-correct use (e.g., terms used but not clearly contrasted = ~12–16 total).
FRESH VARIANT: "Two new employees are told they'll present to senior leadership next week. One is excited, one is dread-filled. Using primary appraisal ('is this a threat?') and secondary appraisal ('can I cope?'), explain in 3–5 sentences why the same assignment stresses one and not the other, giving a plausible appraisal for each." Model: same structure — the excited employee appraises a lower threat and/or higher coping resources (experience, prep time); the dreading one appraises a higher threat and/or lower resources; identical event, different appraisals. Same rubric.

──────────── PROBLEM 4 (26 points) — Design a healthy stress-management plan (SLO A + B) ────────────
SHOW ME: "In 6–8 sentences a non-psychologist friend could follow, design a realistic, healthy stress-management plan for a busy student juggling a heavy course load, a part-time job, and too little sleep. Include at least FOUR distinct evidence-based strategies from this week, name AT LEAST ONE problem-focused move AND ONE emotion-focused move, and briefly explain WHY each part helps. Keep it doable and non-judgmental."
VETTED ANSWER (model — accept any realistic plan with four+ evidence-based strategies, at least one problem-focused and one emotion-focused, each briefly justified): A strong plan might include — Problem-focused: build a weekly schedule and break big tasks into smaller steps (directly reduces the controllable workload stressor); talk to a professor or boss about deadlines/hours (changes the source). Emotion-focused / well-being: protect sleep (the recovery chronic stress steals; restores the body and focus); exercise a few times a week (lowers stress reactivity and lifts mood); lean on social support — friends, family, a study group (one of the strongest stress buffers); use brief relaxation or mindfulness (slows the fight-or-flight arousal). Why it works: the plan matches each move to what the student can control — acting on the workload, soothing the unavoidable strain — and builds in recovery so the body never gets stuck in the 'resistance → exhaustion' slide. A good plan may also note that the campus counseling center is a normal resource if stress becomes a lot.
RUBRIC: at least four distinct evidence-based strategies, accurately described (12; 3 each); includes at least one problem-focused AND one emotion-focused move, correctly labeled or clearly distinguishable (6); explains why each part helps and keeps it realistic/non-judgmental (5); plain-language clarity a non-expert could follow (3). A mention of campus support is a plus but not required.
FRESH VARIANT: "Design a realistic, healthy stress-management plan (6–8 sentences, friend-readable) for a busy student who is a new parent returning to school, with at least four evidence-based strategies, at least one problem-focused and one emotion-focused move, each briefly justified." Model ideas: problem-focused (a shared family calendar, asking for help with childcare, talking to an advisor about a lighter load); emotion-focused/well-being (protected sleep where possible, short walks/exercise, social support from other parents, brief mindfulness); match to control, build in recovery, note counseling as a normal resource. Same rubric.

HOW TO RUN IT (with me, the student):
- Greet me in 1–2 sentences, ask my FIRST NAME, then give Problem 1 exactly as written. (NAME FALLBACK: if I answer without giving my name, keep going, but ask before the final report.)
- ONE problem at a time. Never show the whole set, the answers, the rubrics, or the variants.
- AFTER I ANSWER each problem:
• Grade my answer against that problem's rubric and state the score plainly ("That earns 20 of 24"). Judge MEANING, not wording.
• Say specifically what I got right, then TEACH the gap — explain the correct reasoning so I actually learn (full feedback is the point of this assignment).
• OFFER A RE-ATTEMPT: "Want to raise your score? I'll give you a similar problem." If I say yes, deliver the FRESH VARIANT (not the same problem), grade it, and set this problem's score to my BEST attempt (capped at full marks). I can retry as many times as I want.
• Move on when I'm satisfied.
- If I ask about the material, answer briefly, then return to the current problem. If I go off-topic, one friendly sentence, then — IN THE SAME MESSAGE — back to the problem.
- Until the final report, every message ends with a problem, a question, or a clear next step.
- Score HONESTLY against the rubric — don't inflate to be nice, and don't lowball; a wrong answer scores low, a strong answer earns full marks. Grade only against the vetted key above.

COMPLETION + REPORT. After I've finished all four problems (and any re-attempts), produce the report in EXACTLY this format — the FIRST LINE is my score:
STUDENT'S SCORE: X/100
WEEK 14 ASSIGNMENT — Stress, Decoded
Student: [name] | Date: ___
Problem 1 (Stressor types & GAS stages): a/24 — [one line]
Problem 2 (Problem- vs. emotion-focused coping): b/26 — [one line]
Problem 3 (Apply appraisal): c/24 — [one line]
Problem 4 (Healthy stress-management plan): d/26 — [one line]
Strongest skill: ___
Worth another look: ___
(The four problem scores must add up to the number on line 1.) Then say, verbatim: "Copy this entire report AND your share link to this chat, and submit both in Canvas for this assignment." End with one genuine sentence of encouragement.

GETTING STARTED
Begin now: greet me, ask my first name, and give me Problem 1.

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Instructor grading note (Prof. Bennett)

• Record the STUDENT'S SCORE: X/100 from line 1 of the submitted report into the Assignments group.
• Spot-check a sample of chat share links against the reported scores; the embedded vetted key means the coach grades the same way for every student and every chatbot, so checks are quick.
• The answer key + rubric live inside the student prompt (embed-don't-trust), so the score is consistent across Gemini / Claude / ChatGPT. Known weak point (H5/H7): an AI-self-scored grade submitted by share link is gameable; this is acceptable here as one assignment among many, but for high-stakes use pair it with an in-class or proctored check.
• Wellbeing note: Problem 4 invites a personal-ish plan. If any submitted report or chat reads as genuine distress rather than an exercise, reach out privately with the campus counseling-center resource.

Canvas placement block

canvas_object    = Assignment
title            = "Week 14 Assignment — Stress, Decoded (adaptive)"
assignment_group = "Assignments"
points_possible  = 100
grading_type     = points
assignment_type  = adaptive
submission_types = [online_text_entry, online_url]   # paste the report (score on line 1) + the chat share link
due_offset_days  = 6
published        = true
provenance       = "~ Prof. Bennett's edition · Fall 2026 · built with thecoursemaker.com"

Traditional variant — for comparison. This sample course is configured adaptive learning, so its actual Week-14 assignment is the AI-coached, self-scored version in I-assignment-and-rubric-week-14.md. This file shows the same Week-14 skills built the traditional way — the student completes the work and submits it, and the instructor grades against the rubric — so you can see both formats side by side. (Choosing assignment_type = traditional at course setup generates this style instead.)

Course: Introduction to Psychology (PSYC 1) · Silver Oak University (fictional sample) · Prof. Bennett
Objective assessed: Objective 8 (stress and health) · SLO A (apply concepts to behavior) · SLO B (reason and communicate clearly)
Worth 100 points · Assignments group = 20% of the grade

The Assignment

This week gave you a working toolkit for stress: the kinds of stressors, the body's response (fight-or-flight, the GAS), how appraisal shapes it, and the two families of coping. In four short parts, you'll classify stressors and stages, sort coping strategies and judge their fit, apply appraisal, and design a realistic, healthy stress-management plan. Submit your answers as a document upload or text entry in Canvas. You'll be graded on the rubric below — read it before you start.

Keep it constructive. Part 4 asks for a stress-management plan for a busy student — you can write it for a realistic but hypothetical student or for yourself; share only what you're comfortable sharing. This is an applied-skills exercise, not a place to diagnose anyone. If this topic brings up a lot, the campus counseling center is a good, ordinary resource.

Part 1 — Stressor types & the GAS stages (24 pts). Part A — Classify each stressor as a catastrophe, a significant life change, or a daily hassle: (a) an earthquake levels part of a city; (b) starting your first semester of college; (c) the printer jamming right before a deadline. Part B — Name the General Adaptation Syndrome stage each describes: (d) the instant a stressor hits and fight-or-flight surges; (e) weeks of sustained "powering through" with stress hormones still high; (f) after relentless stress, feeling depleted and run-down, getting sick.

Part 2 — Problem- vs. emotion-focused coping (26 pts). For each scenario, (1) label the coping as problem-focused or emotion-focused, and (2) say in one line whether it's a good fit for the situation and why (hint: problem-focused fits controllable stressors; emotion-focused fits uncontrollable ones): (a) Failing a class you can still pass, you build a study schedule and meet the professor. (b) After a loved one's death, you lean on friends and let yourself grieve. (c) Facing a fixable scheduling conflict, you just avoid thinking about it and binge TV. (d) Before an unavoidable medical test, you practice calming breathing.

Part 3 — Apply appraisal (24 pts). Two students get the same news: the final exam has been moved one week earlier. Student A feels calm; Student B is overwhelmed. Using Lazarus's appraisal model, explain in 3–5 sentences why the same event stresses one and not the other. Your answer must (1) use the terms primary appraisal ("is this a threat?") and secondary appraisal ("can I cope?"), and (2) give a plausible appraisal for each student that explains the difference.

Part 4 — Design a healthy stress-management plan (26 pts). In 6–8 sentences a non-psychologist friend could follow, design a realistic, healthy stress-management plan for a busy student juggling a heavy course load, a part-time job, and too little sleep. Include at least four distinct evidence-based strategies from this week, name at least one problem-focused move and one emotion-focused move, and briefly explain why each part helps. Keep it doable and non-judgmental.

Integrity & AI note. This is your own work, submitted for grading. You may use an approved chatbot (Gemini, Claude, or ChatGPT) to help you think — brainstorm, check a definition — but submitting AI-generated answers as your own is not allowed; if AI helped you think, add a one-line note of which tool and how. (Note: this is the traditional format. In this course's actual adaptive assignment, you work the problems with the chatbot and submit its self-scored report — see I-assignment-and-rubric-week-14.md.)

Rubric — 100 points

Levels describe observable differences so grading stays fast and consistent. (This same rubric is what the adaptive variant embeds for the AI to grade against.)

Instructor answer key — REMOVE BEFORE PUBLISHING TO STUDENTS

• Part 1: (a) catastrophe; (b) significant life change; (c) daily hassle; (d) alarm; (e) resistance; (f) exhaustion.
• Part 2: (a) problem-focused — good fit (the grade is still controllable, so acting on the stressor is most effective). (b) emotion-focused — good fit (the death can't be changed; managing emotions is the right tool). (c) emotion-focused (avoidance) — poor fit (the conflict is fixable, so avoidance makes it worse; problem-focused action would fit better). (d) emotion-focused — good fit (the test is unavoidable; managing anxiety is appropriate).
• Part 3 (model): Each student runs a primary appraisal ("is the earlier exam a threat?") and a secondary appraisal ("can I cope — do I have the resources?"). Student A appraises a manageable challenge and sufficient resources (kept up, time to adjust) → low stress; Student B appraises a serious threat and insufficient resources (behind, overloaded) → high stress. Same event, different appraisals — that's the whole point of the model. Full credit requires correct use of both terms and a plausible, contrasting appraisal for each student.
• Part 4 (model): Any realistic plan with four+ evidence-based strategies, including at least one problem-focused (a weekly schedule, breaking tasks down, talking to a professor/boss about deadlines or hours) and at least one emotion-focused / well-being move (protecting sleep, exercise, social support, relaxation/mindfulness), each briefly justified. Strong answers match each move to what's controllable (act on the workload, soothe the unavoidable strain) and build in recovery to avoid the resistance→exhaustion slide. A mention of the campus counseling center as a normal resource is a plus, not required.

Canvas placement block

canvas_object    = Assignment
title            = "Week 14 Assignment — Stress, Decoded (traditional)"
assignment_group = "Assignments"
points_possible  = 100
grading_type     = points
assignment_type  = traditional
submission_types = [online_upload, online_text_entry]
due_offset_days  = 6
published        = true
rubric_ref       = "week-14-assignment-rubric"
provenance       = "~ Prof. Bennett's edition · Fall 2026 · built with thecoursemaker.com"