Click the above link to view Word documents for all the handouts and the Instructor Manual for this chapter.
Student Learning Outcome:
Students will practice research based learning strategies to improve memory and learning.
Memory Pre and Post Test
To introduce the topic of memory techniques, use the Memory Test handout to do a Memory Pre and Post Test to involve students actively in the topic. After the memory test, present the information on memory and forgetting.
To begin this exercise, tell students that you will be giving them a memory test with two parts. For the first part, advise students to relax and to do their best and to look at the exercise as a personal challenge. Before the second part of the test, you will provide the students with three memory techniques to improve scores on the test.
Part I
Ask students to put paper and pencils away. Tell them that you will read a list of 15 words, pausing 5 seconds between each word. After reading the words to the students, they will be asked to write down as many as they can remember. They do not have to write the words down in order. Keep the environment as non-threatening as possible. Refer to the exercise as a challenging and fun game.
Read the words clearly, pausing 5 seconds between each word. The pausing for 5 seconds is important since students will have the opportunity to store the information in long-term memory. When you finish the last word, ask students to write as many words as they can remember. When everyone is finished, read the words to check the answers. Have each student count the number correct. Ask for a show of hands of those who got all l5 correct. This rarely happens. Ask for a show of hands for those who got l4 correct and so on down the line. It is helpful to tally these results on the board. Usually you will have several people who get 11, l2 or 13 correct. Ask these people if they will volunteer to share their techniques for remembering. Usually you can discuss these techniques:visualization, organization and repetition. You can make the game even more fun by giving surprise rewards (college pencils, etc.) to those who score high and volunteer to share their memory techniques.
Word List for Part I:
dog horse
strawberry carrots
cow apple
onion chicken
orange corn
squash grapefruit
rat celery
plum
Part II
After discussing the memory techniques of visualization, organization and repetition, read this new list asking students to apply the memory techniques discussed. Provide organization by announcing these three categories to the students: sea creatures, kitchen utensils, and tools. Ask students to visualize the words as they are read. For example, visualize the sea creatures in an aquarium. Set the kitchen utensils on a table. Put the tools in your toolbox or picture yourself using the tools. Put action and color into the pictures. Mention that repetition helps. We need to keep these words in our minds for at least 5 seconds to become part of long-term memory. Again read these words and pause 5 seconds between the words:
Word List Two:
Sea Creatures Kitchen Utensils Tools
Shark Plate Drill
Starfish Cup Nail
Tuna Fish Sugar Bowl Wrench
Eel Knife Saw
Crab Drinking Glass Screwdriver
Ask students to write down the words they can recall. When they are finished, read the list again to check the answers. The list may be out of order, which is OK. Again tally the results on the board. Usually there is a big improvement over the first test. Ask for a show of hands on how many improved their scores over the first test. Usually a majority of students improve their results on the second test.
Change the word list to match the experience of your students. If they are not likely to be familiar with sea creatures, invent a new category more likely to be familiar with the students. Categories can be adjusted to match the different cultures, experiences and geographical areas reflected in your students’ experience. With students who pay good attention, you can read the second word list out of order (not in categories) and students will still be able to use the categories to improve their scores.
Some video clips can be used to illustrate memory techniques:
· Visualization and Repetition: Use the scene from “Forrest Gump” on how to play ping-pong.
· Repetition and Motivation: Use the scene from “Stand and Deliver” with teacher helping students to learn math.
Elaboration Group Activity
One of the findings from brain science is that the more we elaborate the information at the moment of learning, the stronger the memory, especially if we personalize it. To demonstrate how this idea works, divide your class into two groups on either side of the classroom. For Group 1, give them a list of 15 words and ask them to count the number of words with diagonal lines. For Group 2, ask them to think about the meaning of each word and give it a rating of 1-10 how much they like the word with 10 being the highest rating. Give the groups 2 minutes to complete the task. See the Elaboration Group ActivityHandout for this exercise.
Ask students to turn over their papers and write down the words they can remember from the list. Then ask how many students got 15 correct? 14 correct? 13 correct? 12 correct? 11 correct? 10 correct?
The group that thought about the meaning of the words and rated them always has a higher score because they have spent more time in elaboration. Use these questions for discussion:
Why did Group 2 perform better?
What is elaboration? How does it help with memory?
How many visualized the word? Did visualization help you to remember it?
How many found some personal meaning in the word? Did it help you to remember it?
How many found it easier to remember the words that your rated highly? How do emotions affect learning?
What are some practical applications of this idea to improve memory?
Elaboration Activity Directions
Sleeping True/False Quiz
Students often do not realize the importance of sleep for optimal brain function. This quiz reviews the key ideas about the importance of sleep. Have students take the quiz in 5 minutes and then tell them that all the statements are true. Have students think about their answers to this short quiz and write an intention statement about improving their own sleeping habits. Share intention statements. True/False Quiz
Memory Scenarios
Use the Memory Scenarios handout for group discussion. Break students into groups and assign each group one or more of these questions. Have each group share their best ideas with the entire class.
- You just read the assigned chapter in economics and cannot remember what you read. It went in one ear and out the other.
- In your anatomy and physiology class, you are required to remember the scientific name for 100 different muscles in the body.
- You signed up for a philosophy class because it meets general education requirements. You are not interested in the class at all.
- You have a mid-term in your literature class and have to read 400 pages in one month.
- You must take American history to graduate from SDSU. You think that history is boring.
- You have been introduced to an important business contact and would like to remember his/her name.
- You are enrolled in an algebra class. You continually remind yourself that you have never been good at math. You don’t think that you will pass this class.
- You have noticed that your grandmother is becoming very forgetful. You want to do whatever is possible to keep your mind healthy as you age.
Using a Peg System for Visualization and Association
One of the key ideas in the chapter is learning to use visualization to improve memory. Use the peg system as described in the text to practice visualization as well as association. Ask the students to suggest 10 items for a grocery list. Write these items on the board. Write or display the list of pegs beside the grocery list. Make a visual association between the first item on the list and the first peg. Have students suggest these visual associations. Here is a sample grocery list and the pegs:
milk bun
eggs shoe
bread tree
butter door
lettuce hive
tomatoes sticks
ice cream heaven
hamburger gate
mustard wine
potato chips hen
First, have students make a visual association with milk and bun. For example, students could picture dipping a bun into milk. Ask students to remember this picture. Next, make an association with eggs and shoe. As a joke, picture breaking eggs into a shoe. Again ask students to remember the picture. Unusual or humorous pictures and associations are easier to remember, so ask students to share their creative ideas and encourage these visualizations. Continue down the list making associations with the grocery list and the pegs. At the next class meeting, write or display the pegs and ask students to recall the mental picture and the grocery list. If this activity is done as a class group, all the pictures and items are usually easily recalled the following week.
If you have several classes and grocery lists, you may want to write the list and associations down on paper and review them yourself before class. The problem with this technique is that you will get confused between the lists for each class. It is probably easier to write down your grocery list. However, this exercise is valuable in that it illustrates how to visualize and associate.
Extra Credit Card Trick
This card trick takes advantage of short term memory. See the Card Trick file and Explanation using memory theory.
Mnemonics Exercise
Use the Practice with Mnemonics handout as a group exercise. Here are some possible answers:
Planets of the solar system according to distance from the sun: Man Very Early Made Jars Serve Useful Needs Period (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto)
Also: My Very Elegant Mother Just Served Us Nine Pickles.
Molesting Virgins Equals Maximum Jail Sentence Under New Policy.
My vampire eats marshmallows just sitting under new planets.
My very eager monster just sat under Nick's Porch.
Miss Vicki eats many juicy strawberries under Nancy's porch.
The excretory organs of the body can be represented by the acronym SKILL (skin, kidneys, intestines, liver and lungs).
See the Big Picture Puzzle Exercise
In the chapter on reading and memory, students are encouraged to survey or skim the chapter to see the big picture before they start reading. If students read without surveying, it is like trying to put a puzzle together without the picture. Purchase about 5 children’s puzzles and put them in plastic bags. Form small groups to put the puzzles together. Give a prize or extra credit points to the group that finishes first. Discuss this question: Would it have been easier if you had a picture to follow before you started to put the puzzle together?
What is Your Stress Index?
Use this checklist located at the end of the chapter to begin the discussion on stress and relaxation. It is integrated into the Web edition.
Stress Reduction Cards
Pass out one blue 3X5 card to each student. Discuss the concept of stress-reducing thoughts and provide some of your personal stress reducing thoughts or review those presented in the text. Ask each person to come up with at least 3 stress-reducing thoughts and write them down on the card. Ask each person in the room to share a stress-reducing thought. Tell the students to write down the ideas of other students if they like them. Ask them to carry the card in their pocket or purse and read the thoughts when they feel stressed. While students are writing these thoughts on cards, I play some music to stimulate their thinking. I usually play Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds” which repeats the refrain, “Don’t worry about a thing because every little thing’s going to be all right.” Sometimes a relaxing thought can be some music in your head. Ask students for examples of relaxing music.
Group Activity: Stress Reducing Thoughts
Use the road rage example in Stress-Reducing Thoughts as a group exercise in the class. Have students discuss the news article and suggest stress-reducing thoughts for Mr. Road Rage.
Another way to use this exercise is to divide students into two groups. One group brainstorms thoughts that could have calmed the teenager. Give the teenager a name to make the exercise more personal. Have the second group suggest thoughts that could have calmed down Mr. Road Rage. As a summary, discuss how use stress-reducing thoughts in stressful situations and how to deal with angry people.
Physical Relaxation Exercise
Use some relaxing music to lead your students through this physical relaxation exercise. Any music store has relaxation music. Look in the “New Age” category for many options for relaxing music. I use “Cristophori’s Dream” by David Lanz.
Introduce the exercise by explaining what you will be asking the class to do. For example, you will ask students to take a few deep breaths. Have students take a few deep breaths with you and explain how taking deep breaths helps people to relax. Have students tense and relax a few muscles. If you are working with a younger group, ask the group to remain quiet so that others can relax. Give students permission to just put their heads down on their desks if they do not wish to participate. In this way, you minimize interruptions. Here is a suggested script. Ad lib as you see fit:
I’d like to take you through an easy and relaxing exercise that will take about l5 minutes. Once you learn the sequence, you can give yourself the gift of relaxation whenever you need it. To begin with, I invite you to get as comfortable as possible. Close your eyes if you like. Uncross your arms and legs and just allow your body to let go and relax to the best of your ability. Take a deep breath and slowly let it out. Let your body begin to relax and unwind. Take another deep breath and as you exhale, let it carry all the tension out of your body. Allow a feeling of peacefulness to descend over you.
With your eyes closed, I’d like you to focus on your breathing. Become aware of your breathing as you allow yourself to breathe deeply and comfortably. Feel the air enter your nose and throat as you inhale. Notice the rhythm of your breathing as it flows in and out of your body. Simply breathe in a comfortable and relaxed fashion. Focus on your breathing. When you focus on your breathing, you automatically slow it down and slow yourself down. Now take another deep breath, in through your nose and exhale through your mouth slowly and comfortably, allowing even deeper relaxation. With each breath that you take, allow yourself to feel more and more heavy and more and more relaxed.
As you continue to breathe in an easy and relaxed fashion, feeling more and more comfortable and relaxed, you may become aware of some areas of tension in your body. Right now I want you to focus on any area of tension you may be feeling. Notice where you feel tense right now. Focus on one of these tension spots and exaggerate the tension. Perhaps your shoulders are aching or your back feels tight. Tighten that spot. Tighten it. Hold that tension, and then let go. Feel the difference between your tension and relaxation. Once more scan your body for any tense areas and then focus on a spot that feels tight and increase that tension. Hold it. Hold it. And now let go and enjoy again the feelings of comfort and warmth that accompany relaxation. Continue to breathe deeply in through your nose and gently out through your mouth. Simply enjoy the rhythm of your breathing and realize how slow, deep breathing can produce a state of wonderful relaxation.
Now I’d like you to tighten both of your fists. Tighten them now. Tighten your biceps and forearms. Hold that tension. Hold it. Hold it and let go. Relax and feel the warmth and tingling sensations of deep relaxation that follow increased tension. Again, this time make a fist with both of your hands imagining that you are squeezing the juice of an orange. Squeeze it and let go. Relax and feel the increasing warmth and heaviness in your arms and your hands. Allow your arms and your hands to simply sink into the chair and when you’re ready, begin to notice your breathing again, enjoying the increased relaxation you experience whenever you focus on your breathing, paying attention to its natural flowing rhythm.
This time tighten your shoulders and raise them up to your ears. Increase the tension in your shoulders. Hold it. Feel the tension in your neck and shoulders. Hold it. Let go. Relax your shoulders and neck and enjoy the feelings of warmth and the feeling of heaviness in your neck and shoulders. Enjoy that feeling of relaxation now and allow it to move down into your arms and into your hands and fingertips. Allow your body to sink into the chair feeling heavier and heavier and warmer and warmer.
Now I’d like you to arch your back as you take a deep breath into your chest. Hold that tension now. Now exhale and let go. Relax, smoothing out all the muscles in your back. Once again arch your back. Arch your back. Tense it. Hold it. Hold it. And now relax. Let go. Allow yourself to feel more and more heavy and more and more warm and increasingly more relaxed and comfortable.
Now I would like you to focus your attention on your legs and feet. Pull your toes back toward your face, tightening up your shins. Tighten them up now and hold that tension. Hold it. Relax, let go and feel the warm tingling sensations of relaxation throughout your legs and feet. Now with your attention still on your legs, point your toes downward toward the floor. Hold that tension. Hold it. Then relax and let go, allowing your legs to feel heavier and heavier, warmer and more and more comfortable. Now with your legs all comfortable, with your arms and back feeling as relaxed as they can, and with your shoulders and neck feeling all loose and calm, I’d like you to simply feel the sensations of warmth and relaxation seeping into every area of your body. Breathe deeply and comfortably.
Imagine that you are lying on a warm, sandy beach. The sun is streaming down and warming your body, relaxing your shoulders, neck, back, arms, legs and feet. Feel that sensation of warmth and allow it to spread throughout the whole body. Continue to breathe in a relaxed fashion. Imagine that you can feel all the muscles in your body relaxing and feel that inner peace that comes with deep relaxation. Allow yourself to be quiet for just a little while longer, letting your mind wander to pleasant thoughts, to pleasant places, to pleasant times. Just allow yourself to relax and be comfortable.
Give yourself whatever time you need. Continue to breathe slowly and gently, enjoying the calm and quiet. When you feel ready, count backward from five to one. Then you will open your eyes feeling refreshed and revitalized knowing you can return to the peace and tranquility of deep relaxation whenever you choose.
Summary:
When you are finished with the exercise, review these elements of relaxation with your class: music, breathing, tensing/relaxing, visualization, and positive suggestions. Encourage students to experiment with the technique at home and to make it a habit.
For Online Classes:
Online Discussion Question
Here is a link to a Word document with all my online discussion questions: Online Discussion Questions
Read the following situations and comment on one of them using ideas from the chapter on memory and learning.
- In your anatomy and physiology class, you are required to remember the scientific name for 100 different muscles in the body.
- You signed up for a philosophy class because it meets general education requirements. You are not interested in the class at all.
- You must take American history to graduate from SDSU. You think that history is boring.
- You have been introduced to an important business contact and would like to remember his/her name.
- You have noticed that your grandmother is becoming very forgetful. You want to do whatever is possible to keep your mind healthy as you age.