Aims:

1. Understand how our

memory works.

2. Develop practical

strategies to revise

for exams.

HumansNotRobots.co.uk

http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/brainsmart/brain/

Attention

This focuses your senses

on each piece of

information for a few

seconds and passes it to

your short term memory.

Working Memory

This can hold about 7

items at a time.

It sifts, rejects and selects

information to go into

the long term memory.

Long Term Memory

This is your storage

system which holds

millions of pieces of

data.

You have several

long term

memories –

including a visual

memory for what

you see, an verbal

memory for what

you hear and a

motor memory for

what you do.

‘Associative Memory’ is your brain’s ability to

link bits of information from different places

together.

1. Sensory Memory

a) Knowledge of an event – what happened today, what happened last Christmas etc.

2. Episodic Memory

b) Knowing how to do something i.e. getting dressed, cooking, swimming, driving.

c) Knowledge of sights, sounds, smells, tastes and touch.

3. Semantic Memory

d) General knowledge not tied to am event or action – facts and figures etc.

4. Procedural Memory

1

8

1,000,000

1000

1,000,000,000

1,000,000,000,000

https://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/stm0.html

Trial number… The letters I remember are…

1

2

3

4

5

6

• You are about to do a small working memory test – focusing on verbal memory. • A few letters will flash on your computer monitor for 3 seconds – keep your sheet face

down. • After the letters disappear, turn over your page and write down as many letters as you

can remember.

Talking Point - How strong is your verbal memory?

Talking Point - How strong is your visual memory?

http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/puzmatch2.html

• You are about to do a small working memory test – focusing on visual memory.

• Look at the picture for 30 seconds.

• After it has disappeared, you have a minute to write down the names of as many pictures as you can remember.

60

Talking Point - How strong is your memory generally?

1. Listen to a teacher or partner clap a rhythm, wait a minute, then try to re-clap it…

2. Describe your earliest childhood memory? How old were you? How clear is it? Which do you remember most - pictures, sounds, smells, touches?

3. Can you remember what happened last Wednesday? Was this an ordinary day or standout day?

Revision Pack

Challenge

Take one of the following topics and questions. Create a revision pack for a student preparing to answer it. On this occasion, your revision pack can draw mainly on Wikipedia.

Wiki - Fingerprinting

A. Describe the different types and uses of fingerprinting.

B. “Fingerprinting is a failsafe way of proving whether someone

is guilty or innocent.” Do you agree or disagree? Explain why.

Wiki – The Moon A. Describe how life on the moon would be different to life on Earth. “B. The Moon would be an easy start for humans taking over space.” Do you agree or disagree? Explain why.

Wiki – Cinema A. Describe how Hollywood developed into the world’s

biggest cinema industry.

B. “Hollywood is not an international project. It is mainly American stories, made by Americans, sold by Americans to the world.” Do you agree or disagree? Explain why.

Wiki – Punk Rock A. Describe how Punk music developed.

B. “Punk rock was not really a political movement, it was more about making money.” Do you agree or disagree? Explain why.

Wiki – Dogs and Humans A. Describe the various uses dogs have provided to human

beings over time.

B. “Dogs have helped human beings more than any other animal.” Do you agree or disagree? Explain why.

Wiki – Australia A. Describe how Australia developed into a

leading country,

B. “Britain would have been better moving its entire population to Australia in the 1800s and leaving its convicts here.” Do you agree or disagree? Explain why.

Wiki – Adolf Hitler

A. Describe how Hitler came to power in Germany.

B. “Hitler was never a democrat, he was always a dictator.”

Do you agree or disagree? Explain why.

Wiki – Volcanoes A. Describe the main features of a volcano. B. “People should be banned from living within close proximity of volcanoes.” Do you agree or disagree? Explain why.

4 Steps to Revising:

1. Map Organise where you need to be going…

2. Filter Highlight the key facts / info…

3. Summarise Create a mind-map (and

pictureboard)…

4. Activate! Create a quizzes, crosswords,

word-searches etc.

Wiki – Buddhism A. Describe the distinct features of Buddhism. B. “Buddhism is a world apart from Christianity.” Do you agree or disagree? Explain why.

Filter

Map

Summarise

Key Words Activate

Key Ideas Kick And Revenge Must Arrive

http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/brainsmart/memory/mini/namingplanets.shtml

Mnemonics

Activate Visualisation

Kick And Revenge Must Arrive

http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/brainsmart/memory/mini/stalagmiteandstalactite.shtml

Visualisation

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/religion/buddhism/nirvana.shtml

Visualisation

Activate

Quizzes & Challenges

easier

harder

Linking

Buddhism Both

Christianity

Activate

Trial Runs

Gautama Buddha was born around 2500 years ago in India and started out life as a prince. Jesus of Nazareth was born around 2000 years ago in Palestine / Israel and was a carpenter. Both fasted and prayed for long amounts of time before discovering what they wanted to teach. Both founders were moved by the misery suffered by people in the world and sought answers. However, their answers were different….

http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/brainsmart/memory/mini/capitalcities.shtml

Visualisation - and Linking

http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/brainsmart/brain/#bb-emp