Activity Handout 8.1

How Do You See a House?

Think of the word “HOUSE.” In the spaces provided below, discuss how you would interpret the word “HOUSE” through each of the levels, Shallow Level, Intermediate Level, and the Deepest Level.

Shallow Level:

letters and/or the lines that make up the letters are identified

Intermediate Level:

the word as a whole is recognized

Deepest Level:

associations linked to the word “house” are made

Activity Handout 8.2

The Story of E = mc2

Use the concept of “imagery” to write out a story as a way to remember the equation: E = mc2.

Correct stories should contain some of the following information:

  • mnemonic devices
  • a story where each letter represents a name or place
  • imagery representing the equal and squared symbols

Activity Handout 8.3

Chunking

Use “chunking” to divide the following bits of information.

1. issheilagoingtobuythenewphone

issheilagoingtobuythenewphone

2. 1776200119951970179219402007

1776200119951970179219402007

3. canyouchunktheselettersintowords

canyouchunktheselettersintowords

4. 510152025303540

510152025303540

5. 300305310320330340350

300305310320330340350

Activity Handout 8.4

What Type of Memory Is It?

Read each statement below and then state what type of memory is being used or what type of organizational technique is being used.

  1. Susie is baking blueberry muffins and goes through the following steps: she preheats the oven, mixes all the ingredients in the order in which they are presented, greases the muffin pan, places the batter in separate cups, places the pan in the oven and then sets the timer.

Type of Memory: ___procedural (implicit)

  1. In school, John is asked to name the first president of the United States and he answers,

“George Washington”.

Type of Memory: ___ semantic (explicit; declarative)

3. Johanna is giving a speech in her Speech class about her most memorable birthday, which was her Sweet 16 birthday party.

Type of Memory: __episodic (explicit; declarative)

4. Thomas is trying to remember various items on a list for Christmas shopping. He organizes the items in the following way: DVDs for his daughter, PS2 games for his son, a new microwave for his sister in college, a new TV for his parents and a new diamond tennis bracelet for his wife.

Type of Memory: __working memory

5. Rebecca goes into a restaurant with her 5-year-old niece and sits down. The niece seems fidgety and wants to eat because she is so hungry. Rebecca explains to her that they need to wait to order. She knows since this is a not a fast-food restaurant that they must wait first for the server to bring them some menus. Next they have to give a drink order and then when the server comes back they need to give him/her their dinner order. Salads will be brought out, and when they are finished with the salads, their dinners will be brought to the table. Finally, they will finish their meal with dessert.

Type of Memory: ___implicit

Activity Handout 8.5

Were They Really Eyewitnesses?

Go on the Internet and find at least 2 articles, print them out and after reading them answer the following questions.

  1. Where was the eyewitness when the incident occurred? In other words, was the eyewitness right beside the incident, on the other side of the street, etc.?
  1. What time of day did the incident occur, morning, afternoon or evening? Was it daylight or dark when the incident occurred?
  1. Did the eyewitness know the victim personally?
  1. What did the eyewitness say happened?
  1. Was the defendant (the person committing the crime) found guilty of the crime?
  1. What do you believe really happened? Do you feel as though the defendant was guilty of committing the crime?

Correct answers should contain some information regarding the inaccuracy of eyewitness testimony including distortion and bias.

Activity Handout 8.6

Mnemonic Devices

Read through the lists below and develop your own mnemonic device for each set of lists.

1. Boat

Paddle

Oar

Water

Seaweed

Motor

Mnemonic:

2.Carrots

Apples

Bread

Milk

Ice cream

Dog food

Cereal

Crackers

Steaks

Bathroom cleaner

Salad dressing

Mnemonic:

3.Cornea

Pupil

Iris

Lens

Retina

Rods

Cones

Fovea

Mnemonic: