(a memory framework allows you to deposit information just like you put clothes in a chest of drawers. Information is deposited in each drawer using deep processing. This makes what you put in each drawer easier to locate.
FAMILIAR PLACE FRAMEWORK
One of the easiest memory frameworks for children is the familiar place framework. This is done by imagining a place very familiar to the child, like their own room or your classroom. You then mentally go around your room (or school) and identify familiar objects in the order in which they appear. For example, if you were to do this using your bedroom, you might first select the door to your room; then, moving to the right, you would select the mirror on the dressing table; next is the chair; next is a plant to the right of the chair; next comes the window; next is the bed, and so on. Therefore, in this framework you would have selected six objects to associate things with or six slots to put things in: (1) door, (2) mirror, (3) couch, (4) plant, (5) window, (6) bed. Of course, you could keep going and produce as many slots as your room would allow.
***FOR THIS ACTIVITY CHILDREN WILL CREATE A FAMILIAR PLACE FRAMEWORK USING THE "CLASSROOM!" Start with the door and ask kids, "What comes next when we walk around?" For instance, next to my classroom door is the sink, then a small refrigerator, then a bookcase, then a closet, then a computer station, etc....... Ask children to repeat the framework with you, looking as their eyes move around the room.
Next, give kids a list of ten objects to remember in order. For example: duck, bicycle tire, watermelon, slide, skunk, nail, shark, spoon, sticker bush, peacock. Explain that you are all going to work together to remember the list in order by "plugging" each item into the framework, doing so in a WILD way which helps the brain remember.
For example, using the example list above it might go something like this:
Imagine the first object (the duck) is the door knob (the first place in the framework). Every time you reach to turn the knob the duck head knob quacks!
sink - you go to the sink and there is no way to turn the water on. You notice a bicycle tire hanging in front of the sink. You turn it and water spews out. The water sprays you.
small refrigerator - you open the refrigerator and inside is a dancing watermelon. It jiggles and wiggles and rolls out landing on your feet. OUCH!
You continue this process (kids love helping make up crazy stories). Then you begin the challenge of naming all the items in order based on walking through your mind around your familiar place framework!
HINT: THE MORE BIZARRE YOU MAKE YOUR IMAGES THE BETTER YOU WILL REMEMBER THEM!
TRY IT OUT! kids love this and it really gets their creativity going! Extend the framework, adding slots!
***FOR THIS ACTIVITY CHILDREN WILL CREATE A FAMILIAR PLACE FRAMEWORK USING THE "CLASSROOM!" Start with the door and ask kids, "What comes next when we walk around?" For instance, next to my classroom door is the sink, then a small refrigerator, then a bookcase, then a closet, then a computer station, etc....... Ask children to repeat the framework with you, looking as their eyes move around the room.
Next, give kids a list of ten objects to remember in order. For example: duck, bicycle tire, watermelon, slide, skunk, nail, shark, spoon, sticker bush, peacock. Explain that you are all going to work together to remember the list in order by "plugging" each item into the framework, doing so in a WILD way which helps the brain remember.
For example, using the example list above it might go something like this:
Imagine the first object (the duck) is the door knob (the first place in the framework). Every time you reach to turn the knob the duck head knob quacks!
sink - you go to the sink and there is no way to turn the water on. You notice a bicycle tire hanging in front of the sink. You turn it and water spews out. The water sprays you.
small refrigerator - you open the refrigerator and inside is a dancing watermelon. It jiggles and wiggles and rolls out landing on your feet. OUCH!
You continue this process (kids love helping make up crazy stories). Then you begin the challenge of naming all the items in order based on walking through your mind around your familiar place framework!
HINT: THE MORE BIZARRE YOU MAKE YOUR IMAGES THE BETTER YOU WILL REMEMBER THEM!
TRY IT OUT! kids love this and it really gets their creativity going! Extend the framework, adding slots!
