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An introduction to the concept of memory and how our brains act like a super-powered filing cabinet.
Imagine waking up and forgetting your own name, how to ride a bike, or even what your favorite snack tastes like! How would you know who you are?
Memory is like a super-powered filing cabinet inside your head. It is the way your brain stores information so you can use it later. When you learn something new, like a friend's phone number or how to spell 'cat,' your brain 'writes it down' and tucks it away in a folder. When you need that information again, your brain goes on a lightning-fast treasure hunt to find it! This process of keeping and finding information is what we call memory.
Quick Check
If your brain is like a filing cabinet, what is the 'information' inside the folders called?
Answer
Memory.
You use your memory all day long, even when you don't realize it! Every time you recognize a song, remember the rules of a game, or know which bus to take home, you are using your retrieval skills. Retrieval is just a fancy word for 'finding' a memory. Without memory, every single day would feel like the very first day of your life because you wouldn't remember anything you did yesterday!
Imagine you have a new locker at school with the code . 1. You see the numbers on a piece of paper. 2. You repeat the numbers in your head: . 3. Your brain stores that code in a 'School' folder. 4. The next morning, you retrieve the code to open your door!
Quick Check
Can you name three things you did this morning that required your memory?
Answer
Answers may include: brushing teeth, getting dressed, remembering where breakfast is, or knowing a parent's name.
Memory is the most important tool for learning. Think of learning like building a tower out of blocks. Each new thing you learn is a block. If you don't have a memory to hold the bottom blocks in place, the whole tower falls down! To learn how to read, you first have to remember what sounds the letters make. To do math, you have to remember what numbers mean. Memory helps us turn small bits of info into big, amazing skills.
Baking cookies requires using memory for different steps: 1. Remember to preheat the oven to . 2. Remember that you need cups of flour and cup of sugar. 3. Remember to set a timer for minutes so they don't burn! If you forgot any of these 'blocks,' your cookies wouldn't turn out right.
Think about playing Soccer. You have to use memory for many things at once: 1. Rules: Remember you cannot touch the ball with your hands. 2. Skills: Remember how to kick the ball with the side of your foot. 3. People: Remember which players are on your team and which are on the other team. This is a 'challenge' because your brain is retrieving many different folders at the same time!
What is the best way to describe memory?
Why is memory important for learning?
You only use your memory when you are taking a test at school.
Review Tomorrow
In 24 hours, try to explain to a friend or family member why memory is like a filing cabinet.
Practice Activity
Try this: Look at a tray of 5 different objects for 10 seconds. Cover them up and see how many you can retrieve from your memory!