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Explore short-term memory and how we hold onto information while we are using it.
Have you ever been told a secret and had to run to tell a friend before you forgot it? Your brain has a special 'holding zone' that works like a tiny, invisible desk!
Imagine you are building a Lego set. You have a small tray where you keep the pieces you are using right now. In your brain, this tray is called Short-Term Memory. It is like a work table where your brain puts information it needs for just a few seconds. If you are adding , your brain puts the and the on the work table, does the math, and then clears the table for the next job. This memory doesn't last forever—it's only for things you are using at this exact moment!
Quick Check
What is the nickname we use for Short-Term Memory?
Answer
The work table.
Your brain's work table is very small. Most people can only fit about items on it at one time. Scientists call this the Magic Number. Imagine trying to hold bouncy balls in your hands at once. You might be able to hold or , but if someone throws you an or ball, you will probably drop one! This is why it is hard to remember a very long list of random numbers like all at once.
Let's see how the work table handles a small list: 1. Your mom says: 'Milk, Eggs, Bread.' 2. Your brain puts items on the work table. 3. Since , your work table has plenty of room! 4. You can easily remember all three because the table isn't crowded.
Quick Check
About how many items can fit on your brain's work table at once?
Answer
About 7 items.
Since the work table is so small, information likes to disappear quickly. To keep something on the table, you have to use a trick called Rehearsal. This is just a fancy word for repeating things over and over. When you say a phone number like '555-1212' to yourself while looking for a pen, you are 'refreshing' the items on the table so they don't fade away. If you stop talking or get distracted, the items 'fall off' the table and are gone!
Imagine you need to remember the number . 1. Start saying it: '482, 9301... 482, 9301.' 2. Every time you say it, you are 'picking up' the numbers before they fall off the work table. 3. If a dog barks and you look away, your brain stops repeating the numbers. 4. Suddenly, the table is empty! This is why we use rehearsal to stay focused.
What if you have items? . 1. Your table only holds . 2. To remember all , you have to group them. Instead of separate things, you make them into 'chunks'. 3. You might remember '123', '456', and '7890'. 4. Now you only have 'chunks' on your table instead of single numbers! This is how experts use their work table.
What happens to information on the 'work table' when you are done using it?
If you have items to remember, what will likely happen?
Repeating a word over and over helps keep it in your short-term memory.
Review Tomorrow
Tomorrow morning, try to remember the 'Magic Number' and the name of the 'Work Table'.
Practice Activity
Ask a friend to tell you a 7-digit number. Try to repeat it in your head for 30 seconds, then write it down to see if you kept it on your work table!