The objective of this unit is to introduce students to some of the different strategies for memorising (e.g. positional, relational, mnemonics) and to develop students' capacity to utilise them effectively.

This unit looks at different ways of remembering and provides a range of engaging activities for students to practise memorising information. Activities are drawn from science (cause and effect, planets, naming bones in a human skeleton) and history (events in the life of Mary, Queen of Scots).

The activities are introduced with a simple pairs game where the student is shown a series of cards which are then turned over, and has to recall the position of matching pairs while working against the clock. The same experience is repeated, but this time matching more complex statements of scientific cause and effect.

Mnemonics are introduced for learning order and sequencing - in this case, the order of planets in the Solar System. The effectiveness of the learning is tested by an animated drag and drop activity.

The next activity, naming the bones of the skeleton, uses strategies for remembering using shape and position. The final activity uses colour-coding to learn the sequence of historical dates and events.

Students are encouraged to try what works best for them. Although learning takes place in different ways for different learners, this unit allows students the chance to find out about and practise several learning strategies, some of which they may continue to use.

Extension

• Identify opportunities in your own subject where rote-learning is necessary and get students to try out these new learning techniques.
• Do whole-class activities where you construct mnemonics for groups of key facts. Or ask students to work in pairs to come up with the funniest or most memorable mnemonics.
• Set homework where students have to learn a number of facts for a group quiz. Remind them of these strategies for learning. Remember to discuss with them what worked and what didn't.