Brain Hacks Slides BRAIN HACKS
Leveling Up Your Working Memory for Following Directions & Reading
Memory Lab: Session 01
What is Working Memory?
The "Mental Scratchpad"
It's your brain's ability to hold onto information while you are using it.
Listening to a set of instructions.
Reading a long sentence and remembering the start.
Hack #1
CHUNKING
Instead of trying to remember 7 small things, group them into 3 bigger blocks.
Example:
8 6 7 5 3 0 9
867 - 5309
How to do it:
Group by type
Group by time/order
Group by 3s or 4s
Practice Prompt 1
Listen as your teacher says a 4-step direction.
Step 1: Chunk
Group the steps in your mind.
Step 2: Act
Do the task only after I finish speaking!
Teacher: See guide for "Practice Set A" script.
Hack #2
VISUALIZING
The "Mental Movie"
Create a picture or short movie in your head of what you just heard or read.
For Reading:
Stop after each sentence. Who is in the "frame"? What are they doing?
For Directions:
Watch yourself doing the steps in your mind before you move.
Practice Prompt 2
"The blue truck carrying heavy steel beams turned slowly onto the narrow gravel road behind the old red barn."
What was the truck carrying?
Where did it turn?
What color was the barn?
Memory Warrior Challenge
We are going to combine Chunking and Visualizing.
1
Teacher gives 3 multi-part tasks.
2
Use your graphic organizer to "sketch" the chunks.
3
Execute the directions perfectly.
Strategy Toolkit Organizer BRAIN HACKS
Memory Strategy Toolkit
Student:
Date:
1
HACK #1: CHUNKING
Group instructions by type (action, object, or location) or order (first, then, last).
Oral Direction Practice
Listen to the teacher's instructions. Split them into 3 chunks before you act.
Chunk A
Chunk B
Chunk C
2
HACK #2: VISUALIZING
Draw a quick "mental snapshot" to help you hold complex sentences in your mind.
Sentence Snapshot
"The small green frog with bright yellow spots sat on top of the smooth wet stone next to the tall cattails."
Quick Sketch (The Visual)
Key Details (The List)
Warrior Class
MEMORY WARRIOR LOG
Listen carefully to the teacher's final command. Use any hack to hold the information!
My "Mental Scratchpad":
Self-Check
I used Chunking
I used Visualizing
I finished all steps
Brain Hacks Facilitator Guide MEMORY LAB FACILITATOR GUIDE
Lesson: Brain Hacks Duration: 30 Mins
Special Education
Grades 9-12
Learning Objectives
Students will identify chunking as a strategy for following oral multi-step directions.
Students will use visualization to increase recall of complex sentences.
Students will apply strategies to execute 4-step auditory commands.
Materials Needed
Brain Hacks Slides
Strategy Toolkit Organizer
Drawing utensils
Timer (optional)
Facilitation Script
1 Intro & Strategy Talk (Slides 1-3)
"Today, we are looking at 'Brain Hacks'. Our working memory is like a mental scratchpad. It has limited space. If someone gives you four directions, the scratchpad gets full fast. 'Chunking' is our first hack to save space."
Practice Set A: Oral Directions (Slide 4)
Note: Tell students to wait until the entire set of directions is finished before they touch anything. They should visualize/chunk while listening, then mark their organizer.
Direction Script (4 Steps):
"Pick up your pencil, circle the word 'HACK' at the top of your organizer, tap your desk twice, and then put your hands on your head."
Debrief: Ask students how they 'chunked' those. (Example: 1. Pen/Circle, 2. Tap Desk, 3. Hands on Head).
Practice Set B: Sentence Visualization (Slides 5-6)
Guided Practice (Slide 6): Use the Truck Sentence on the slide for a class-wide "Mental Movie" build. Ask: "What color? What is the truck carrying? Where is it turning?"
"If I say 'blue truck', close your eyes. Is it a big truck or small? Now add 'heavy steel beams'. Can you see the weight pushing the truck down? This movie helps you remember the details better than just the words."
Independent Practice (Organizer): Have students complete the "Frog Sentence" visualization on their organizer. Encourage them to draw FIRST, then list the details from their memory of the drawing.
The Memory Warrior Challenge
This final task combines everything. Use the "Memory Warrior Log" section of the organizer. Read the command once at a normal pace.
The Warrior Command:
"Go to the back of the room, high-five the wall, walk back to your desk while counting out loud from 1 to 5, and then stand behind your chair silently."
Success Criteria
No movement until script ends.
All 4 steps completed in order.
