Lesson 6.2: Using Cartoons and Associations to Remember

LESSON 6.2: USING CARTOONS AND ASSOCIATIONS TO REMEMBER

Self-advocacy Time Management & Planning Test Taking Organized Writing Flexible Thinking & Problem Solving Maintaining Focus LESSON FOCUS Active Reading Prioritizing & Estimating Time Perspective Taking Initiating Tasks Self-understanding

BACKGROUND

Executive Function: Executive function (EF) is a broad term used to describe the complex cognitive processes that are the foundation for flexible, goal-directed behaviors. Key EF processes include shifting flexibly (cognitive flexibility), goal setting, organizing and prioritizing, accessing working memory, as well as self-monitoring and self-checking.

Working Memory: Working memory is the ability to hold information in one’s mind and to mentally manipulate this information (e.g., mental math).

Short-Term Memory: Information received from the five senses is stored in short-term memory. This is retained for a short period of time before the information is either stored in long-term memory or forgotten.

Long-Term Memory: Long-term memory is the storage house for the brain; important information is stored for longer periods of time.

HOW TO TEACH WORKING MEMORY STRATEGIES

Mnemonics, devices that serve as memory aids, successfully improve students’ ability to remember information. Mnemonics help students remember content as well as specific orders and processes. Many of these mnemonics depend on the student’s ability to use previous experiences or knowledge in order to make connections to new information. The two strategies introduced in this lesson—cartoons and associations—require students to make these connections in order to help them to remember challenging or unfamiliar information.

• Cartoons—Cartoons use visual cues to help students make connections so that they can remember important information. Students who like to learn visually may find cartooning strategies particularly useful. Cartoons are especially helpful when students are learning new vocabulary words.

• Associations—Associations are words or ideas that connect new learned information with other familiar concepts. For example, to remember that the definition of the word “accrue” is “to gain or increase over time,” students might think of “a crew.” Using this association, students can create a sentence that helps them to remember the definition of the word (e.g., To enlarge his crew, the pirate hired more sailors, which he accrued over time.) (Note: These two strategies are often interconnected. Students can identify an association and can draw cartoons using this association to help them to remember the new word, idea, or concept.)

The following lesson introduces students to the strategy of using mnemonic devices to help remember information. Students learn how to use cartoons and associations to remember definitions for new vocabulary words.

LESSON 6.2: USING CARTOONS AND ASSOCIATIONS TO REMEMBER

TIME

1 Hour

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

1. Create cartoons and associations for remembering new words 2. Identify the best strategy to help remember information

METHODS OF INSTRUCTION

• Teacher modeling • Group activity • Independent practice

MATERIALS

• “Using Cartoons and Associations to • “Tricky Words: Cartoons and Associations” Remember” PowerPoint handout • “Cartoon Metacognitive Activator” • “Wolof Words Two-Column” handout handout • “Sample Cartoon” handouts (for the • “Wolof Words Three-Column” handout words errant, myriad and truncate) • “Tricky Vocabulary Word Cards” teacher • Strategy Notebooks handout • Strategy Reflection Sheets • “Tricky Vocabulary Word Cards — CHALLENGE” teacher handout

TEACHER PREPARATION

1. Review the “Using Cartoons and Associations to Remember” PowerPoint and add any additional information you view as relevant for your students. 2. Review the versions of the “Tricky Vocabulary Words Cards” handouts and select the version most appropriate for your students. CHALLENGE handouts are designed for high-performing, older students. 3. Make copies of the “Cartoon Metacognitive Activator,” “Wolof Words Three-Column,” “Tricky Words: Cartoons and Associations,” and “Wolof Words Two-Column” handouts (one of each per student). 4. Choose the appropriately scaffolded Strategy Reflection Sheet and make copies (one per student) or have multiple copies of each from which students may choose.

Metacognitive Activator

1. Distribute the “Cartoon Metacognitive Activator” handout to each student. Students should look at the word at the top of the page, then at the cartoon, and guess the definition of the word.

Guided Instruction

1. Ask students to share the definitions they developed during the Metacognitive Activator. a. How did you come up with that definition? b. What strategies do you use to remember new vocabulary? 2. Explain to students that cartoons are a type of mnemonic (memory) device that can help us remember. a. They can be more effective than making traditional word/definition flash cards. b. Effective cartoons have a strong connection to both the word and the definition. c. Encourage students to use examples from their own lives. 3. Explain to students that they can also use associations to remember new information. Associations are remembering strategies that link new information to something that is similar and familiar. 4. Distribute “Wolof Words Three-Column” handout. a. Read each word aloud and ask students to name the first thing that comes to mind when they hear each word. b. After reading the actual definitions of the words in the second column, students should use the third column to write the association that they came up with and/or draw a cartoon using the association to help them remember the meaning of the word. c. Advise students that the cartoon should include the association AND highlight the actual definition of the word (see Slide 8 on the PowerPoint for an example).

Independent Practice

1. Ask students to complete the remaining four 2. Have students share their associations and Wolof words on their own. cartoons.

Guided Instruction

1. Discuss how these strategies can be helpful for remembering the definitions of tricky words. 2. Discuss how, when, and where students could use these strategies. 3. Display Slide 9 showing the “Tricky Word” card. 4. As a class, review the example and the steps for using cartoons and associations. a. Identify the definition. b. Create an association. c. Make up a sentence that incorporates the association. d. Draw a cartoon.

Independent Practice

1. Distribute a “Tricky Vocabulary Words” card and corner, their sentence on the bottom, and, in the “Tricky Words: Cartoons and Associations” the middle of the page, to draw a cartoon to handout to each student. help them remember the definition of the word. 2. On the “Tricky Words: Cartoons and You can show students the Sample Cartoon Associations” handout, ask students to write sheets for as examples. their word in the upper left-hand corner of the 3. If time permits, ask several students to share page, their association in the upper right-hand their cartoons and associations with the class.

Metacognitive Wrap-Up

1. To prove the effectiveness of these remembering strategies, give students the “Wolof Words Two- Column” handout. Students should write the definitions of the words in the right column. The trick is to see how many words they can remember. Did associations and cartooning help them to remember these words?

Strategy Reflection Activities

STRATEGY REFLECTION SHEETS Distribute “Strategy Reflection Sheets.” Allow 2–3 minutes for students to complete their reflections. If time permits, select 2 or 3 students to share their responses.

STRATEGY SHARE After students have had an opportunity to apply the strategy to their schoolwork or activities outside of school, distribute a new strategy reflection sheet (typically 2–3 days following direct instruction of the strategy). Allow students 5–10 minutes to complete their strategy reflection sheets and to attach them to the piece of work or artifact that demonstrates their application of the strategy.

*In some instances, students may not have the opportunity to practice the strategy they learned that week. Therefore, encourage them to reflect on a different strategy that they have used.

After all students have completed strategy reflection sheets, select 2 or 3 students to share their strategies. During the strategy share, students should provide the following information: • What strategy did you use? • How did you use the strategy? (e.g., to study for a test, on a writing assignment, on homework, etc.) • Was the strategy helpful? How did you know that it was helpful? (e.g., you remembered more information for the test, it helped you complete an assignment more quickly, etc.)

LESSON 6.2: CARTOONS AND ASSOCIATIONS

VOCABULARY: Time management, planner, estimation

Select the extensions below to help your students connect SMARTS executive function strategies to relevant tasks.

Creating Strategic Learning Communities

• Have students share a childhood memory and look for common themes (e.g., memories that are happy, funny, or gross). Discuss how visual and language-based strategies help students to trigger memory for these types of events. • Brainstorm a list of jingles, melodies, or catch phrases that students hear on commercials, radio, TV, Tik-Tok, etc. Discuss why these catch phrases and melodies are so memorable and how these strategies can help students to remember information.

Reflection/Self-Advocacy

• After students have practiced creating cartoons as memory strategies, have them reflect on how well this strategy works for them. What types of cartoons work best for them? • Discuss with students how they might approach their teachers to advocate for the use of cartoons/associations to help them remember important information.

Test Strategies

• Have students review their notes and create visuals/cartoons for the questions or topics that are difficult for them. • Create a memory strategy for the class for remembering challenging information that students often forget. • Give students a link to illustrated videos about pertinent topics before a test. Ask students to share any visual resources they find.

Projects

• Have students use the directions to sketch out a prototype or a visual outline of what the final outcome of a project will look like. • Create a visual strategy or other mnemonic for the steps of a project that students may forget (e.g, formatting, works cited).

Math/Science

• Provide mnemonics for formulae and processes that are important to remember ( eg., Order of operations in math . Ask students to create their own visual or language-based strategy and to share this with the class. • Have students sketch out a lab before they actually work on the details.

ELA/Social Science

• Have students create a visual outline for an essay (e.g, sketch out each page and highlight important elements such as topic sentences, quotes, etc.). • Use mnemonics to help students understand how to interpret evidence (e.g, primary sources, charts, maps).