Lesson Plan 

Course: Intro Psychology

 Lesson Topic: Learning and Memory

By Morgan Z.

This lesson plan focuses on the underlying principles of learning and memory and how students can apply these to their own lives.

Pre-class assigned reading:

• Chapter 8: Memory in Psychology 2e
• https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/8-introduction

Reading Questions:

1. Why is memory often compared to a computer?
2. What are the processes involved in memory?
3. What are the major types of memories?
4. What are some techniques to enhance your memory?

Learning Objectives:

• Broad:
• Apply psychology concepts to complex real world problems to deepen personal/interpersonal understanding
• Lesson-Specific:
• Explain key processes involved in memory.
• Describe strategies to enhance memory.
• Perform basic data analysis.
• Recognize methodological issues.
• Apply memory concepts to real life situations.

Materials:

• Lesson Plan Slides
• Learning & Memory Handout
• Kahoot Access (questions provided in the text)
• Writing Assignment (Homework) — see end of lesson plan

75-minute Lesson:

• Brief Overview of the Lesson (5 minutes)
  • Slide 1: Instructor Introduces the topic of the class as Learning and Memory
  • Slide 2: Instructor provides an overview of what students can expect during the lesson on a PowerPoint slide.
    • Class Learning Objectives:
      • Identify and describe the three main types of memory
      • Explain key processes involved in memory.
      • Describe strategies to enhance memory.
      • Perform basic data analysis.
      • Apply memory concepts to real life situations.
      • Recognize methodological issues.

• Penny Memory Activity and Discussion (20 minutes)

• Slide 3: Instructor should begin the class by asking students to respond to the following question: Do you remember what a penny looks like? The instructor should give students about 1 minute to think about it.
  • Slide 4: Then, the instructor will show the image from the penny handout on the PowerPoint screen and ask which image displays the image of a penny accurately. The instructor should also share a Kahoot link where students may submit their answers. (5 minutes)
    • Kahoot Question:
      • Which image of a penny on the board is accurate?
        • Multiple Choice: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O
      • The instructor should show the results of the Kahoot responses on the screen.
  • Slide 5: Then, display slide 5, showing that the correct answer is A. 
  • Slide 6: Then, the instructor should have the students break out into small groups with the students next to them to discuss their responses to the question: Why is it challenging to remember what a penny looks like? (3 minutes)
  • Finally, the instructor should ask each group to share their answers with the class (5 minutes)
  • Slide 7: The instructor should ask students to visit the next Kahoot link which will have questions pertaining to the process of memory (5 minutes)
  • Kahoot Questions:
    • What are the 3 main processes involved in memory?
      • A. Listening, Coding, Recalling
      • B. Encoding, Storage, Retrieval
      • C. Forgetting, Reminding, Repetition
      • D. Attending, Reframing, Calling
        • Correct Answer: B
    • Which of the 3 processes is known as the retention of encoded information?
      • A. Encoding
      • B. Storage
      • C. Retrieval
        • Correct Answer: B
    • You are preparing for a psychology exam by using flashcards to memorize key terms and definitions. You review the flashcards daily, repeating each term and its definition out loud. Which process are you primarily engaging in while repeating the information?
      • A. Encoding
      • B. Storage
      • C. Retrieval
      • • D. Consolidation
          
          • • Correct Answer: C
          
          
          

• Mini-Lesson Activity on Processing (30 minutes)
  • Slide 8- 33: The instructor should then tell the students they will complete a processing activity. The instructor should distribute the Activity Handout and complete the 2 recall activities (10 minutes)
    • First, the instructor should explain the instructions, below:
      • The first task we will complete is the pleasantness rating task.  I will read a list of words at 5-second intervals, they will also appear on the screen.
      • You should rate each word based on how “pleasant” you think it is, on a 10-point scale: 1 is very unpleasant, 5 is neutral, and 10 is very pleasant.
      • Please do not write the words themselves, just the rating.
      • Are there any questions?
    • The instructor should then read out each of the below words from the PowerPoint slides as the slides auto advance at 5 second intervals.  
      • coin
      • trail
      • deep
      • fish
      • skate
      • flower
      • bird
      • coat
      • church
      • clock
      • sample
      • metal
    • Then, the instructor should introduce the recall activity:
      • Now, please write down as many words as you can recall in any order on your handout. You will have 90 seconds to complete this.
    • The instructor should allow for 90 seconds for students to write down the words they remember. Then, provide the correct answers:
      • Okay, now I’ll read the list above again, please count how many words you correctly recalled.
    • The instructor should write down the number of correctly recalled words for each student on the board under “Trial 1” (if this is a larger class, add a Kahoot link with the question: “How many words did you correctly recall?”)
    • The instructor should then introduce the second activity:
      • This second task is the letter-checking activity, where I will read a different list of words at 5-second intervals, they will also appear on the screen. You must determine if each word contains the letter “E.”
      • Make a mark (tally) on the worksheet if the word contains “e,” and do nothing if it does not contain an e.
      • Please do not not write the words themselves—only focus on whether there is an “E.”
      • Do not worry about remembering the words, you will not be asked to do the recall activity again.
    • The instructor should then read out each of the below words from the PowerPoint slides as the slides auto advance at 5 second intervals. 
      • shade
      • dress
      • count
      • short
      • desk
      • horse
      • fire
      • motor
      • money
      • month
      • song
      • story
    • Then, the instructor should ask how many words contained the letter “e” and provide the correct number (5). Then, introduce the recall activity:
      • I was not entirely truthful, for the sake of the activity. You will now be asked to recall the words. Please write down as many words as you can recall in any order on your handout. You will have 90 seconds.
    • The instructor should allow for 90 seconds for students to write down the words they remember. Then, provide the correct answers:
      • Okay, now I’ll read the list above again, please count how many words you correctly recalled.
    • The instructor should write down the number of correctly recalled words for each student on the board under “Trial 1” (if this is a larger class, add a Kahoot link with the question: “How many words did you correctly recall?”)
  • Slide 34: Instructor should then facilitate discussion on the activity, using the following discussion questions (15 minutes)
    • 1. Based on the results, which activity helped us remember more?
      • Ask students what they would do with the data to compare the results. Encourage the students to compare the mean of each trial.
      • Option slide 35: If the expected result (higher average number of words remembered for the pleasantness activity compared to the “e” activity) is not reflected, display the results from Hyde and Jenkins’ study
    • 2. Why do you think this happened?
    • 3. Which memory enhancing techniques did you use?
  • Slide 36: Before discussing the third    question, complete the matching activity. The instructor should present terms on slide 36 and encourage students to work in small groups to complete the matching activity. Then, call on each group to provide one answer to the matching activity.  (5 minutes)
  • Slide 38: Continue class discussion:
    • 3. Which memory enhancing techniques did you use?
    • 4. How might the design of this experiment influenced the results?
      • ​​Follow-up: Do you have any suggestions for improving the design to avoid these problems?
    • 5. How can we apply this to help us with studying?
  • Slide 39: Discussion about memory enhancing techniques in the context of studying:
    • How many items can we hold in short-term memory at once? What is this number called? (Answer: 7 +/- 2; Miller’s Magic Number)
    • Do you cram for exams? Or do you use distributive learning?
    • Do you think exams help you remember your course material?

Explain Homework Assignment: Study Habits Writing Activity (15 minutes)

• Slide 39: Instructor will ask students how they study. The students will submit open ended responses in a Kahoot to the question:
  • “How do you study?”
  • Then, share the results and read some answers out loud.

• Slide 40: Then, the instructor should assign the writing activity, distributing the Writing Assignment handout.
  • For homework, please read the article by Dunlosky and colleagues and respond to the questions in the handout (see below).
  • The instructor should ask if there are any questions about the assignment.

• Slide 41: Wrap-up (5 minutes)
  • Instructor should share the learning objectives for the class unit and how memory will be expanded into the next class discussion.
  •  Instructor should remind students about any important/relevant upcoming deadlines, including the previously assigned writing activity.

• Explain Homework Assignment: Study Habits Writing Activity (15 minutes)
  • Slide 39: Instructor will ask students how they study. The students will submit open ended responses in a Kahoot to the question:
    • “How do you study?”
    • Then, share the results and read some answers out loud.
  • Slide 40: Then, the instructor should assign the writing activity, distributing the Writing Assignment handout.
    • For homework, please read the article by Dunlosky and colleagues and respond to the questions in the handout (see below).
    • The instructor should ask if there are any questions about the assignment.

• Slide 41: Wrap-up (5 minutes)
  • Instructor should share the learning objectives for the class unit and how memory will be expanded into the next class discussion.
  •  Instructor should remind students about any important/relevant upcoming deadlines, including the previously assigned writing activity.

• Explain Homework Assignment: Study Habits Writing Activity (15 minutes)
  • Slide 39: Instructor will ask students how they study. The students will submit open ended responses in a Kahoot to the question:
    • “How do you study?”
    • Then, share the results and read some answers out loud.
  • Slide 40: Then, the instructor should assign the writing activity, distributing the Writing Assignment handout.
    • For homework, please read the article by Dunlosky and colleagues and respond to the questions in the handout (see below).
    • The instructor should ask if there are any questions about the assignment.

• Slide 41: Wrap-up (5 minutes)
  • Instructor should share the learning objectives for the class unit and how memory will be expanded into the next class discussion.
  •  Instructor should remind students about any important/relevant upcoming deadlines, including the previously assigned writing activity.

• Explain Homework Assignment: Study Habits Writing Activity (15 minutes)
  • Slide 39: Instructor will ask students how they study. The students will submit open ended responses in a Kahoot to the question:
    • “How do you study?”
    • Then, share the results and read some answers out loud.
  • Slide 40: Then, the instructor should assign the writing activity, distributing the Writing Assignment handout.
    • For homework, please read the article by Dunlosky and colleagues and respond to the questions in the handout (see below).
    • The instructor should ask if there are any questions about the assignment.

• Slide 41: Wrap-up (5 minutes)
  • Instructor should share the learning objectives for the class unit and how memory will be expanded into the next class discussion.
  •  Instructor should remind students about any important/relevant upcoming deadlines, including the previously assigned writing activity.

• Explain Homework Assignment: Study Habits Writing Activity (15 minutes)
  • Slide 39: Instructor will ask students how they study. The students will submit open ended responses in a Kahoot to the question:
    • “How do you study?”
    • Then, share the results and read some answers out loud.
  • Slide 40: Then, the instructor should assign the writing activity, distributing the Writing Assignment handout.
    • For homework, please read the article by Dunlosky and colleagues and respond to the questions in the handout (see below).
    • The instructor should ask if there are any questions about the assignment.

• Slide 41: Wrap-up (5 minutes)
  • Instructor should share the learning objectives for the class unit and how memory will be expanded into the next class discussion.
  •  Instructor should remind students about any important/relevant upcoming deadlines, including the previously assigned writing activity.