Memory Boost Quest Script

Warm-Up (5 minutes)

Teacher:
“Hi there! Today we’re going on a Memory Boost Quest. Our mission is to learn supercharged strategies to make our memory even stronger—and have some fun along the way! First, here’s your Working Memory Warm-Up Sheet.”

Teacher:
“Take 30 seconds to study this list of 8 items. Ready… set… go!”

(After 30 seconds)

Teacher:
“Great! Now close your eyes or look away, and tell me as many items as you can remember. Take your time.”

(Student responds)

Teacher:
“Awesome job remembering ____ and ____. That’s fantastic! When you were trying to recall those items, did you picture them in your head or maybe group them in some way? What did you notice?”

(Prompt for any strategies—visualization, grouping, repeating, etc.)

Introduction & Strategy Overview (5 minutes)

Teacher:
“Working memory is like a mental sticky note. It helps us hold onto bits of information for a short time—like remembering a phone number, following multi-step instructions, or recalling facts for a test. The better we get at using our working memory, the more confident and successful we become in school.”

Teacher:
“Today, we’ll learn three powerful strategies:

• Visualization: Making a picture in your mind.
• Chunking: Grouping information into smaller parts.
• Rehearsal: Repeating information to yourself.

Have you ever used one of these—maybe picturing where you left your backpack or repeating a list before you put it away?”

(Student shares example)

Teacher:
“That’s a perfect example of visualization/rehearsal! You already have a head start.”

Reading Activity (10 minutes)

Teacher:
“Next up is a quick reading task. Here’s the Remember It! Reading Passage. First, read it silently and underline three key facts that stand out to you.”

(Allow 3–4 minutes for reading and underlining)

Teacher:
“Great! Now tell me the three facts you underlined.”

(Student shares)

Teacher:
“Excellent recall! Which strategy did you use? Did you picture something, group facts together, or repeat them in your head?”

(Discuss and reinforce correct strategy use)

Strategy Discussion (10 minutes)

Teacher:
“Let’s dive deeper into each strategy:

1. Visualization: Picture info as images—like a movie in your mind.
2. Chunking: Break long lists or numbers into smaller, manageable chunks.
3. Rehearsal: Say or whisper the info to yourself to keep it fresh.

I’ll show you a string of numbers: 2 9 1 6 3 4. Instead of six separate digits, we can chunk them as 29, 16, and 34. Now imagine 2/9 on a calendar, then 3/4 like a fraction. You try with 4 5 2 8 1 7. How would you chunk and visualize these?”

(Student practices and explains)

Teacher:
“Great thinking! How did that feel? Which strategy made remembering easier?”

Memory Match Game (10 minutes)

Teacher:
“Time for a game! Here’s the Memory Match Game Set. We’ll shuffle and place cards face-down. On your turn, flip two cards to try to find a matching pair. Use visualization and rehearsal to remember where cards are.”

Teacher:
“Let’s play a few rounds. Before you flip, take a quick mental snapshot of the cards you saw, or whisper their positions to yourself.”

(Play 3–4 rounds, offering coaching: “What picture are you using? Tell me the spot before you flip!”)

Worksheet Practice (7 minutes)

Teacher:
“Now let’s practice on paper. Here’s the Memory Strategies Worksheet. It covers three tasks: grouping words, creating mental images, and repeating sequences aloud. Use your best strategies as you work.”

(Monitor and prompt: “Show me how you’re chunking this list.” “What image did you pick for that word?”)

Teacher:
“Fantastic! Let’s review your answers. How did chunking help you here? Which image stuck out the most?”

Cool-Down & Reflection (3 minutes)

Teacher:
“To wrap up, here’s the Reflection and Cool-Down Prompts. Take a moment to answer this question: Which strategy was most helpful today and why?”



(Student writes or shares response)

Teacher:
“Thank you for your thoughtful reflection! You did an amazing job using visualization, chunking, and rehearsal. Keep practicing these strategies whenever you study or face a memory challenge. You’re ready for anything!
Great work on our Memory Boost Quest!”

Memory Strategies Worksheet

Instructions

Use each of the three strategies—chunking, visualization, and rehearsal—to complete the exercises below.

1. Chunking

a) Number Sequence
Here is a string of numbers: 2 5 8 3 9 1 4 6 7 0.
Group these numbers into smaller “chunks” that help you remember them. Write your chunks below:

b) Word List
Apple, Banana, Carrot, Date, Eggplant, Fig, Grape, Honeydew
Organize these words into two or more smaller groups. Write your groups below:

Group 1: ________________________________



Group 2: ________________________________



Group 3 (optional): ________________________

2. Visualization

For each word below, create a clear mental image. Then describe that image in one sentence.

1. Astronaut:
   
   
   
   
   
2. Volcano:
   
   
   
   
   
3. Castle:
   
   
   
   
   

3. Rehearsal

a) Letter Sequence
Study this sequence: B K M Z R T. Repeat it aloud three times, then write as many letters as you can recall:

b) Your Own Sequence
Create a 5-letter sequence. Repeat it aloud at least three times, then write your sequence below:

Reflection

Which memory strategy was most helpful for you today, and why?

Remember It! Reading Passage

Water constantly moves around Earth in a process called the water cycle. It has four main stages: evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and collection. During evaporation, the Sun heats liquid water in rivers, lakes, and oceans, turning it into water vapor. When water vapor rises into the atmosphere, it cools and changes back into tiny droplets, a process called condensation.

These droplets gather to form clouds. When the droplets become heavy enough, they fall to the ground as precipitation—rain, snow, sleet, or hail. Finally, water collects in rivers, lakes, and oceans, where the cycle begins again. This continuous cycle helps provide fresh water for plants, animals, and people around the world.

Working Memory Warm-Up Sheet

Instructions

• Study the following list for 30 seconds.
• Then cover it and write as many items as you can remember.

Items to Remember

1. Backpack
2. Bicycle
3. Apple
4. Calculator
5. Notebook
6. Ruler
7. Water Bottle
8. Sunglasses

Your Recall

Write the items you remember below:

1. ________________________________
   
   
2. ________________________________
   
   
3. ________________________________
   
   
4. ________________________________
   
   
5. ________________________________
   
   
6. ________________________________
   
   
7. ________________________________
   
   
8. ________________________________
   
   

Memory Match Game Set

Description

Use this set of matching cards to practice working memory strategies. You’ll flip two cards at a time to find matching pairs, using visualization and rehearsal to remember card positions.

Materials Needed

• Printed copy of the card grid below (print in color if possible)
• Scissors or paper cutter
• Flat surface to play

Instructions for Preparation

1. Print the page with the cards.
2. Carefully cut along the cell lines to create 16 individual cards (8 pairs).
3. Shuffle the cards and place them face-down in a 4×4 grid.

How to Play

1. On each turn, flip over two cards so everyone can see them.
2. If the cards match (same word), remove the pair and keep it.
3. If they don’t match, flip them back face-down in the same spots.
4. Use visualization (imagine a picture for each word) and rehearsal (quietly say the card words or positions) to help you remember where cards are located.
5. Continue until all pairs are found.
6. Optional: Time yourself or compete for fastest match time in future rounds.

Card Grid (Cut into Individual Cards)

Memory Strategy Discussion

Purpose

This guided discussion helps students reflect on how the three working memory strategies—visualization, chunking, and rehearsal—supported their recall during the lesson. It encourages metacognition and connects strategies to real-world tasks.

Guidelines for the Teacher

• Create a relaxed, conversational tone; encourage the student to speak freely.
• Use open-ended questions and allow wait time for thinking.
• Listen for strategy language (e.g., “I pictured…”, “I grouped…”, “I repeated…”) and reinforce when the student uses accurate terms.
• Gently prompt deeper thinking with follow-up questions and real-life connections.

Discussion Questions

1. Strategy in Action

Question: When you underlined key facts in the Remember It! Reading Passage, how did you hold those facts in your mind?
Follow-Ups:

• Did you see a picture in your head for any fact?
• Did you say the facts to yourself more than once?
• Did you group similar facts together?

Student Response:

2. Comparing Strategies

Question: Of the three strategies—visualization, chunking, and rehearsal—which one felt the easiest to use?
Follow-Ups:

• Why was that strategy comfortable for you?
• Which strategy felt most challenging, and how might we make it easier next time?
• Can you imagine combining two strategies (for example, chunking and then visualizing each chunk)?

Student Response:

3. Real-World Connections

Question: Think of a time in school or at home when you needed to remember something—like a phone number, a recipe step, or a homework direction. Which strategy could help you in that situation, and how?
Follow-Ups:

• How would you visualize a sequence of steps?
• What chunks would you create for a long list?
• How would you rehearse a set of instructions?

Student Response:

4. Strategy Strengths & Goals

Question: Which strategy do you want to practice more?
Follow-Ups:

• What goal will you set for yourself (for example, using visualization when learning new vocabulary)?
• How will you remind yourself to use the strategy (e.g., sticky note, timer, self-question)?

Student Response:

5. Next Steps with the Worksheet

Prompt: Now that you’ve discussed your favorite strategy, look at the Memory Strategies Worksheet. Which section—chunking, visualization, or rehearsal—do you want to try first during your independent practice, and why?

Student Response:

Wrap-Up

• Praise the student for thoughtful reflections and strategy insights.
• Emphasize that using these strategies becomes easier with practice.
• Encourage the student to identify at least one upcoming task where they will intentionally apply their chosen strategy and to share the outcome next time.

Great discussion—your memory skills are leveling up every day!

Working Memory Warm-Up

Purpose:
This quick verbal activity primes the student’s working memory before diving into written exercises.

Teacher Instructions:

1. Say: “Let’s warm up our memory muscles! I’m going to read a list of eight items one time only. Listen carefully, and see how many you can hold in your mind.”
2. Read each word clearly, with a two-second pause between items:
   • Backpack
   • Bicycle
   • Apple
   • Calculator
   • Notebook
   • Ruler
   • Water Bottle
   • Sunglasses
3. After you finish, say: “Okay—now cover your ears or close your eyes, and tell me as many of those items as you can remember, in any order.”
4. Allow the student to recall items aloud. Provide positive feedback for each correct response.
5. Ask briefly: “Did you notice any tricks you used? Maybe you pictured something or grouped items together?”

Student Response Space (Verbal):

• Student states recalled items aloud.
• Teacher notes any strategies the student mentions.

Transition:
“Fantastic effort! Those quick recall strategies—like picturing or grouping—are exactly what we’ll explore today.”

Reflection and Cool-Down Prompts

Use the space below to answer each question. Be honest and thoughtful—your answers will help you remember to use these strategies again!

1. Which strategy helped you the most today, and why?

2. When is the next time you will try this strategy (for example, during homework, a test, or remembering a list)? Describe the task and how you will use your strategy.

3. Set one goal for yourself this week to practice your chosen memory strategy. How will you remind yourself to use it?

Great work today on our Memory Boost Quest! Keep practicing, and watch your memory grow stronger every day.