Your Hippocampus helps you remember facts and events — like all the things you learn in school.

Description:

In this activity, students will move around the class and then use their memory to document what they saw. The teacher will emphasize that our Hippocampus helps us remember. After doing this activity, students will be able to explain that their Hippocampus helps them remember and learn.

What you will need:

• Four shapes, each on a different color of paper
• Hiding places in classroom
• Paper and crayons
• Time, pre-class, to hide shapes in classroom

Step by Step:

• Before students arrive for the day, hide five colored shapes in the classroom or learning area. Ideas for placing the colored pieces: Hide in plain sight, in places like under tables, in cubbies, on windowsill, in sink, etc. You can print the included shape cards on colored paper and cut out, or make your own.
• Draw each of the shapes also on the board, so you have examples to show the children, or have a duplicate of each shape handy to show.
• Start the lesson by playing a song from Every Body Has a Brain soundtrack, ‘Remember the Hippocampus.’

Song: Remember the Hippocampus

Now say, “Today we are going to do an activity using our memory! First we will walk around the class and find some hidden shapes.”

Show the examples or point to the shapes on the board.

For each shape, ask students to say the name and the color out loud. (For example, Red Circle, Blue Square . . . )

Say: “You used your Hippocampus to help you learn the names of these shapes! And colors!”

“Now we are going to split into groups and move around the room. We are going to find the shapes, but then REMEMBER where they were. This is a QUIET activity, so that the groups can find the shapes independently.”

“After we find the shapes, we are going to use our Hippocampus to help us remember. We will draw pictures to show where we found the shapes.”

Demonstrate quiet walking around the room, looking for shapes.

Divide students into groups of two to four.

Have groups go around the class quietly.

After all students have had a chance to walk around the classroom and have found all the shapes, have them go to centers.

Say: “Now you can use your memory to draw a picture to show where you found the shapes.”

Demonstrate: Draw a picture and make a mark that represents the shape you found in one of the hiding spaces. Now, have students work on drawing a simple picture using paper and crayons to represent where they found the shapes. Older children can make the shapes and colors to match and symbolize those that they found.

Allow students to present their classroom ‘maps’ during a circle.

Optional: you may wish to interview students one on one about their drawings. Have them tell in their own words, giving you their narration of where they found the shapes. This will make each drawing unique and add interest for parents who visit. Hang these drawings on a board to tell classroom visitors of your memory adventure!

Conclude the activity by asking students how they used their Hippocampus. Call on students to share their ideas. List their ideas on a butcher paper or board to include on your display of student work.

Further Exploration:

Use these Every Body Has a Brain stories, songs and games to further explore this learning objective:

• Remember the Hippocampus
• Memory Match
• Hiding Hippos