Delonte' Kitt
2/5/14
EN 002
Delonte' Kitt
2/5/14
EN 002
I find retaining the names of most of the United States
of America to be pretty easy, but I also find retaining the 7 continents of the
World to be very hard. I know that some teachers use a song to teach the
states, but I have no memory for the 7 Continents. For me to remember the 7
Continents I have used a mnemonic device called, "Chaining." In
order to remember the 7 Continents, this mnemonic device allowed me to create a
story involving the continents, which I will be able to retain fairly easily.
My mnemonic device is: North America went on a voyage
with South America, in Europe. While there, they
adopted four orphans; their names were: Australia, and the
biggest Asia-who was tall for her age; Africa, and the meanest Antarctica (for
his heart was so cold). When arriving back home North and South America called
their new family "The 7 Continents." I have found that using a
mnemonic device makes it easier to attain the information of something I may
need to know.
While I was growing up my teacher, in Elementary school,
made sure that she taught us the United States of America. I cannot say my
teacher did not teach the 7 Continents, but the different technique she used
effected how I attained the information. The strategy my teacher used to make
sure we retained the states was by using a song that was created for the United
States of America, and the beginning of the song goes something like this,
“From Alabama to Arkansas
Follow Alaska, say what you saw
Swim in the ocean, Maryland, Maine
Then Massachusetts, what a great place
Go to New Hampshire, Missouri too
It's not Virginia but it will do…”
Follow Alaska, say what you saw
Swim in the ocean, Maryland, Maine
Then Massachusetts, what a great place
Go to New Hampshire, Missouri too
It's not Virginia but it will do…”
(by
Sufjan Stevens – The 50 States Song).
The
song was very catchy, and the lyrics stuck to us like the lyrics to a regular
song would. Like all songs that you do not hear on the regular basis, the
information starts to fade your mind, yet you still remember parts of the
lyrics. Well as I continued to hear the song I was able to remember the song,
and was able to store them in my brain, also when it came down to reciting the
lyrics the class was able to reiterate the states back to the teacher. To me,
that method of creating a song for the United States of America was kind of
like using the mnemonic device Chaining. The mnemonic device
chaining creates a story linking the information you are trying to retain.
When you make a song you basically create a rhyme scheme in story
form from a topic, and your ideas, but you just sing the song.
Therefore, I knew that knowing my 7
Continents wasn’t something that may be important to use, but it was rather
something I would like to remember. So I thought up a way to remember them, and
that was by creating a mnemonic device. I chose the mnemonic device chaining, because
I knew this would be the best way for me to attain what I needed to know. My
device is Called EASAANA, because
each letter is abbreviated from the 7 Continents of the World. Sometimes, using
the simplest technique can be the best way to remembering and important fact,
or valuable information.
In order for me to attain the 7
Continents was by using a mnemonic device. Using the mnemonic device Chaining I have been able to create a
story that stands out to me. I think this device could be useful to others who
need to remember their 7 Continents, because it is just a piece of the world,
or ones history that is something to be of knowledge. The 7 Continents are not
something very important, but knowing them can broaden your world, and take you
to other places beyond the United States, if one lives here. The device is a
fun way to create a way to be able to reiterate the information to a peer or an
adolescent who has no knowledge of the 7 Continents.
