1 The 6 Master Keys to Learn Like a GeniusModule 4 6th Grade Metacognitive

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3 Module 4 - Part A 1. Learning style advantage – find out your learning style to help you with your academic success. We learn from seeing, hearing or experiencing, but each person uses one of these more than the others. 2. Expert problem-solving – you solve problems every day. Using the methods in the book will help you become a superb problem – solver. 3. Effective research strategies – Good research skills lead to better projects and better grades. Learning effective research strategies to help you find, organize, and use information will help you create a great research paper. You will learn to organize your research, make good arguments, and use evidence to support your arguments.

4 Module 4 – Part B 4. Reading for knowledge – Effective reading helps you understand concepts, remember information and become smarter. Reading is an important part of your mental development. Improving your reading will have a positive impact on your academic success. You cannot master good writing without good reading. Students that love to read are more creative and get better grades. You will develop better vocabulary, increase comprehension, and broaden your knowledge base with reading skills. 5. Writing with impact – writing helps you convey your thoughts, ideas, and facts. Writing skills are critical to both your academic and professional success. Students with good writing abilities are able to communicate appropriate information and get great grades. 6. Presenting with power – presentation skills are becoming increasingly important. These skills should be developed early in life. Studies show that students who make good presentations at school become more assertive, confident, and are higher achievers.

5 Module 4 – Part A Chapter 15 – Learning style advantage Chapter 16 – Expert problem – solving Chapter 17 – effective research strategies

6 Chapter 15 – Vocabulary 1. learning style – the preferred way that a person learns 2. auditory – related to the sense of hearing 3. kinesthetic – physical learning style, learn by doing 4. predominately – mainly, mostly

7 1. Learn your learning styleA. Your learning style is the way that you learn best with the least amount of effort. B. Learning style isn’t an indication of your intelligence, but it does explain why some things are easier for you than others.

8 C. Knowing your learning style and adapting to it can help in many ways:1. You can start using study strategies best suited to your learning style and get better results quickly. 2. You will learn your strengths and do more of what you are good at. 3. You will identify your weak areas and strengthen them. 4. You can develop skills that will help you learn in a variety of ways. 5. Different learning environments are better for different learning styles. Now you will be able to use the right learning style for each situation

9 D. Once you know your learning style, you can change your study habits to match the way you learn. You can also force yourself to break out of your comfort zone and start learning in new ways when you need to.

10 2. Learning Styles A. Visual learner – visual learners learn best through seeing things 1. Characteristics – Good at spelling, but forgets names, takes detailed notes, and needs quiet study time, focuses on visuals including body language, and facial expressions, learns through graphs, charts, pictures; sits in the front of the class; follows written directions and recipes 2. Learns best using – maps and diagrams, outlines and notes, lists and flashcards, videos, highlighters and sticky notes, notes with circled, underlined and color-coded words 3. Does best in written exams using diagrams, maps, essays. Don’t do well in “listen and respond” tests and oral exams

11 B. Auditory learner – auditory learners learn best through hearing things1. Characteristics – reads slowly and remembers names, reads out loud to understand, not afraid to speak in class and is good at explaining, likes oral reports and discussions, enjoys music and acting, is good at grammar and foreign language, can follow spoken directions 2. Learns best using – word association to remember facts, audio books, reading out load with eyes closed, group discussion and study groups, recording notes on an audiotape 3. Does best in oral exams and writing about what they have heard. They do not do well in timed tests where they have to read passages and answer questions

12 C. Kinesthetic learner – kinesthetic learners learn best through experiencing and doing things1. Characteristics – enjoys science labs, can’t sit still for long and is fidgety during classes, is not great at spelling or handwriting, studies with music and takes frequent breaks, lows adventure books and movies, is good at sports 2. Learns best using – lab classes, field trips and memory games, role-playing and discussion groups, studying with others, short study sessions with breaks, building models to figure out underlying principles 3. Does best during short tests, multiple-choice tests and fill in the blank. Don’t do well in long timed tests and essay exams

13 3. Change your study habits to get more doneA. Change your study habits to best match your learning style. Sometimes use learning strategies associated with the other learning styles to round out your learning skills.

14 B. Visual Learner 1. Create keyword landmarks – watch for keywords in class lessons and organize your notes using keywords 2. Location, location, location – sit towards the front of the class and stay away from distractions 3. Notes that matter – take notes based on what you hear, highlight and color-code 4. Picture worth a thousand words – outline key topics, use charts, draw mental pictures, use visual cues like symbols, colors 5. Work your pre-word – complete pre-reading before attending classes to get the most out of them

15 C. Auditory Learner 1. Tune in to win – listen to all info and instructions given orally during class, after class repeat the info out loud to yourself 2. Location, location, location – sit towards the front of the class where you can hear well, sit away from noise, work in quiet areas, study with music without lyrics, study with a partner and take turns reading to each other, have discussions 3. Notes that matter – take notes based on what you hear and repeat them to yourself as quietly as possible – sub-vocalization

16 4. Rhymes that rock – use rhymes and jingles to help you remember information, discuss diagrams out loud, create verbal descriptions of all visual information, tape yourself summarizing key points 5. Work your pre-work – read instructions and questions out loud to yourself to better understand them, use sub-vocalization during classes tests and exams

17 D. Kinesthetic learner 1. Questions everything – ask questions and participate in every discussion to stay engaged 2. Bite-size your efforts – use class breaks to stand up and stretch, break reading and writing tasks into small chunks, stop after each sub-task and take a short walk to reinforce what you just learned, take regular, short breaks when studying to stay energized 3. Notes that matter – take notes using a laptop whenever possible

18 4. Make it a tangible experience – use small objects like a stress ball while listening and taking notes, do something physical like stretching before sitting down to study, use fingers while reading and point at the words, personalize the information you are learning and think about how the concepts apply to you, use information you learned outside of class, move a body part to help you concentrate, use your hands when studying and explaining concepts to yourself. 5. Work your pre-work – use practice questions in the textbook to help rehearse information, if none is available, make them up; write process steps on cards and mix them up, practice by arranging them into the correct sequence

19 4. The left right mental marchA. The brain can be divided down the middle into the left and right brain. The left brain controls the right side of the body and the right brain controls the left side of the body B. People who rely on their right brain are more imaginative and have artistic abilities like singing, painting, and poetry. Left brain people are more logical, analytical and are good at math and science. C. To meet your potential, you need to use both sides of your brain. To become more “whole brained” you need to use both sides, or “exercise” your brain, just like your body – take classes that predominately use your non-dominate brain, and brain shift exercises D. Using both sides will help you deal better with people and improve your grades

20 Quotes “Man’s mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes “The greatest waste in the world is the difference between what we are and what we could become.” – Ben Herbster

21 Chapter 16 Vocabulary 1. assumptions – accept as true without proof2. critical thinking – actively thinking about information 3. contradiction – position opposite to another 4. affirmation – encouragement 5. judgmental – quick to criticize

22 1. Problem Definition StrategiesA. Know Thy Problem – the first and most important step of genius problem-solving is understanding the problem. Devote and dedicate as much time to defining the problem as needed. Don’t be too eager to jump to solutions and ignore this important step in the process.

23 B. The strategies below will help you define the problem and master this first step of problem solving 1. Test your assumptions – Every problem comes with its own list of assumptions, which many are wrong. Write them down and test them. 2. Zoom out – every problem is a smaller piece of a bigger problem. Generalize the problem to inspect it from a big-picture perspective 3. Zoom in – every problem is made of many smaller problems. Be specific to make the problem less daunting 4. Inside out, upside down – looking at problems from an opposite direction sometimes show answers

24 5. Multiply your perspectives – look at a problem from different points of view. Notice the differences and similarities 6. Reword to get rewarded – words are powerful. Reward the problem statement and try substituting different words using your vocabulary or thesaurus

25 7. Use your vocabulary – some phrases are more effective in stating a problem.a. pregnant with possibilities – Instead of “How can I…” use “In what ways will I…” b. positive power – negative sentences can slow you down, positive statements will motivate you towards the solution quickly c. frame a question – Questions improve your thinking power. Your brain will start working on the problem as soon as it is exposed to a question

26 8. Enticing with excitement – come up with a problem statement that excites you to put your best foot forward 9. Fact-finding – brainstorm the causes, the circumstances, the origins and the consequences of the problem

27 2. Top 10 solution seeking strategiesA. After defining the problem, you are ready to move to the next step of the problem-solving process, finding a solution. Great minds produce many great works. However, they are not afraid to fail in order to pursue excellence B. Solving for solutions – top 10 1. Plenty of ideas – Always look for lots of ideas. a. Have an idea Quota – come up with a certain amount of ideas b. 100 ideas – This technique requires you to come up with a list of 100 potential answers. The exaggeration is actually what makes this technique super powerful

28 2. Don’t get in your own way – don’t judge your ideas too quickly2. Don’t get in your own way – don’t judge your ideas too quickly. Just brainstorm and write down your ideas as they come to you. 3. Imagine your thoughts – Great minds can picture what they want in the future. With time, their picture gets clearer and sharper until it becomes a reality. Visualize your solution and your future. 4. New Combinations – Combine and recombine ideas, images, thoughts and concepts into novel combinations. 5. Connect the dots – make connections between odd subjects.

29 6. Accept contradictions – think in opposites.7. Symbolize – think in symbols and you will be able to connect things that don’t seem to be connected. 8. Lessons hidden in failure – if your expectations are not met, don’t think of it as a failure. Unexpected results are useful. Use these creative accidents wisely. Analyze the situation to determine what you would do differently to change the results. Take “failure” out of your vocabulary. Ask “what did I learn,” not “why did I fail?”

30 9. Genius is a risky business – geniuses are not afraid to take risks9. Genius is a risky business – geniuses are not afraid to take risks. They know it is often the only way to make new discoveries and explore new opportunities. You should not take extreme risks, but use facts and intuition to analyze the risk before going further 10. Enjoy the experience – have fun by using your imagination

31 3. Critical Thinking CountsA. Critical thinking is necessary for true creativity. To think creatively you need to observe, question, analyze and open up to new ideas B. Critical thinking means analyzing creative thoughts and statements. Creativity and critical thinking go hand in hand. Creativity generates new ideas and thoughts.

32 C. 11 ways to boost your critical thinking ability:1. Question Convention – Question everything. Curiosity and learning are linked. Never lose your curiosity. Remember you cannot grow, learn, create and innovate without asking questions 2. Be crushed or shine – be persistent and do not give up, especially when there are obstacles. Keep your eye on the prize and be persistent. 3. Open your mind – Each experience can offer you a piece to the puzzle of life. For critical thinkers, learning is a lifelong commitment.

33 4. Avoid generalized statements – over-generalization usually makes an argument wrong from the start5. Attend to the details – pay attention to words like “may,” “can,” “will,” “should,” etc. There’s a big difference between “will” and “might.” Use the right words to draw conclusions. 6. Get past the obvious – What you see is not what you get. Evaluate everything deeply and never accept anything at face value. 7. Be wary of smoke and mirrors – watch out for inaccurate information. Don’t let flawed assumptions or unsupported data influence your conclusions.

34 8. Put away prejudices – your emotions jeopardize critical thinking8. Put away prejudices – your emotions jeopardize critical thinking. They keep you from having an open mind. 9. Accept other’s arguments – there are times when you will need to accept other’s arguments over your own. Be prepared to be wrong at times and recognize the validity of someone else’s arguments 10. Action reaction – it is important to understand the causes and effects of decisions, action and concepts. Think about how one action affects another. 11. Climb out of your comfort zone – be willing to learn and stretch past your comfort zone.

35 Quotes “Problems are to the mind what exercise is to the muscles, they toughen and make strong.” – Norman Vincent Peale “Millions saw the apple fall, but Newton was the one who asked why.” – Bernard Baruch “People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing.” – Dale Carnegie

36 Quotes “The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.” – Albert Einstein “The opposite of a correct statement is a false statement. But the opposite of a profound truth may well be another profound truth.” – Niels Bohr “No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.” – Albert Einstein “You don’t understand anything until you learn it more than one way.” – Marvin Minsky “We are continually faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as insoluble problems.” – John W. Gardner “A problem is a chance for you to do your best.”

37 Chapter 17 Vocabulary 1. context – the setting in which something takes place 2. analyze – separate or break information apart 3. evaluate – make a judgment, determine value 4. synthesize – combine ideas, beyond summarization

38 1. Information navigation systemA. Being able to categorize and organize information is important. Information sources can be divided into the following 6 categories based on content and format: 1. Primary vs. secondary – primary sources provide “direct from the source” information. Secondary sources are analyses of the primary sources 2. Fiction vs. non-fiction – texts originate from the world of imagination (fiction) or from the real world (non-fiction) 3. Books vs. Periodicals – a book stands on its own rather than being a part of a series

39 4. Scholarly vs. non-scholarly – Journals are always scholarly, but magazines are usually not. Scholarly work always has references. Also, use the author’s credentials. 5. Reference vs. general – reference information provides facts or a general overview on a topic – encyclopedias, dictionaries and thesauruses, manuals 6. Internet vs. published – most of the sources of information are available both online and in print – use information that provides references with clear sources

40 B. A few guidelines for navigating the information world1. For a single page summary or background information, use an encyclopedia. 2. For an overall analysis of a topic, look for multiple books. 3. For detailed analysis of a particular part of your topic, look at articles in publications. 4. For accounts of events, use contemporary newspaper articles. 5. For popular or cultural topics, use magazines and websites.

41 2. 7 Steps to remarkable research resultsA. TOR GASP research process 1. Select a topic a. make the topic a question – research requires a question for which an answer is not readily available. A question will provide you with direction on how to approach the topic b. identify all the main concepts and key words in the topic c. test the topic for breadth and depth – use keywords in your topic question to search for information. If you find more information than you can process, narrow the topic down. If you find too little information, then broaden or deepen your topic. Time, place and important keywords will help you to narrow or broaden your research topics

42 2. Create the outline and context – this step is often overlooked, but it’s important because it creates a skeletal framework that is fleshed out as you continue your research a. understand your research – what is the purpose? b. know the assignment – double-check your understanding of the assignment c. get background information – look up topic keywords in subject encyclopedias. Browse your class notes, textbooks, and the web for additional background material

43 d. move from general to specific – it is most effective to start with a general perspective and then narrow it further. e. use the bibliography shortcut – bibliographies at the end of relevant encyclopedias, periodicals and journals are excellent starting points for further research

44 3. Decide what information is needed – this step helps you determine the information sources you will need to answer your research question a. use the digital library catalog b. meet with the reference librarian c. use all kinds of print material d. find resources online – Don’t trust everything you find on the internet. Rely on reputable organizations and knowledge databases

45 4. Gather and organize dataa. KWL (know-want-learn) method – Organize research based on what you already know, what you want to know and what you have learned. Use your own words when recording the information in the KWL sheet b. FSK (fact-source-keyword) method – use this method to organize facts, supporting data, sources and keywords c. citations – give credit where it is due and cite all your sources on the last page of your research presentation d. review and repeat – determine if you have enough information to complete your research based on the KWL and FSK lists you created

46 5. Analyze and evaluate – use the information you organized to combine information into sections. If you do find missing information, you may need to do more research to fill the gaps a. 6W1H method – Ask why, what, when, who, where, which and how questions on your topic. Put facts with each question to further organize the info b. clustering and mapping – use this technique to group notes into topic themes and categories. Use facts that relate strongly to your research question and get rid of facts you don’t need.

47 6. Synthesize – continue your final review before writing your papera. final review before writing – check and make sure that your info is relevant and complete b. outline of your first draft – separate and organize various sections of your research paper based on the clustering and mapping method c. make your information flow – structure your facts in an order of increase or decreasing importance

48 d. connect the sections – be sure that every section of the research is related to the previous section and leads into the next section e. write the first draft – begin to write your paper based on the outline you created f. finalize your presentation – edit your product and ask others to read it and give feedback

49 7. Present a. present with confidenceb. use citations properly and refer to all your sources

50 Module 4 – Part B Chapter 18 – Reading for knowledgeChapter 19 – Writing with impact Chapter 20 – Presenting with power