Encoding Memories

• Instructions (5 minutes): Students are asked to read the following scenario and write a brief (2-3 minute) response describing how the described memory process works, focusing on the concepts of sensory memory and the multi-stage process of coding.

You are studying late one night when you hear a loud CRASH from downstairs. You immediately jump up, your heart pounding. For a split second, you have a vivid, but extremely brief, "snapshot" of the room's current state—the position of your books, the exact sound, the smell of your coffee—before your attention snaps to the noise. You rush to the top of the stairs and listen, trying to figure out if you need to call the police. You are trying to code the event into something you can recall later.

Your Task: Describe how your brain handles this moment. Specifically, explain what is happening during the fleeting, initial "snapshot" and how the rest of the experience moves through the multi-stage memory process (Sensory $\rightarrow$ Short-Term $\rightarrow$ Long-Term Memory).