Study Skills: Organize It (1985)

Use this leader to focus the picture and adjust the sound volume. The film will then be ready for correct projection. >> [music] >> Hey Becky, have you seen my baseball? Yeah, it's in the hall closet. But watch out, it's [music] crowded. All right class, put away your books. Hope you're ready for the big test today. Is that test today? Architecture has changed our nation's history. For instance, here is an early version of our nation's capital. Later, the building changed to this. Today, everyone knows it looks like this. Oh no. Well, yes. If one isn't organized, it can cause some real problems. Without organization, well, just imagine. >> [music] >> Obviously, with the addition of a traffic signal, traffic can be organized to run smoothly. Try to find what you need here and without cutting yourself. With organization, it's simple. The first method of organization we'll look at is classification. Putting things into categories, that is, grouping things that are alike. Classifying things according to categories doesn't have to be difficult. Here's a simple example. Although each of these people [music] is an individual, they can still be placed into one of at least two categories. Boys and girls. Now, what about different categories for these? Sure, we all know they can fit into two categories. Fruits and vegetables. In school, we also use categories for storing information. [music] For example, suppose you needed information about the unusual looking hammerhead shark [music] or the strangely marked leopard shark >> [music] >> or even the extremely fast swimming mako shark. As different as these sharks are in size and appearance, they all fit into the category sharks. >> [music] >> And that's where you'll find them, >> [music] >> in the library card catalog. So, classification helps us in the search [music] for information. Arranging things properly can make them easier to find, even outside the library or school. How could you find anything in this jumble? That kid'll never find his notes. He might as well not even try. Right, we're just all mixed up here. Sure, we're really a big mess. >> [laughter] >> How could I have ever let this get so messy? This looks like a job for organization man. >> [music] [music] >> When notes are arranged in categories, studying is easier. Now, that's more like it. It's all right here at my fingertips. Well, I guess you put us in our place. You can say that again. >> Okay, we got put in our place. Hey, you know what? We're organized. Son, is that you in there? Yes, Dad. Just doing my homework. Putting things into categories is a good way to organize them. Another way of organizing things is to put them in the proper sequence, or in other words, in the right order. As we all know, numbers sometimes need to be in the proper sequence in order to be useful. Certainly, we all know there is a proper sequence for the letters of the alphabet. When they're out of order, it can be pretty frustrating. When they are in order, they can help us find information quickly. Many of the things we do must be done in a certain order if we want good results. Even something as simple as washing a car can be a disaster [music] if it's not done in the right order. What if we did it this way? First, dry off the car. Next, rinse the car. Then, fill the bucket. >> [music] >> Get everything you need. Soap the car. So, of course, the point of all this silliness is, if you're not organized, you probably won't do things in the right order. Speaking in front of people, for example, requires careful attention to sequence, especially when telling things in chronological order, that is, the order in which things happen. Uh this is my report on my vacation. My summer vacation. Well, it turned out okay in the end, even though before that I lost my bike. But that wasn't where it all started. [music] But that was before my uncle loaned me one to use instead. He was so nice to do that. Of course, that was after my bike was taken. [music] So, well, anyway, till I went to the beach, I was having a good time. >> [music] >> Sorry, pal, but if I hadn't put them to sleep, you would have. Not too many things are more boring and confusing than a story told in the wrong order. I guess you're right. But listen, my friend, and have no fear. The guy you need is right here. My name is Sequence. Get it? Sequence. That's me, friend and guide to the muddled storyteller. Then you can help me? Can I help you? How can you doubt it? Okay, pal. Let's get things in the orders that they happened. What was the first thing that happened on your vacation? The very first thing. Well, my bike was stolen. Where was it stolen? At the beach. Oh, I get it. The first thing I did was I went to the beach. Then my bike was stolen. Now you got it. First things first. When you're telling a story, organize the most important points in the right order. Yeah, I'm getting the idea. Next was that my uncle gave me his old racing bike. Terrific. Things are looking good. I think I'm beginning to understand. Next would be race next day. Then tough race. Yeah, great. And then, I won. You got the idea now, pal. Just tell it in the right order and you'll wow them. >> [music] >> My summer vacation got off to a good start. I rode my bike to the beach and went swimming. But when I went to leave, I couldn't find my bike. Someone had stolen it. So, my uncle lent me his old racing bike because the race was the next day. It was a tough race. So you see, with a well-organized presentation, people will understand and enjoy what you're saying. Right. And that's how I won the Riverdale 10-mile bicycle race. >> [applause] >> Organization is important in so many ways, and one of the most important is your time. If you don't Alex, how's your report coming? Pretty good. I finished my outline 2 days ago. Yeah, I'm going to get that done tonight. Really? I'm almost through with my first draft already. Well, I'm not worried. I'll squeeze it all in. I'm even going to make some drawings of the log cabins that the early pioneers built. Laurie, I've already finished the history report. I was talking about the science report. That's due Friday, too. That's this Friday? Oh, no. This Friday? Organizing can help you remember the things you need to do. As school is one place that has a lot of deadlines, >> [music] >> a good way to keep track of them is with an assignment book. By listing when assignments are due or when there will be a test, you can keep track of what you need to be studying. Another good idea is to keep a schedule. It will help you get everything done and not at the last minute. A large calendar can be useful for planning assignments. For [music] instance, if you have a month to write a report, you can schedule when to do the research, the outline, and the writing itself. The calendar can be helpful in many ways. Camping? June 23rd and 24th? Oh, my cousin's having a big birthday party on the 23rd. How about the next weekend? Great. Organization can also be very useful in group projects for school. This group is putting together a TV news show. Careful planning can make the project easier and come out better. All right. Since all of you want me to be in charge, let's first make a list of everything we'll need and in the order we need to do it. And who will do which jobs? Right. Well, I've used my uncle's video camera. So why don't I take care of Barney's school's camera and using it? Good. I'll put you down for camera. I'd like to design and build the set. Terrific. You draw the best of any of us. If everyone does a specific part of the project, [music] work won't be duplicated and everyone usually does a better job at their own special task. Lisa begins her part of the project by checking over the equipment. Bob goes to work making the set. Scott and Mary begin gathering the news stories. To illustrate the news, Lisa takes pictures to use in the show. With their notes [music] to help them, Mary and Scott write the news stories. Because the newscasters will need cue cards, [music] part of Bob's responsibility is to get them ready. Lisa chooses the music to use for the show. By the day of the show, everyone has done their job and knows what to do. Everyone ready? Here we go. Hello, everyone. And here is today's news. Fire drill is big success. School science fair this Friday. School cafeteria expands menu. New bicycle parking plan. Our first story is that the surprise fire drill we had last week was a big success. At 2:00 in the afternoon, the fire alarm bells rang, surprising all the students. Good organization has helped make this a successful project. >> that everyone would have gotten out safely. Obviously, organization is important in all areas of our lives. It helps things run smoothly. Musicians must be organized so they can play together. Building, of course, requires many different people to work together. Without organization, games couldn't be played. >> [screaming] >> Putting a newspaper together requires many steps, all of which need to be organized. Scientists must be organized to carry on successful [music] research. Even a store must carefully organize its products so that people can easily find them. Without organization, we couldn't send people into space. That's why it's so important to understand [music] about organization, about such things as classification, grouping information and things, about sequencing, [music] putting things into the best order, about organizing your work habits to make the job easier, and about planning your time so you can get everything [music] done that you need. And that wraps up our news for today. So this is Scott Brown and Mary Albert saying thank you for the whole School Update News Team. That's a cut. We're done. >> [laughter] >> So there we have it. Things can be done easier and better with good organization. >> [music] [music]