Memorizing the Hawaiian Islands

Page 15 of Joseph Feher's Hawai'i: A Pictorial History describes "The Location of the Island Chain."

The islands of Hawai'i are a series of basalt peaks, part of an underwater mountain range built by volcanic eruptions over millions of years.

...and so on and so forth, including facts about the altitudes both above and below sea level, the archipelago's location in reference to the Tropic of Cancer, and distance from the west coast of North America--which is roughly 2,000 miles.

I do understand written English, and I'd say my vocabulary is adequate, but once the subject begins to drift more and more into the domain of Science, I comprehend less and less. I try to compensate by endeavoring to grasp the broadest concepts, allowing the finer details to slip through the cracks. Finer details, after all, are available on the Internet to anyone-anytime-anywhere with just a few clicks.

I set three humble goals.

1. Learn each of the eight major Hawaiian Islands by name--in geologic chronology from oldest to youngest island, and from northernmost to southernmost.
2. Be able to recognize by sight each island.
3. Be able to draw from memory each island.
   

Since study time is at a deficit, I decided to tackle goal #1 for now.

The Hawai'i Geographic Alliance website (of University of Hawai'i) features a universal lesson plan for just such an endeavor. Hawai'i Nō Ka 'Oi, compiled by Maxine Asato, integrates "geography, cooperative learning, art and music" to help students learn about Hawai'i's place in the world. The lesson includes a song to help with memorization--Hawai'i Nō Ka 'Oi, sung to the tune of "Pearly Shells."

Unfortunately, my brain works in such a way that memorizing the song would take much longer than my preferred mnemonic for short lists of things--the acronym. So, after several false starts and discarded possibilities, I came up with one I really like. I expect to meet my three goals in a day or two.