Lesson Plan
Brain Builders Game Plan
Students will understand that their brains can grow and change with effort and new strategies, developing a growth mindset.
Understanding brain plasticity empowers students to see challenges as opportunities for growth, rather than limitations, fostering resilience and a love for learning. This lesson helps shift their perspective from 'I can't' to 'I can try'.
Audience
3rd Grade Class
Time
45 minutes
Approach
Through interactive games and discussion, students will explore how their brains grow and adapt.
Materials
Whiteboard or projector, Markers or pens, Your Amazing Growing Brain Slide Deck, Neuro-Pathway Obstacle Course Game Cards, and Brain Stretch Challenges Activity Sheet
Prep
Review Materials and Setup
15 minutes
- Review the Brain Builders Game Plan and associated materials: Your Amazing Growing Brain Slide Deck, Neuro-Pathway Obstacle Course Game Cards, and Brain Stretch Challenges Activity Sheet.
- Ensure projector or whiteboard is ready for the slide deck.
- Print and cut out the Neuro-Pathway Obstacle Course Game Cards from the game document itself.
- Make copies of the Brain Stretch Challenges Activity Sheet for each student.
Step 1
Introduction: What is a Brain?
5 minutes
- Begin by asking students what they know about their brains. (2 minutes)
- Introduce the concept of a 'growth mindset' briefly, explaining that our brains are like muscles that get stronger with exercise. (3 minutes)
- Teacher Note: Use Your Amazing Growing Brain Slide Deck Slide 1-2.
Step 2
Exploring Brain Plasticity with Slides
10 minutes
- Present slides explaining brain plasticity and how new learning creates new connections. Use simple analogies. (5 minutes)
- Facilitate a short discussion about times they felt their brain 'grow' by learning something new. (5 minutes)
- Teacher Note: Use Your Amazing Growing Brain Slide Deck Slide 3-5.
Step 3
Activity: Neuro-Pathway Obstacle Course Game
15 minutes
- Explain the rules of the Neuro-Pathway Obstacle Course Game. Students will work in small groups to solve a challenge using different strategies. (3 minutes)
- Distribute Neuro-Pathway Obstacle Course Game Cards and allow students to play. (10 minutes)
- Circulate to provide guidance and observe problem-solving strategies. (2 minutes)
- Teacher Note: This game is designed to show that trying different approaches leads to success and 'builds' new pathways.
Step 4
Debrief and Connect to Growth Mindset
10 minutes
- Bring the class back together. Discuss their experiences with the game. (5 minutes)
- Ask: 'What happened when you tried a new strategy?' 'How did your brain feel when it figured something out?' (3 minutes)
- Introduce the term 'growth mindset' more formally, linking it to the idea that effort and strategy make our brains stronger. (2 minutes)
- Teacher Note: Use Your Amazing Growing Brain Slide Deck Slide 6-7.
Step 5
Wrap-Up: Brain Stretch Challenges
5 minutes
- Distribute the Brain Stretch Challenges Activity Sheet. (1 minute)
- Explain that these are challenges to keep their brains growing throughout the week. (2 minutes)
- Encourage them to reflect on their own growth mindset in different situations. (2 minutes)
- Teacher Note: This serves as a cool-down and a take-home activity.
Slide Deck
Your Amazing, Growing Brain!
What do you know about your brain?
How does your brain help you learn?
Welcome students and gauge their prior knowledge about the brain. Emphasize that all answers are good starts!
Is Your Brain Like a Muscle?
Think about your arm muscles. What happens when you lift weights or exercise?
Can your brain get stronger too?
Introduce the idea that brains aren't fixed. Use the muscle analogy.
Brain Power: Grow Your Connections!
Your brain is made of tiny cells that talk to each other.
When you learn new things or practice, these connections get stronger!
New connections are like new roads in your brain!
Explain brain plasticity simply. Focus on connections.
Mistakes? Great! Brain Growing!
Making mistakes is a super important part of learning.
When you try, even if it's hard, your brain makes new connections.
Every challenge helps your brain grow stronger!
Reinforce that effort and mistakes help connections grow.
New Ways, Stronger Brains
If one way doesn't work, try another!
Thinking of new strategies helps your brain build even more connections.
It's like finding a new path through a maze!
Show how different approaches lead to success and growth.
What's a Growth Mindset?
It's believing you can get smarter and better at things.
It's knowing that your brain can grow with effort.
It's saying: "I can learn this!" or "I'll try a new way!"
Connect the game experience to the growth mindset concept.
Keep Your Brain Growing!
Challenges are opportunities for your brain to get stronger.
Don't give up! Try new strategies!
Your brain is always ready to learn and grow!
Encourage students to adopt a growth mindset in their daily lives.
Game
Neuro-Pathway Obstacle Course: The Game!
IMPORTANT: The Challenge Cards are included directly below and should be printed and cut out for each group.
Objective: To demonstrate how trying different strategies can lead to success and build new neural pathways in your brain.
Materials:
- One set of Game Cards (from this document) per small group (cut out beforehand)
- Pencils or markers
- Optional: Small blocks or LEGOs for building solutions
Instructions:
- Form Small Groups: Get into groups of 3-4 students.
- Pick a Challenge Card: Each group will choose one challenge card.
- The Obstacle Course: Your challenge card has an "obstacle" or a problem to solve. Your group needs to figure out how to solve it!
- Try Different Pathways: Start by trying one way to solve the challenge. If it doesn't work, don't give up! Talk together and try a different strategy or idea. Each new strategy you try is like building a new pathway in your brain!
- Discuss: Once you solve the challenge (or try several ways), discuss: What was hard? What new strategies did you try? How did your brain feel when you kept trying?
Challenge Cards (Cut these out!)
Challenge Card 1: The Tallest Tower
Your Mission: Build the tallest freestanding tower possible using only 5 pieces of paper and a small piece of tape. You have 3 minutes!
Think about: How can you make paper strong? What shapes are sturdy?
Challenge Card 2: The Marshmallow Bridge
Your Mission: Build a bridge that can hold a single marshmallow, spanning a gap of 8 inches, using only 10 toothpicks and 5 mini marshmallows (as connectors). You have 5 minutes!
Think about: How can you connect things to make them strong? What designs are good for bridges?
Challenge Card 3: The Secret Code
Your Mission: Decode the following message. Each number stands for a letter of the alphabet (1=A, 2=B, etc.). You have 3 minutes!
Code: 7-18-15-23-20-8
Think about: What is the pattern? What letter comes first? How can you keep track of your work?
Challenge Card 4: The Penny Stack
Your Mission: Stack 15 pennies on top of each other using only one hand. You have 2 minutes!
Think about: How can you keep your hand steady? What's the best way to place each penny?
Challenge Card 5: The Unknot
Your Mission: With a partner, each hold one end of a rope that has a knot in the middle. Without letting go of the rope, you need to untie the knot. You have 4 minutes!
Think about: How can you work together? What movements will loosen the knot?
Activity
Brain Stretch Challenges: Keep Your Brain Growing!
Name: _________________________ Date: _________________________
Your brain loves to learn and grow! Just like your body, your brain gets stronger when you give it challenges and try new things. Here are some challenges to help your brain stretch and make new connections this week!
Challenge 1: The Left-Hand/Right-Hand Switch-Up
For one day, try to do everyday tasks with your non-dominant hand. If you're right-handed, use your left. If you're left-handed, use your right!
- Brush your teeth
- Open doors
- Stir your food
- Try drawing a picture
Reflection: How did this feel? Was it easy or hard? What did your brain have to do differently?
Challenge 2: The New Route Explorer
With a grown-up, try taking a different route to a place you go often (like school, the park, or the grocery store). Pay attention to new things you see!
Reflection: What new things did you notice? Did you have to think differently about directions?
Challenge 3: The Puzzle Master
Choose a puzzle you haven't done before (like a jigsaw puzzle, a word search, a Sudoku for kids, or even a riddle). Work on it for at least 15 minutes.
Reflection: What strategy did you use? Did you get stuck? How did you try to solve it?
Challenge 4: Learn a New Skill Bite
Pick a very small new skill to try learning for 10 minutes. It could be:
- How to say "hello" in a new language
- A new card trick
- A new dance move
- Drawing something you've never drawn before
Reflection: What new skill did you try? What did you do to learn it? How did it feel to try something new?
Overall Reflection:
After trying these challenges, what do you think about your brain? How has it grown this week?
Remember, every time you try, you're building a stronger, smarter brain! Keep stretching!