Lesson Plan
Embrace the Struggle Lesson Plan
Students will self-assess their mindset beliefs, discuss growth vs. fixed patterns in small groups, and plan actionable strategies to foster resilience and academic growth.
Building self-awareness around mindset equips 11th graders with resilience and proactive strategies for academic challenges, improving motivation and long-term success.
Audience
11th Grade Students
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Quiz, guided discussion, collaborative brainstorming.
Materials
Prep
Review Materials
5 minutes
- Ensure digital or printed copies of all materials are ready.
- Familiarize yourself with the Mindset Mastery Check Quiz, Quiz Debrief Dialogue Prompts, and Next-Step Brainstorm Template.
- Set up the classroom display or whiteboard for group sharing.
Step 1
Mindset Mastery Check
10 minutes
- Distribute the Mindset Mastery Check Quiz to each student.
- Instruct students to complete the quiz individually, reflecting on their beliefs about learning and effort.
- Collect quizzes for later review or have students keep them for the discussion.
Step 2
Quiz Debrief Dialogue
10 minutes
- Organize students into small groups (3–4 per group).
- Provide each group with the Quiz Debrief Dialogue Prompts.
- Encourage students to share key takeaways and discuss how their responses reveal growth- or fixed-mindset patterns.
- Circulate to prompt deeper thinking and ensure inclusive participation.
Step 3
Next-Step Brainstorm
10 minutes
- Introduce the Next-Step Brainstorm Template.
- Ask students to individually identify one academic or personal challenge and list growth-mindset strategies to address it.
- Invite volunteers to share their actionable plans and gather peer feedback.
- Encourage students to keep their templates as a living document for future goal-setting.
Slide Deck
Embrace the Struggle
11th Grade Growth Mindset Lesson
30 Minutes | Tier 1 Classroom Activity
Welcome everyone! Today we'll explore how embracing challenges helps us grow. Introduce the lesson title and invite students to think about a time they struggled and overcame it.
What Is Growth Mindset?
• Fixed Mindset: Belief that abilities are static
• Growth Mindset: Belief that effort and strategies develop skills
Why it matters: A growth mindset fosters resilience and continuous learning.
Briefly define fixed vs. growth mindset. Use examples like believing intelligence is fixed versus improvable through effort.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this session, students will:
- Self-assess their mindset beliefs.
- Analyze quiz responses to identify fixed- and growth-mindset patterns.
- Develop actionable strategies for personal or academic challenges.
Highlight the three key learning objectives. Encourage students to refer back to these throughout the lesson.
Agenda
- Mindset Mastery Check (Quiz) – 10 min
- Quiz Debrief Dialogue – 10 min
- Next-Step Brainstorm – 10 min
Outline the flow of activities so students know what to expect. Keep the pace tight to stay within 30 minutes.
Mindset Mastery Check Quiz
• Scan the QR code or visit Mindset Mastery Check Quiz
• Complete individually (10 minutes)
• Reflect on your beliefs about effort, challenges, and setbacks
Distribute the quiz or display the QR code. Remind students to reflect honestly and complete on their own. Collect or have them keep for discussion.
Quiz Debrief Dialogue
• Gather in small groups (3–4 students)
• Use Quiz Debrief Dialogue Prompts
• Discuss:
– Which responses surprised you?
– How do your answers show fixed or growth mindsets?
– What statements will you challenge going forward?
Form groups of 3–4. Provide each group with the discussion prompts. Circulate to guide deeper conversation and ensure participation.
Next-Step Brainstorm
• Access the Next-Step Brainstorm Template
• Identify one academic or personal challenge
• List 3–5 growth-mindset strategies to tackle it
• Share your plan and gather peer feedback
Introduce the brainstorm template. Encourage students to pick one real challenge and list at least three growth strategies. Invite a few volunteers to share.
Wrap-Up & Next Steps
• Reflect on today’s key takeaways
• Keep your brainstorm document as a living plan
• Look for opportunities this week to apply growth-mindset strategies
• We’ll revisit progress in our next class
Wrap up by reinforcing that mindset is a practice, not a one-time quiz. Encourage students to revisit their templates and set reminders to review.
Quiz
Mindset Mastery Check Quiz
Discussion
Quiz Debrief Dialogue Prompts
Purpose
Guide small-group discussions to help students analyze their quiz responses, recognize growth- and fixed-mindset patterns, and identify opportunities to shift toward a growth mindset.
Group Discussion Guidelines
- Form groups of 3–4 students.
- Assign one speaker and one recorder per round (rotate roles each prompt).
- Practice active listening: paraphrase before responding.
- Encourage every voice; avoid dominating the conversation.
Core Discussion Prompts
- Share a Quiz Insight
- Each member names one quiz question that surprised them and explains why.
- How did your initial reaction reflect your beliefs about learning?
- Identify Mindset Patterns
- Choose one response that shows a growth-mindset approach and one that shows a fixed-mindset approach.
- Discuss what clues (words, tone, feelings) helped you categorize each.
- Reframe a Fixed Statement
- Pick a fixed-mindset statement from the quiz (e.g., “I’m just not good at this”).
- Work together to rewrite it as a growth-mindset affirmation (e.g., “With effort and practice, I can improve”).
- Strategy Swap
- Think of a challenge you avoided or gave up on. Share your strategy for tackling it differently next time.
- Collect feedback: What additional growth-mindset tactics can you add? (e.g., seeking feedback, breaking tasks into smaller steps)
Follow-Up Questions & Prompts
- Why? Why do you think certain challenges trigger a fixed mindset?
- What if? What might change if you approached that challenge with a growth mindset?
- Action Step What’s one concrete action you’ll commit to before our next class?
Use these prompts to deepen understanding of how mindset influences learning and to support one another in building resilience and self-awareness.
Activity
Next-Step Brainstorm Template
1. Identify Your Challenge
Describe an academic or personal challenge you are currently facing:
2. Growth Mindset Strategies
List 3–5 strategies you can apply to this challenge to foster a growth mindset:
- Strategy 1:
- Strategy 2:
- Strategy 3:
- Strategy 4 (optional):
- Strategy 5 (optional):
3. Action Steps
For each strategy, outline a concrete action step and set a timeline for completion:
| Strategy | Action Step | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Strategy 1 | ____________ | |
| 2. Strategy 2 | ____________ | |
| 3. Strategy 3 | ____________ |
4. Reflection & Commitment
Potential Obstacles: What might get in your way, and how will you address them?
Success Indicators: How will you know you’re making progress?
5. Peer Feedback
Peer Name: ____________________
Feedback & Suggestions:
Keep this template as a living document—revisit and revise your strategies and action steps as you grow!