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Mindset Matters

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Lesson Plan

Growth Mindset Quest Lesson Plan

Students will learn the difference between growth and fixed mindsets, practice perseverance through a group challenge, and create a personal plan to apply growth-mindset strategies.

Understanding and adopting a growth mindset builds resilience, confidence, and a love of learning. This lesson equips 7th graders with practical tools to tackle academic challenges and persist through setbacks.

Audience

7th Grade

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Engaging slides, hands-on challenge, and guided reflection.

Materials

Growth Mindset Introduction Slides, - Mindset Reflection Worksheet, - Whiteboard & Markers, and - Sticky Notes

Prep

Preparation

10 minutes

Step 1

Hook & Objective

5 minutes

  • Welcome students and pose: “What do you do when a task feels too hard?”
  • Introduce today’s goal: explore how embracing challenges grows our brains
  • Display the title slide from Growth Mindset Introduction Slides
  • Outline agenda and expected outcomes

Step 2

Growth vs. Fixed Mindset Exploration

10 minutes

  • Present definitions and examples of fixed vs. growth mindsets on slides
  • Ask students to think, pair, and share a time they felt stuck
  • Use the whiteboard to record student-generated statements under “Fixed” and “Growth” columns
  • Highlight key differences and discuss how brain science supports growth mindset

Step 3

Group Challenge Activity

10 minutes

  • Divide students into small groups and distribute a short puzzle or brain teaser
  • Instruct groups to tackle the challenge together, encouraging “yet” language (e.g., “I can’t do this yet”)
  • Provide sticky notes: each time a student shows perseverance, they write a supportive growth-mindset phrase and post it on the whiteboard
  • Circulate to facilitate and praise effort over correctness

Step 4

Reflection & Action Plan

5 minutes

  • Hand out the Mindset Reflection Worksheet
  • Prompt students to identify one current academic challenge and list two growth-mindset strategies they will use
  • Pair students to share their action plans and offer peer feedback
  • Conclude by asking volunteers to read their commitments aloud and reinforce a classroom mantra: “We grow through effort.”
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Slide Deck

Growth Mindset Quest

A journey to embracing challenges and growing our brains.

Welcome students. Introduce yourself and the lesson title. Emphasize that today’s journey will help them see challenges as opportunities.

Hook Question

What do you do when a task feels too hard?

Pose the question verbally and give students 30 seconds to think. Encourage volunteers to share briefly.

Learning Objectives

• Understand fixed vs. growth mindsets
• Discover how our brain grows
• Practice perseverance in a challenge
• Create a personal action plan

Read each objective aloud and relate them back to why growth mindset matters for everyday learning.

Mindset Definitions

Fixed Mindset: "I’m either good at it or I’m not."
Growth Mindset: "I can get better with effort and learning."

Display definitions side-by-side. Ask students to call out which column they relate to the most.

Brain Science: Neuroplasticity

Our brains form new connections when we learn and practice. Mistakes and effort strengthen these pathways.

Explain neuroplasticity in simple terms. Use a quick sketch of neurons if possible on the board.

Mindset in Action

Fixed: "I’ll never get this math problem."
Growth: "I can’t do this yet, but I’ll keep trying."

Fixed: "I give up when it’s too hard."
Growth: "Hard work helps me learn more."

Read each example and ask students to identify if it’s fixed or growth. Then flip the fixed examples into growth statements together.

Think-Pair-Share

Think of a time you felt stuck on a task.
• What did you say to yourself?
• How could a growth mindset help?

Introduce the think-pair-share protocol. Give students one minute to think, one minute to discuss, then two volunteers share with class.

Group Challenge Activity

• Solve a short puzzle together
• Use “I can’t do this yet” when stuck
• Write supportive phrases on sticky notes

Explain the group challenge rules and emphasize using “yet” language. Circulate and praise perseverance.

Reflection & Action Plan

  1. Identify one academic challenge
  2. List two growth-mindset strategies you’ll use
  3. Share your plan with a partner

Pass out the reflection worksheets. Guide students through each question and prompt them to write two specific strategies.

Classroom Mantra

“We grow through effort.”

Let’s say it together and remember it every day!

Reinforce the classroom culture. Encourage everyone to repeat the mantra together and commit to using it.

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Lesson Plan

Growth Mindset Lesson Plan

Students will understand the difference between growth and fixed mindsets, practice perseverance through a group puzzle challenge, and develop a personal action plan to apply growth-mindset strategies.

Cultivating a growth mindset helps students embrace challenges, persist through setbacks, and build resilience and confidence in their learning journey.

Audience

7th Grade

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Interactive slides, collaborative challenge, guided reflection

Materials

Growth Mindset Introduction Slides, Mindset Reflection Worksheet, Brain Teaser Puzzle Handout, Whiteboard & Markers, and Sticky Notes

Prep

Preparation

10 minutes

Step 1

Hook & Objective

5 minutes

  • Welcome students and ask: “What do you do when a task feels too hard?”
  • Introduce today’s objective: understanding how embracing challenges helps us grow
  • Display the title slide from Growth Mindset Introduction Slides and outline the agenda

Step 2

Growth vs. Fixed Mindset Exploration

10 minutes

  • Present definitions and examples of fixed vs. growth mindsets on slides
  • Use Think-Pair-Share: students recall a time they felt stuck and discuss with a partner
  • Record student statements under “Fixed” and “Growth” columns on the whiteboard
  • Highlight brain science (neuroplasticity) and link effort to learning

Step 3

Group Challenge Activity

10 minutes

  • Divide students into small groups and hand out the Brain Teaser Puzzle Handout
  • Encourage “yet” language: e.g., “I can’t solve this yet” when stuck
  • Each time a student perseveres, they write a supportive growth-mindset phrase on a sticky note and post it on the whiteboard
  • Circulate to praise effort and facilitation teamwork

Step 4

Reflection & Action Plan

5 minutes

  • Distribute the Mindset Reflection Worksheet
  • Prompt students to identify one academic challenge and list two growth-mindset strategies they will use
  • Pair students to share their action plans and offer peer feedback
  • Invite volunteers to read commitments aloud and close with the classroom mantra: “We grow through effort.”
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Worksheet

Mindset Reflection Worksheet

1. Growth vs. Fixed Mindset

On the lines below, write two statements you have used when facing a challenge: one that reflects a fixed mindset and another that reflects a growth mindset.

a) Fixed Mindset Statement:




b) Growth Mindset Statement:







2. My Academic Challenge

Identify one current academic challenge you are experiencing. Describe it below:












3. Growth-Mindset Strategies

List two growth-mindset strategies you will use to address this challenge. For each, explain how you will apply it.

a) Strategy 1:







How I will apply it:







b) Strategy 2:







How I will apply it:







4. Action Plan Commitment

Write a specific action plan: what you will do in the next week to practice a growth mindset, and when you will do it.













I commit to my action plan and understand that challenges help me grow!

Student Signature: ______________________ Date: __________

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Activity

Brain Teaser Puzzle Handout

Instructions (2 minutes)

• Work in your small group.
• When you get stuck, say “I can’t solve this yet” and keep trying.
• Each time you show perseverance, write a supportive growth-mindset phrase on a sticky note and post it on the whiteboard.

Puzzle 1: Number Sequence

Look at the pattern below. Write the next number in the sequence and explain how you found it.

2, 6, 12, 20, ___

Reasoning:








Puzzle 2: Logic Riddle

Three chests—A, B, and C—have these labels:

  • Chest A: “Treasure is in this chest.”
  • Chest B: “Treasure is not in Chest C.”
  • Chest C: “Treasure is not in this chest.”

Only one label is true; the other two are false. Which chest hides the treasure? Explain your reasoning below.

Answer: Chest ______

Explanation:











Good luck! Remember: “We grow through effort.”

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