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Mindset Matters

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Lesson Plan

Mindset Matters Lesson Plan

Students will learn what a growth mindset is, understand why embracing challenges and effort matters, and apply growth mindset strategies to their own learning through interactive activities and personal reflection.

Teaching growth mindset helps students embrace challenges, build resilience, and understand that effort leads to mastery, fostering lifelong learning habits and positive academic attitudes.

Audience

4th Grade Students

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Interactive discussions, hands-on scenarios, and personal reflection.

Materials

Growth Mindset Intro Slides, Mindset Scenario Cards, Growth Mindset Reflection Worksheet, Chart Paper, Markers, Sticky Notes, Colored Pencils, and Timer

Prep

Prepare Materials

10 minutes

Step 1

Introduction to Growth Mindset

5 minutes

  • Welcome students and explain that today they’ll learn about two ways of thinking: fixed vs growth mindset.
  • Display the Growth Mindset Intro Slides.
  • Define “fixed mindset” (believing abilities are set) vs “growth mindset” (believing effort grows skills).
  • Ask volunteers to share times they tried something challenging and what happened.

Step 2

Scenario Activity

10 minutes

  • Divide students into pairs and give each pair 2–3 Mindset Scenario Cards.
  • Instruct pairs to read each scenario, decide if it shows a fixed or growth mindset, and discuss why.
  • Have pairs place their cards on the corresponding chart paper columns.

Step 3

Group Discussion

5 minutes

  • Bring the class together and review a few example cards from each column.
  • Highlight language that reflects growth mindset (e.g., “I can learn from mistakes,” “I’ll try another strategy”).
  • Record key growth mindset phrases on the whiteboard.

Step 4

Reflection

5 minutes

  • Distribute the Growth Mindset Reflection Worksheet.
  • Instruct students to write:
    • A recent challenge they faced.
    • How they applied or could apply growth mindset strategies.
    • One step they’ll try next time they face difficulty.
  • Encourage neat work and use of colored pencils.

Step 5

Closing and Goal Setting

5 minutes

  • Ask each student to write one personal learning goal using growth mindset language on a sticky note.
  • Students post their sticky notes on a class “Growth Goal Wall.”
  • Remind students to refer to these goals and growth mindset phrases whenever they face challenges.
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Slide Deck

Growth Mindset vs. Fixed Mindset

Understanding how we think about our abilities can help us learn, grow, and tackle challenges with confidence.

Welcome students! Today we’re going to learn about two ways of thinking: fixed mindset and growth mindset. Explain that how we think about our abilities affects how we learn and face challenges.

What Is Mindset?

• Mindset is how we think about our abilities and intelligence.
• It affects how we respond to challenges and setbacks.

Define “mindset.” Emphasize that everyone has a mindset and it shapes our actions and feelings when we learn.

Fixed Mindset

• Belief: Abilities are set and cannot change.
• Language: “I’m just not good at this.”
• Reaction: Avoids challenges; gives up easily.

Explain fixed mindset. Use a real-life example: "If you think you’re just not good at math, you might give up instead of practicing."

Growth Mindset

• Belief: Abilities grow with effort and practice.
• Language: “I can learn and improve.”
• Reaction: Embraces challenges; persists through difficulties.

Explain growth mindset. Share an example: "When you’ve practiced reading and improved, that’s growth mindset in action."

Why Growth Mindset Matters

• Encourages us to try new things.
• Builds resilience when we make mistakes.
• Leads to better learning and achievement.

Highlight why growth mindset is powerful. Ask: “What good things happen when we try even if it’s hard?”

Think & Share

Share a time you faced something challenging:

  1. What did you do?
  2. How did you feel?
  3. What did you learn?

Prompt students to reflect and share. Call on volunteers and guide the discussion to connect their experiences to growth mindset ideas.

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Activity

Mindset Scenario Cards

Use these cards in pairs to identify whether each situation shows a Fixed Mindset or a Growth Mindset. Discuss your reasoning, then place each card under the correct column on the chart paper.

Card 1:
“Whenever Jamie sees a difficult puzzle, they say, ‘This is too hard. I can’t do it. I’ll just skip it.’”







Card 2:
“After not getting the answer right the first time, Alex says, ‘I’ll try a new way and keep practicing until I learn it.’”







Card 3:
“When Sara didn’t get chosen for the team, she thought, ‘I’m just not good enough. I should give up.’”







Card 4:
“Malik says, ‘I didn’t do well on my spelling test, but I’ll go over the words again and ask for help to improve.’”







Card 5:
“Tina says, ‘I’m not creative, so I won’t even try the art project.’”







Card 6:
“Lucas struggled with his writing assignment, but he asked his teacher for feedback and tried again.”







Card 7:
“Nina tells herself, ‘I’m smart or I’m not. There’s nothing I can change.’”







Card 8:
“Ethan practices his reading aloud every day, believing that he will get better with time.”







Teacher Answer Key (for reference):

  1. Fixed Mindset
  2. Growth Mindset
  3. Fixed Mindset
  4. Growth Mindset
  5. Fixed Mindset
  6. Growth Mindset
  7. Fixed Mindset
  8. Growth Mindset
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Worksheet

Growth Mindset Reflection Worksheet

Name: _________________________ Date: ____________

Remember what we learned in the Growth Mindset Intro Slides and the examples from the Mindset Scenario Cards. Use your colored pencils to make your worksheet bright and neat!

1. In your own words, what is a growth mindset?







2. Think of a recent time when you faced a challenge. Describe what happened and how you felt:












3. How did you respond at first? Did you use a fixed mindset or a growth mindset? Explain your answer:







4. Choose one strategy that shows a growth mindset (for example, “I can learn from mistakes,” or “I will try another way”). Write that strategy here and explain how you will use it next time:

Strategy: _________________________________________________________________







Explanation:







5. Create your own growth mindset phrase—something you can tell yourself when things get hard:







6. Set a personal learning goal using growth mindset language. What skill or subject will you improve, and what is one step you will take to grow?

Goal: _____________________________________________________________________




One Step I Will Take:











Great work! Keep this sheet in your binder and read it whenever you need a reminder to think with a growth mindset.

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