Lesson Plan
The Growth Mindset Garden
Students will identify the difference between fixed and growth mindsets, practice reframing negative self-talk, and develop strategies for persisting through difficulties.
Understanding a growth mindset helps students approach challenges with resilience, fostering a lifelong love of learning and personal development. This lesson equips them with practical tools to overcome obstacles.
Audience
6th Grade Students
Time
60 minutes
Approach
Relatable scenarios and metaphor to illustrate how effort and practice lead to growth.
Materials
Projector and computer, Whiteboard or chart paper, Markers, Growth Mindset Garden Slide Deck, Mindset Scenarios Activity Cards, Watering Your Growth Worksheet, and Cultivating Resilience Discussion Prompts
Prep
Teacher Preparation
15 minutes
- Review the Growth Mindset Garden Slide Deck and familiarize yourself with the content.
* Print and cut out the Mindset Scenarios Activity Cards.
* Make copies of the Watering Your Growth Worksheet for each student.
* Prepare the classroom for group work and discussion.
* Review all generated materials as needed.
Step 1
Warm-Up: Brain Stretch
5 minutes
- Begin by asking students: "What's something you found really hard at first, but got better at with practice?"
* Have a few students share their experiences.
* Introduce the idea that our brains are like muscles that grow with exercise, connecting to the day's topic.
Step 2
Introduction to Mindsets
15 minutes
- Use the Growth Mindset Garden Slide Deck to introduce fixed and growth mindsets.
* Explain the metaphor of the brain as a garden – fixed mindset is like a garden that won't grow, growth mindset is like a garden that can be cultivated.
* Discuss the characteristics of each mindset with examples relevant to 6th graders (e.g., struggling with a math problem, learning a new sport).
* Ask students to brainstorm how a fixed mindset might sound versus a growth mindset (e.g., "I'm not good at this" vs. "I'll try a different strategy").
Step 3
Activity: Mindset Scenarios
20 minutes
- Divide students into small groups (3-4 students).
* Distribute the Mindset Scenarios Activity Cards to each group.
* Instruct groups to read each scenario and discuss whether the character is demonstrating a fixed or growth mindset.
* For each fixed mindset scenario, have them reframe it into a growth mindset response.
* Bring the class back together to share some of their reframed scenarios and discuss their reasoning. Highlight different strategies for cultivating a growth mindset.
Step 4
Individual Reflection: Watering Your Growth
10 minutes
- Distribute the Watering Your Growth Worksheet.
* Explain that just like a garden needs water to grow, our minds need effort and positive self-talk.
* Have students complete the worksheet, identifying a challenge they face and how they can apply a growth mindset to it. Encourage them to write down specific
Slide Deck
The Growth Mindset Garden: Cultivating Resilience
Welcome to our garden! Today, we'll learn how our brains can grow stronger, just like plants. Get ready to cultivate some awesome new ways of thinking!
Welcome students and begin with a warm-up question to activate prior knowledge about learning new things.
What's a Mindset?
- Mindset: How you think about yourself and your abilities.
- It shapes how you approach challenges, learning, and mistakes.
- Think of it as the 'soil' in your brain's garden!
Introduce the concept of mindset and the two main types: fixed and growth. Explain that a mindset is how we think about our abilities.
The Fixed Mindset: Stone Garden
- Belief: My intelligence and talents are fixed. I'm either good at something or I'm not.
- Sounds like: "I can't do this," "I'm not smart enough," "Why bother trying?"
- Impact: Avoids challenges, gives up easily, sees mistakes as failures.
- Garden Metaphor: A garden of stone – nothing new can grow.
Describe a fixed mindset using the garden metaphor. Emphasize the belief that abilities are set and can't change much. Give clear examples.
The Growth Mindset: Fertile Ground
- Belief: My intelligence and talents can grow and develop with effort, practice, and learning from mistakes.
- Sounds like: "I'll try my best," "What can I learn from this?" "I can improve!"
- Impact: Embraces challenges, persists through difficulties, sees mistakes as learning opportunities.
- Garden Metaphor: A fertile garden – with care, anything can grow!
Describe a growth mindset using the garden metaphor. Emphasize the belief that abilities can be developed through effort and dedication. Give clear examples.
Fixed vs. Growth: Can You Tell?
Let's look at some situations. Think: is this a stone garden or a fertile garden mindset?
- Maria gets a low score on a math test and thinks, "I'm just bad at math."
- Jamal struggles with a new skateboarding trick but keeps practicing different ways until he lands it.
- Chloe avoids trying out for the school play because she's afraid she won't be good enough.
Show some common scenarios and have students think about what mindset is being displayed. This sets up the activity.
Activity: Mindset Scenarios
In your groups, you'll get some scenario cards.
- Read each scenario.
- Decide: Is it a Fixed or Growth Mindset?
- If it's Fixed, how can you reframe it into a Growth Mindset?
Be ready to share your transformations!
Transition to the group activity. Explain that they will be analyzing scenarios and transforming fixed mindsets into growth mindsets.
Reframing Our Thoughts
Just like we can re-pot a plant, we can reframe our thoughts!
Fixed Thought: "This is too hard. I'll never get it."
Growth Reframe: "This is challenging, but if I keep trying different strategies, I can understand it."
Explain the importance of reframing negative thoughts. Provide a clear example.
Watering Your Growth Worksheet
Now it's time to water your own Growth Mindset Garden!
- Think about a challenge you're facing.
- How can you apply a Growth Mindset to this challenge?
- Write down your strategies and positive self-talk.
What seeds will you plant today?
Introduce the worksheet and explain how it connects to cultivating their own growth mindset 'garden'.
Keep Your Garden Growing!
Remember, your brain is amazing and can grow with effort!
- Embrace challenges.
- Learn from mistakes.
- Persist when things get tough.
Keep cultivating that fertile ground in your mind! What's one thing you'll do this week to grow your mindset?
Conclude the lesson by reinforcing the main message and encouraging students to apply what they've learned daily. Open the floor for discussion.
Activity
Mindset Scenarios Activity Cards
Instructions: Read each scenario with your group. Discuss whether the character is showing a Fixed Mindset or a Growth Mindset. If it's a Fixed Mindset, work together to reframe their thoughts and actions into a Growth Mindset.
Scenario 1: The Math Problem
Maya is working on a challenging algebra problem. After trying for a few minutes and not getting the right answer, she sighs and says, "I'm just not a math person. I'll never understand this." She then pushes her notebook away and decides to scroll through social media instead.
- Fixed or Growth Mindset?
- If Fixed, how can Maya reframe her thoughts/actions?
Scenario 2: Learning a New Sport
Liam joins the school soccer team for the first time. During practice, he struggles to dribble the ball and often misses passes. He watches the experienced players and thinks, "They're so natural. I'm just not coordinated enough to play soccer." He feels embarrassed and considers quitting the team.
- Fixed or Growth Mindset?
- If Fixed, how can Liam reframe his thoughts/actions?
Scenario 3: The Art Project
Sophia is given an open-ended art project and feels excited. She tries a new painting technique and makes a mistake, spilling paint. Instead of getting upset, she looks at the spill and says, "Hmm, that's an interesting shape. Maybe I can turn this into a cloud or a mountain!" She then incorporates the spill into her artwork.
- Fixed or Growth Mindset?
- If Fixed, how can Sophia reframe her thoughts/actions? (If it's Growth, explain why.)
Scenario 4: The Group Presentation
Carlos has to work with a group on a presentation. He's usually quiet and prefers to work alone. When his group members ask for his ideas, he says, "My ideas aren't usually that good, so you all just go ahead without me." He sits back and doesn't offer any contributions.
- Fixed or Growth Mindset?
- If Fixed, how can Carlos reframe his thoughts/actions?
Worksheet
Watering Your Growth Worksheet
Just like plants need water, sunlight, and care to grow, our brains need effort, positive thoughts, and learning from mistakes to develop a strong Growth Mindset!
Instructions: Think about a challenge you are currently facing, or one you have faced in the past. Use the questions below to explore how you can apply a Growth Mindset to help you overcome it.
1. My Challenge Seed
What is one challenging situation, subject, or skill you are currently working on or would like to improve? (e.g., a difficult math concept, learning to play a new instrument, trying out for a team, making new friends).
2. Fixed Mindset Weeds
When you think about this challenge, what are some negative thoughts or feelings that pop into your head? These are like "weeds" that can stop your growth. Write them down.
3. Growth Mindset Fertilizer
Now, how can you reframe those negative thoughts into positive, growth-oriented statements? These are your "fertilizer"! (e.g., Instead of "I can't do this," think "I'll try my best and ask for help.")
4. Action Steps for Growth
What specific actions can you take to tackle this challenge with a Growth Mindset? Think about strategies you can use, people you can ask for help, or new approaches you can try. These are like the tools and sunlight you give your garden.
5. My Growth Mindset Garden Plan
Draw or describe your own personal Growth Mindset Garden below. What does it look like? What will you plant? What tools will you use to help it grow? How will you keep the weeds away? Use this space to visualize your resilient, ever-growing mindset!
Discussion
Cultivating Resilience Discussion Prompts
Instructions: Use these prompts to guide a class discussion after learning about Fixed and Growth Mindsets. Encourage students to share their thoughts and experiences respectfully.
Discussion Question 1
Think about our discussion today on fixed and growth mindsets. What was one new idea you learned or something that surprised you?
Discussion Question 2
Can you think of a time when you or someone you know demonstrated a growth mindset? What happened, and what was the outcome?
Discussion Question 3
The lesson used the metaphor of a garden. How does thinking about your brain as a garden help you understand the difference between a fixed and growth mindset?
Discussion Question 4
What is one concrete thing you can do this week to practice having a growth mindset in school, at home, or with your friends?