Lesson Plan
The Unstoppable Me: Cultivating a Growth Mindset Lesson Plan
Students will learn that their abilities can grow through effort and practice, shifting their perspective on challenges from obstacles to opportunities for learning and fostering perseverance and a positive attitude.
This lesson empowers students to see challenges as chances to grow, building resilience and a belief in their potential. It helps them develop a positive outlook that extends beyond the classroom.
Audience
K-12 Students
Time
45-60 minutes
Approach
Interactive discussion, guided exploration, and reflective activities.
Materials
Smartboard or projector, Growth Mindset Slide Deck, Markers or pens, Growth Mindset Worksheet, and Growth Mindset Reading
Prep
Teacher Preparation
15 minutes
- Review the Growth Mindset Slide Deck and familiarize yourself with the content.
- Print copies of the Growth Mindset Worksheet for each student.
- Print copies of the Growth Mindset Reading for each student.
- Prepare the projector/smartboard for the slide deck presentation.
- Gather markers or pens for students.
Step 1
Introduction: What is Your Brain Up To?
5 minutes
- Begin with a quick Warm-Up activity asking students to share a time they struggled with something and how they felt.
- Introduce the concept of a 'growth mindset' using the Growth Mindset Slide Deck (Slides 1-3).
- Ask students: "Have you ever felt like you 'can't do it' or 'aren't smart enough'? What if I told you your brain is like a muscle that can get stronger with practice?"
Step 2
Fixed vs. Growth Mindset Exploration
15 minutes
- Use the Growth Mindset Slide Deck (Slides 4-7) to explain the difference between a fixed and growth mindset.
- Provide examples of each, encouraging students to share their own experiences or observations.
- Facilitate a brief discussion using prompts from the Growth Mindset Discussion to check for understanding and address misconceptions.
- Distribute the Growth Mindset Reading and have students read it individually or in pairs. Discuss key takeaways.
Step 3
Challenge as Opportunity Activity
15 minutes
- Introduce the "Mindset Makeover" Activity using the Growth Mindset Slide Deck (Slides 8-9).
- Divide students into small groups.
- Distribute the Growth Mindset Worksheet and instruct them to complete the first section, identifying a challenge and how a fixed mindset might react.
- Guide them to reframe the challenge with a growth mindset perspective, brainstorming strategies for perseverance and learning.
Step 4
Reflecting on Our Growth
10 minutes
- Bring the class back together for a brief share-out of their mindset makeovers.
- Use the Growth Mindset Slide Deck (Slide 10) to summarize key takeaways about cultivating a growth mindset.
- Have students complete the reflective questions on the Growth Mindset Worksheet individually.
- Conclude with a Cool-Down prompt, asking students to identify one thing they will try to do with a growth mindset this week.
Slide Deck
The Unstoppable Me: Cultivating a Growth Mindset
How do you react when things get tough?
Today, we'll discover how your brain can grow stronger!
Welcome students and get them ready to think about challenges. Start with a hook about struggles and how they make us feel.
Your Brain: A Powerful Muscle!
Imagine your brain is like a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it gets!
Just like lifting weights makes your arm muscles stronger, learning new things makes your brain stronger.
Introduce the idea of a 'growth mindset' – the belief that abilities can be developed. Use the brain-as-a-muscle analogy.
Two Ways of Thinking
When you face a challenge, how do you talk to yourself?
There are two main 'mindsets' that guide our thinking and actions.
Explain that we often have two ways of thinking about our abilities.
The Fixed Mindset
"I'm just not good at it."
- Believes abilities are born, not made.
- Avoids challenges to prevent looking 'unsmart'.
- Gives up easily when faced with difficulty.
- Sees effort as pointless if you're not 'naturally' good.
- Feels threatened by the success of others.
Define 'Fixed Mindset' and provide characteristics. Emphasize that this mindset sees abilities as set.
The Growth Mindset
"I can learn anything I set my mind to!"
- Believes abilities can be developed through hard work and dedication.
- Embraces challenges as opportunities to learn.
- Persists in the face of setbacks.
- Sees effort as the path to mastery.
- Finds inspiration in the success of others.
Define 'Growth Mindset' and its characteristics. Highlight that this mindset sees potential for development.
Fixed vs. Growth: What's the Difference?
| Fixed Mindset | Growth Mindset |
|---|---|
| "I'm not good at this." | "I'll get better with practice." |
| "It's too hard." | "I'll try a different strategy." |
| "I give up." | "I'll keep trying!" |
| "I made a mistake, I'm a failure." | "Mistakes help me learn and grow." |
Show a comparison of common phrases from each mindset. Ask students to identify which sounds more like them, or people they know.
Growth Mindset in Action!
- Learning to Ride a Bike: Falling down is part of learning, not a sign you can't do it.
- Solving a Tricky Math Problem: Trying different approaches helps you understand it better.
- Mastering a New Skill: Practice, practice, practice leads to improvement!
Provide real-world examples to make the concept relatable. Encourage students to think of their own examples.
Mindset Makeover Activity!
Now it's your turn to be a 'Mindset Makeover' artist!
Think of a challenge you or someone you know has faced. How would a fixed mindset react?
Then, how can you transform it with a growth mindset?
Introduce the activity. Explain that they'll transform 'fixed mindset' situations into 'growth mindset' opportunities.
Your Mission (Should You Choose to Accept It...)
- On your Growth Mindset Worksheet, identify a challenge.
- Describe how a fixed mindset might react to this challenge.
- Brainstorm how a growth mindset would approach it.
- What strategies could you use to overcome the challenge and learn from it?
Give clear instructions for the worksheet activity. Circulate and support as needed.
Be Unstoppable!
Remember, your brain is amazing and can grow with effort!
Embrace challenges, learn from mistakes, and keep pushing yourself to be the best you can be.
You are UNSTOPPABLE!
Wrap up the lesson, reiterating the main point. Ask students to commit to a growth mindset action.
Warm Up
Growth Mindset Warm Up
Think about a time you tried something new or difficult. Maybe it was learning to ride a bike, solving a tricky puzzle, or trying a new sport.
What was the challenge?
How did you feel when you were struggling? What thoughts went through your mind?
Activity
Mindset Makeover Challenge!
This activity is all about transforming how we approach challenges!
Your Mission:
- Identify a Challenge: Think about a time you (or someone you know) faced a tough situation in school, a hobby, or with friends. Write it down on your Growth Mindset Worksheet.
- Fixed Mindset Reaction: How might someone with a fixed mindset react to this challenge? What would they say or think? Write it down.
- Growth Mindset Makeover: Now, let's give that mindset a makeover! How would someone with a growth mindset approach the exact same challenge? What would they say, think, or do differently?
- Strategies for Growth: What specific actions or strategies could you use to learn from this challenge and ultimately overcome it?
Example:
Challenge: "I can't draw a straight line, so I'm bad at art."
Fixed Mindset Reaction: "See? I told you I'm not artistic. I should just give up."
Growth Mindset Makeover: "Drawing straight lines is a skill I can improve! I can practice with a ruler, or maybe try different drawing techniques. My art might not be perfect yet, but I can get better with effort!"
Worksheet
My Mindset Makeover Worksheet
Name: ________________________
Part 1: Identifying the Challenge
-
Describe a challenge you have faced or are currently facing. This could be in school, a hobby, a sport, or with friends.
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How might someone with a fixed mindset react to this challenge? What thoughts or feelings would they have?
Part 2: Growth Mindset Makeover
-
How would someone with a growth mindset approach this same challenge? What different thoughts or feelings would they have?
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What specific actions or strategies could you use to overcome this challenge and learn from it? (e.g., ask for help, practice more, try a new method)
Part 3: Reflection
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Think about something you once thought was difficult but eventually improved at. What changed?
-
How can having a growth mindset help you in the future, both in school and in your personal life?
Reading
Understanding Your Mindset: Fixed vs. Growth
Have you ever heard someone say, "I'm just not a math person" or "I'll never be good at sports"? These kinds of statements come from what we call a fixed mindset.
The Fixed Mindset: Believing Your Abilities Are Set
People with a fixed mindset believe that their intelligence, talents, and abilities are fixed traits. They think they are born with a certain amount of smarts or a specific talent, and that's it. If they struggle with something, they might think it means they aren't smart enough or don't have that particular talent.
Characteristics of a Fixed Mindset:
- Avoids challenges: If they think they might fail, they won't even try.
- Gives up easily: A little difficulty makes them quit.
- Sees effort as pointless: Why bother if you're not naturally good?
- Ignores useful criticism: They take feedback personally and get defensive.
- Feels threatened by others' success: They see others' achievements as a reflection of their own shortcomings.
The Growth Mindset: Believing Your Abilities Can Grow
On the other hand, people with a growth mindset believe that their intelligence and talents can be developed through hard work, dedication, and learning from mistakes. They see their brain like a muscle – the more you exercise it by learning new things and facing challenges, the stronger and smarter it becomes!
Characteristics of a Growth Mindset:
- Embraces challenges: They see tough tasks as opportunities to learn and improve.
- Persists through setbacks: They understand that struggling is part of the learning process.
- Sees effort as essential: Hard work is the key to mastering new skills.
- Learns from criticism: They use feedback to get better.
- Finds inspiration in others' success: They learn from and celebrate the achievements of others.
Why Does Your Mindset Matter?
Your mindset powerfully affects how you learn, how you deal with challenges, and how happy and successful you become. A fixed mindset can limit your potential, making you afraid to try new things and giving up too soon. A growth mindset, however, opens up a world of possibilities. It encourages you to keep growing, learning, and becoming the best version of yourself.
Remember, you have the power to choose your mindset. By cultivating a growth mindset, you become truly unstoppable!
Discussion
Growth Mindset Discussion Prompts
Use these prompts to facilitate a class discussion about fixed and growth mindsets.
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Can you think of a time when you heard someone (maybe even yourself!) say something that sounded like a fixed mindset? What was the situation?
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What's the biggest difference you notice between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset?
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Why do you think it's important to have a growth mindset when learning something new or facing a difficult task?
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Can you give an example of how someone could change a fixed mindset thought into a growth mindset thought? (e.g., "I'm bad at this" to "I'll try a different way to learn this.")
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How might having a growth mindset affect your friendships or teamwork?
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What is one small step you can take this week to practice having a growth mindset?
Cool Down
Growth Mindset Cool Down: My Next Step
Before you leave, take a moment to reflect:
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What is one new thing you learned about your brain or mindsets today?
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Think about an upcoming challenge (big or small). How will you approach it with a growth mindset?