Growth Mindset (Kindergarten)

Objectives: Students will learn how to grow their brain.

Connection: Watching our caterpillars grow from egg to butterfly and then having to learn how to fly through lots of practice.

I asked my students to name things we had to learn as babies (walk, eat, talk, etc). I then asked students to discuss, with their table, things we couldn't do before but can do now. Once they had enough talking time I asked for volunteers to share what their table discussed (write names, run, ride skateboard, give self bath/shower, climb stairs, sharing etc).

Next in my lesson I displayed a power point presentation from teachers pay teachers called "Teaching a Growth Mindset."

This interactive power point helped explain ways we can grow our brain with different activities and lots of questions to check our understanding of the topic.

To wrap up my lesson, I read the book "Little One Step" by Simon James. This story is about 3 lost ducklings trying to make their way back to their mom.  The littlest one is having a hard time walking and feels like giving up until he gets advice from his older siblings to take it one step at a time. Throughout the book he stops and thinks about giving up but he keeps reminding himself to take one little step and eventually makes it all the way back to the pond to his mom.

I explained before reading the book that the main character of the story is having trouble with something and we are going to find out if he is going to quit because its too hard or if he is going to keep trying. After reading the story I asked if the duckling grew his brain and how.  My students were really engaged during this story and we related the story to something in their lives that they had trouble with and who helped them or gave them advice on how to do it.