Facebook Instagram Bloglovin' Image Map

Mindsets in the Classroom - Chapter 8

I know.  We have completely sold you on the idea of helping kids develop a growth mindset.  How can you resist helping kids believe in themselves, believe in hard work and perseverance, and believe in the power to achieve?  Isn't that our goal as teachers?

Here is an overview of the chapter.  You can click on the picture to download the PDF for easy reference.

Chapter 8 in the book Mindsets in the Classroom gives practical ways to integrate the development of a growth mindset in your classroom.  But, with all of the demands and commitments of a normal school day, where can we find time?  Well, be creative!  Mary Cay recommends integrating your growth mindset lessons into your day.  Are you working on non-fiction comprehension?  Why not read about neuroscience (which would obviously have to be modified for the elementary classroom)!  Are you starting the year with a science unit on famous scientists?  Add a mini unit on neuroscience.  I bet those scientists had a growth mindset.

Ricci walks you through the entire process.  She has it all planned out for you, from pre-assessment to sample learning tasks, to introducing students to growth mindset terminology.  I have chosen three of my favorite things from the chapter, and have combined them into a big, chapter 8 freebie.  Who doesn't love a freebie?



I have included the pre-assessment worksheet, one of the learning tasks, and made printable posters of eight quotes that Ricci included at the end of the chapter.  Here are a few of my favorites.





You can click on any of the pictures shown above to download your freebies.

What were your thoughts on the chapter?  Link up below or leave a comment.  Thanks for visiting us!



27 comments :

  1. Wow, those are awesome freebies! Thank up so much for creating these, Carolyn!
    I hope to blog and link up later today, but in the meantime - I sure enjoyed your post!
    xo Pam
    > Hedgehog Reader

    ReplyDelete
  2. Love your freebies! More resources are in the Ready to Use Resources for Mindsets in the Classroom book as well...also a list of picture books and extended texts that can be used to discuss mindsets! Your summaries and reflections are terrific!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. First of all, it is such an honor that you read my post! I love the list of picture books that you included. As a media specialist, I love using literature that students can learn a thing or two from. I have those books in my library, and they are great suggestions!

      I just love this book and the practical suggestions of how to implement a growth mindset in the classroom. In grad school, I learned about Carol Dweck's research and it changed the way that I praised my students and my own children. This book has brought so many new ideas to add to my teaching toolbox, and I will definitely be implementing lessons on growth mindset in the library. Kids need to built up in a constructive way, and they need to believe in their abilities. I can hardly wait to see the change in the mindsets at my school!

      Delete
    2. Ms. Ricci, I have loved this book, and I am so excited to see how its lessons impact our school!

      Delete
  3. Oh my gosh I love your freebies. Thank you for your work. AND OH MY GOSH! Mary Kay Ricci wrote a comment! How cool! =)
    Emily @ Second Grade Silliness 

    ReplyDelete
  4. Chapter 8: I loved the part about teaching students about the brain. I love how it leveled the teaching all the way down to a kindergarten level. I think it will be interesting to see the students picture of the brain. I can't wait to do that activity!

    ReplyDelete
  5. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love the idea of teaching students about what their brain does. I think it will be very interesting, also, to see what they draw for the brain activity. I also love the "building neural connections" activity. I think if they understand what is really going on in their brains when they are learning I think it will breed more perseverance in them. They will want to make and strengthen those connections. Looking forward to trying some of these activities!!

    I absolutely love the gratitude journal!!!! This is such a wonderful idea to help kids see what is wonderful in their lives and to learn how to be optimistic. I so want to do these next year!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Chapter 8 is packed full of practical and creative ways we can teach our students about the brain and the growth mindset! I loved how the author described multiple learning tasks and how they may be differentiated by grade levels. I am anxious to include activities such as the Guess Box, Collection Strategy, Concept Placemats and the Gratitude Journal/Jar in class next year!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I found a blank preassessment of students' brain knowledge worksheet which allows the students to ask the teacher questions about what they would like to learn about the brain.
    Another resource that I will share is a graphic organizer about what happens to us when we first learn something new, not understanding yet and not having mastery. There is a lesson provided on teaching students about neurons. Again, Dr. Atkins videos did a great job at that as well. I loved that the videos allow students the opportunity to write in response to the learning

    ReplyDelete
  9. Also, I found a MY CONNECTION ROPE that shows the thickness of the rope and how a thin rope grows to a heavy duty rope as their learning progresses.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I'm looking forward to trying some of these activities in my class. It is is meaningful to them they will remember and try their best!

    ReplyDelete
  11. This chapter was jammed packed with great practical resources and activities. These are my favorite types of things to study, because it showed me possible ways of how to implement what I'm learning into the classroom. I love the gratitude journal and already have some ideas of how to use it. When I student taught at Farragut Primary in Kindergarten for 9 weeks we did a week on brain education. I will have to dig through my stuff and see what things I saved. I remember that Schoolhouse Rock had a great video that we used to help the students understand the brain better.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I can really see myself implementing these activities during the first few weeks of school. I think third graders would really be interesting in knowing about their brain. The freebie posters on this blog are great! I might print some off, let them choose a favorite, and have them slip them into the plastic cover of their binder. The power of positivity is amazing too. I like the idea of a gratitude journal that was mentioned in the book. I kept a gratitude journal for a book study group I was in at church a few years ago. The challenge was to write down 10 things we were thankful for everyday during the month of November. What a great way to reflect upon all of the good in our lives.

    ReplyDelete
  13. This chapter has some very practical and fun activities that I can implement with my students to help them get a better grasp on how their mind works. I would love to start growth mindset with my students the very first week of school. I think they will truly enjoy a lot of these activities. I love all the flyers that have been created. I think its not a bad idea to hang some of these posters in the classrooms and throughout the school. I absolutely love the books Amazing Grace, and Alexander and His Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. I think both of those books would be suitable for lessons with third graders on growth and fixed mindsets. I love this!! I am super excited about implementing a lot of these strategies in my classroom this upcoming year!! I like the gratitude journal as well. I think that would be something we could also implement in the data journals, and they have to write down at least one thing, everyday, that they are grateful for or of. I'm now officially excited about the growth mindset within myself, my classroom, and my school!!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Wow! This chapter is so full of excellent strategies, games and learning experiences! I cannot wait to get in the classroom and get started using them!
    Pre-assessing what students know about the brain is a fantastic way to get things rolling on introducing the growth mindset. Then the guess box is a critical thinking activity that can be used across subject areas. I also love the visuals on how other teachers have shown students how neurons are connected in their brains. A great project for my 5th grade lovelies is having them study these wonderful figures from history like Fredrick Douglas and explaining and analyzing how they had growth mindsets or how they didn't. So many great ideas packed into chapter 8! I know I'll be referencing it all year long.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I thought the brain activity would be a great way to begin the year. The illustrations were excellent and helped us to see different ways of thinking from the students. This chapter had so many great techniques and games to use to inform the students and teacher. The guess box demonstration is a great visual for the students to relate to. I am so doing this activity...what fun. I have done the neuron activity in class when teaching science, but not to this extent. I loved the additional ideas to go along with this demonstration. It was amazing to hear the comment made from the girl on nutrition and the functions of the brain. She actually applied her knowledge and was critical thinking about how she was going to fix her breakfast before the test. (Sweet) I can't wait to use these strategies to teach about out brains. The posters and graphic sheets provided on the website are extremely useful in teaching these lessons. These are excellent strategies to use to teach the function of the brain.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I love the bloggers idea of printing the growth mindset quotes and framing them in dollar store frames! I pledge to make learning about the brain and the growth mindset a continuous action that I will do as the principal. I hope you see it in the announcements, the newsletters, and how I talk with kids. The activities were so straight forward and kid friendly. Walking through a forest for the first time and relating that to building a thought/learning was very powerful for me.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I'll be using the blank reassessment of students' brain knowledge! I can't wait to see what students create. I will share the reassessments with students. The Attributes of a _______. What a great way to get your brain working!! Another activity that I will use. Introducing the growth mindset terminology throughout the school, will be great for our students. I loved the choices for teaching perseverance through literature and games. Facing failure is a struggle for many. How much better could our little ones be for our future society, if we allow opportunities to discuss failure.

    ReplyDelete
  18. It is hard to write when I work with such a team of people that have well stated the learning from reading this book. I finished a long time ago but getting to the blogging has proven slow. I want to show insight yet I see my thoughts all over the place. So today I heard this song that j think really expresses the attitude of someone who has integrated the growth mindset into attitude and not just book reading.
    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XmTmTMcdxOs

    ReplyDelete
  19. Well it won't link lol... For King and Country and the song is Not Over Yet. Yep that power of YET!!!

    ReplyDelete
  20. I love the 'brain pre-assessment'. with the example of Vierra that knew so much about the brain, this is a clear picture of those that have been introduced to an idea or subject before and have prior knowledge and those that are just giving their best guess. It isn't that she was any smarter, if everyone had a grandmother that was a surgeon they would all have a basis to go off of and build upon.

    ReplyDelete
  21. I can't wait to do the "guess box" with my kiddos and all the possible answers they come up with. Then make the big connection to the brain.

    ReplyDelete
  22. In our effort to teach students about the brain I think it the most important work comes from every adult in the building in being a positive role model of optimism and the true power of YET!

    ReplyDelete