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Growth Mindset OverviewGRADE 6, LESSON 8

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CharacterDare(5-7 minutes)

Exit Intentionally(2 minutes)

Objectives:• Students will reflect on their own

character and identify ways they could improve it.

• Students will understand the difference between Fixed Mindset and Growth Mindset.

• Students will familiarize themselves with what Growth Mindset vocabulary sounds like.

Materials:• Image: CharacterDare Image Set• Image: Fixed Mindset vs. Growth

Mindset• Supplies: Paper and/or notebook

and writing utensil for each student

• Video: Power of Not Giving Up (0:57)

CharacterDare (5-7 minutes):• *Project Image: Previous CharacterDare.*

• Review the previous CharacterDare. In partnerships or small groups, have students discuss the previous Dare using the Truth or Dare format.

• *Project Image: Truth or Dare.* Є Truth: “What do you think about our most recent Dare?”

Є Do you like or dislike the Dare? Why? Є What was most difficult when considering this Dare? Є What do you think would happen if more people did

this CharacterDare? Є Dare: “Reflect on your experience with our most recent

Video(5 minutes)

Dare.” Є What did you learn about yourself

in attempting this CharacterDare? Є What did you learn about others in

attempting this CharacterDare?

• Ask for volunteers or randomly select some students to share their Truth or Dare reflections. Encourage them when appropriate and take advantage of any teachable moments, especially when a student shares a struggle. Remind your students that it is not about being perfect or completing every Dare. This process is about striving to improve our character with intentional practice. For some people, the challenge is simply in thinking about the CharacterDare and discussing it.

Discussion(16 minutes)

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Growth Mindset OverviewGRADE 6, LESSON 8

• *Project Image: Current CharacterDare.*

• Introduce the current CharacterDare. Answer and clarify any questions about the Dare. Encourage students to modify the CharacterDare if it does not seem to specifically fit your school situation. If necessary, talk about ways you could increase or decrease the challenge of the CharacterDare.

Video (5 minutes): • Ask, “Who has a hobby, skill, sport or talent they think they are pretty good at?”

Є Have students turn and share with a partner near them. Є Have a few volunteers share their skills with the group.

• Ask, “How long have you been working on that skill, sport, or hobby?”

• Ask, “When we first begin a new skill like juggling, what do those first attempts look like?”

• Say, “Our first attempt at most new things often look like this video I am going to show you.”

• *Play video: Power of Not Giving Up (0:57) *

Discussion (16 minutes): • Ask students:

Є What did the first attempts at doing the box jump look like? Є What happened when the young boy fell? Є Do you think the young boy ever got hurt trying to land the jump? Є How many of you have tried something and failed at it the first time? How

did that feel? Є Do you think some other kids would be able to land this jump sooner? Does

that make someone more special than someone else? Є Answer: Of course not!

Є Can you think of other skills some people learn more quickly than others? Є At the end of the day, could any of us learn a new skill that at first was too

hard?

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Growth Mindset OverviewGRADE 6, LESSON 8

Є What does it require from us to develop a new skill? Є Answer: practice and willingness to try again when we fail

• Say, “Today we are going to learn about ‘growth mindset,’ and our goal is going to be to learn the difference between what we call a ‘growth mindset’ and a ‘fixed mindset.’”

• *Project Image: Fixed Mindset vs. Growth Mindset* Є Fixed mindset - My abilities and intelligence are set; I cannot get smarter or

better at skills. Є Growth mindset - With effort, hard work, and learning I can become smarter

and better at skills.

• Say, “What would a fixed mindset look like for the young boy that was learning how to box jump?”

Є Answer: “I am obviously not going to learn how to box jump because I keep falling. It is impossible for me to learn how to box jump, it’s just how I am built.”

• Ask the students, “Does this sound silly and ridiculous?”

• Say, “Now looking at the definition of growth mindset, what would a growth mindset sound like for the child trying to box jump?”

Є Examples might be something like, “If I keep trying I can learn how to box jump” or “By getting back up and trying again I can get better at box jumping.”

Exit Intentionally (2 minutes):• Say, “What is one thing that makes you feel like that young boy learning how to box

jump right now?” Є Give them suggestions like learning a tough math concept, writing an essay

in English, etc.

• Say, “What does a growth mindset sound like for you in this situation?”

• In their binder or somewhere they can see it as a reminder, have them write down what the growth mindset sounds like in their situation.