School on Wheels Social and Emotional Learning
Growth Mindset
Developing a growth mindset early on is a pathway to a successful, happy life. When we learn that putting in effort and trying new strategies can help us improve, we feel empowered and try harder. When we know our brains are capable of growing, we are more confident, resilient, and not afraid to fail! The following activities will encourage your student to identify their strengths, find creative solutions, and recognize their accomplishments and growth.
Complete all activities in order. Click the “Session” headings below to open each lesson plan.
Reminders for students and tutors:
● Listen with interest.
● Participate.
● Ask open-ended questions.
● Choose the best way for each of you to reflect and show your learning
Packet Completion Prize Information:
Your student is eligible for a prize after completing all of the activities below! You will find the link to the completion form at the end of Activity #3 – please complete it together when you’ve finished all of the activities on this page.
My Strengths
Name your strengths and identify new ones!
5 min: S.E.L. Check-in activity
Discussion & guiding questions:
Quote: “Believe you can… and you are halfway there!” – Theodore Roosevelt
- What does this quote mean to you?
- Is there power in the word believing?
- What happens when you do not believe in yourself?
5 min: Session review & preview
Review the previous session and the School on Wheels 2024 Community Padlet.
Reminder: During your session, take a screenshot of your student’s work to add to the Padlet later. You can also summarize what you worked on if you are not comfortable taking screenshots.
Preview the plan for today.
15 min: Core Program activity (Literacy, Academic, BUS)
5 min: Break
20 min: S.E.L. Summer Program activity
Choose one of the following worksheets to help your student recognize their personal
strengths:
Next, ask your student to choose one of the strengths. This strength will be the focus of a mini-presentation you will create together using BBB whiteboard, Google Slides, or paper. The presentation should include pictures to illustrate the strength and at least 3 bullet points listing examples of 1) how your student has used before, 2) is currently using, and 3) will use this strength in the future.
BONUS: Invite your student to present what strength they chose and why, either verbally or in
writing. Use the following sentence frames for structure:
- “My strength is….”
- “I chose this strength because….”
- “These pictures represent my strength because….”
- “I use this strength when I….”
5 min: S.E.L. Check-out activity
Tell your student that personal strengths need to be worked on just like physical strength. Looking back at your worksheet, ask your student to identify one strength that was not circled that they want to strengthen.
Discuss some ways to start working on that strength. (Example: “I can be more responsible by cleaning up my school supplies when I am finished using them.”)
Submit a screenshot, or if unfamiliar with taking screenshots, you can summarize what you and your student worked on.
Making New Connections
Introduce your neurons to each other!
5 min: S.E.L. Check-in activity
Watch one of these two videos:
Discussion & guiding questions:
- How have you “rewired” your brain?
- Think of an example where you made some new connections in your brain. What were you doing?
5 min: Session review & preview
Review the previous session and the School on Wheels 2024 Community Padlet.
Reminder: During your session, take a screenshot of your student’s work to add to the Padlet later. You can also summarize what you worked on if you are not comfortable taking screenshots.
Preview the plan for today.
15 min: Core Program activity (Literacy, Academic, BUS)
5 min: Break
20 min: S.E.L. Summer Program activity
When we learn new things, we create connections in our brain between “neurons”. When we practice and get good at those things, the connections become very strong and fast.
- On page 1 of the Making New Connections worksheet, use the space under the neurons to write some skills you’d like to improve by making the connections in your brain stronger.
- In the left column, write your current skill, and in the right column write your goal for that skill. For example, in the left column: reading in English; the right column: reading in Spanish!
- On page 2 of the worksheet use images to help your student begin to visualize what they will accomplish when they strengthen their neurons. Help your student find or draw images representing what they put into the second column on page one.
- Visualization is a useful technique that helps you reach goals and live your dreams. It works by getting your mind and body ready for what you want to happen.
5 min: S.E.L. Check-out activity
One way to strengthen neural connections is by having a growth mindset. Using their goals, tell your student they can add the “Power of Yet” to their mindset.
Choose one of the video options below to watch and listen to, reflect on, and discuss.
- The Incredible Power of Yet – Big Ideas – Classdojo
- The power of believing that you can improve
- Start from the beginning of the video and stop at minute 3:13.
- Music video: Janelle Monae sings “Power of Yet” on Sesame Street
Discuss: Why is the word ”yet” so powerful? Can you make “Power of Yet” statements using some of the items on page 1 of your Making New Connections worksheet? For example: I can’t read in Spanish YET!
Submit a screenshot, or if unfamiliar with taking screenshots, you can summarize what you and your student worked on.
Train Your Brain
Your brain is a muscle – get ready to exercise!
5 min: S.E.L. Check-in activity
With everything we know now about Growth Mindset, let’s train our brain to recognize a growth mindset in others.
We see people with a growth mindset all the time in person and in characters from movies, TV shows and books. Student and tutor should each choose one character from a favorite movie, TV show or book.
With that character and their story in mind, discuss:
- What challenges does the character face?
- What helps them succeed?
- What growth mindset thoughts might they have as they face their challenges?
- Did you learn anything from that character that can also help you face a challenge?
5 min: Session review & preview
Review the previous session and the School on Wheels 2024 Community Padlet.
Reminder: During your session, take a screenshot of your student’s work to add to the Padlet later. You can also summarize what you worked on if you are not comfortable taking screenshots.
Preview the plan for today.
15 min: Core Program activity (Literacy, Academic, BUS)
5 min: Break
20 min: S.E.L. Summer Program activity
Now that you and your student have spent a couple of weeks developing a growth mindset, it is time to create some phrases they can use during a challenge.
Tell your student that during a challenge, people have thoughts that either motivate or discourage them from accomplishing a goal.
Using the Train your Brain worksheet, read the fixed mindset statements and discuss how your student can turn them into growth mindset statements.
Next, help your student choose one or two phrases or words they can use as a mantra or affirmation during times of challenge. They can pull inspiration from a movie/book/tv show, joke, previous activity, friends, family, etc.
5 min: S.E.L. Check-out activity
Share with your student: When you “welcome the tough stuff”, you can handle bigger challenges. Instead of depending on luck or “natural” talent, you work on developing your skills and abilities and learning from your efforts.
Discussion & guiding questions:
- After growing and training your brain, how will you “welcome the tough stuff”?
- What could be the result if you do?
- Think about the upcoming school year and starting a new grade. What tough stuff do you think you might face and how will you face it?
Submit a screenshot, or if unfamiliar with taking screenshots, you can summarize what you and your student worked on.