Mindset

Write

Nature Study! Go into nature and find something that interests you. Then complete the following statements about your find:

I notice…

I wonder…

This reminds me…

Draw

Draw your most detailed drawing of your nature find. Include labels if you like!

Extend

Create a sculpture of your nature finds.

Write

Copy this sentence into your journal and then read the sentence aloud:

Practice makes my brain grow stronger!

Draw

Draw a silly picture of your brain as a stick person, doing exercise, and getting stronger.

Extend

Create a practice log! Write down how often you practice a skill or hobby throughout the week. Tally the amounts at the end of the week to see how much you practiced!

Write

Copy this sentence into your journal and then read the sentence aloud:

Some things take me longer than others, and that’s okay!

Draw

Draw a BIG heart, then in that heart, draw an activity that might take you longer than it takes other people to do.

Extend

Create a Venn Diagram of the things that take you longer, the things that take others longer, and the things that take you and others the same amount of time.

Write

Copy this sentence into your journal and then read the sentence aloud:

Never be afraid to be a beginner.

Draw

Draw something you’ve never tried before, but would like to try.

Extend

Interview an older family member about a time when they were a beginner. What did they learn during that time? How did they grow over time? Share their story with your microschool.

Write

Copy this sentence into your journal and then read the sentence aloud:

Mistakes help me learn. It’s okay to make mistakes.

Draw

Draw a quick squiggle on your page and then turn the squiggle into a picture.

Extend

Read the "Beautiful Oops" by Barney Saltzberg. You can click here to view the video read aloud. Share with a friend what inspired you the most.

Write

Copy this sentence into your journal and then read the sentence aloud:

When I struggle, I grow!

Draw

Draw a little seed struggling to sprout out of the ground, and then draw what it will become.

Extend

Try to grow a bean in a plastic bag, with a wet paper towel inside the bag with the bean. What can you learn from watching the bean grow?

Write

Copy this sentence into your journal and then read the sentence aloud:

When things are hard it means I’m really learning!

Keep this page out while you do Conquer today, and look at it if something gets hard.

Draw

In your journal, draw what you think you look like when you learn.

Extend

With the support of your Guide, research the famous statue, "The Thinker." Think of a story that explains what he is thinking and feeling.

Write

Copy this sentence into your journal and then read the sentence aloud:

I like a good challenge!

Draw

What do you like to do that not everybody else likes to do? Draw a picture of this challenging activity.

Extend

Create a special high-five to give friends when they complete a challenging activity.

Write

Did you know that you can breath in good thoughts. Close your eyes and take a deep breath in. Write about all the good thoughts you breathed into your body.

Draw

Create a picture about a beautiful moment you experienced recently.

Extend

Lead your microschool in a mindful moment.

Write

Jump high into the air and shout "I'm a star!" In your journal, write about how it feels when you say something nice about yourself.

Draw

Create a self-portrait. Be sure to include some of the nice things you see in yourself.

Extend

On a post-it or other small piece of paper, write some nice things about yourself. Hide it somewhere that you will find it in a few weeks.

Write

Stand up and without moving from your space, run-in-place, saying slowly, "I can, I can, I can...". Run-in-place faster, saying faster, "I can, I can, I can..." In your journal, fill-in-the-blank:

I can......

Draw

Illustrate a picture of what it looks and feels like to climb a mountain.

Extend

Use Google Earth to find your city, and/or another city. Explore the city. Show the students each distinction: the city, state, country, continent, Earth.

Write

You are your own best friend. What would you like to do or say for your best friend?

Draw

Create a picture of what love looks like.

Extend

Watch this tutorial to learn how to make an origami heart. Use these hearts as presents for your friends!

Write

Curiosity helps you learn! What are two things you are most curious about?

Draw

Think of a food that you have always wanted to try. Draw a picture of that food on a beautiful table.

Extend

Have a food festival at your microschool. Ask all your friends to prepare a unique food so that everyone can try different types of foods!

Write

Write about a time when you felt confident. What contributed to this feeling?

Draw

Draw an emotion map that shows how your feelings looked like either today or during an important moment you experienced.

Extend

Using sidewalk chalk, leave messages for your classmates that will make them feel confident and ready to conquer the day!

Write

Copy this sentence into your journal, then complete the sentence:

I recognize that some things are out of my control, such as...

Draw

Make a worry doll and share your worries with it.

Extend

Meditate today. Focus on breathing.

Write

Challenge negative thoughts! Write about a time that you had a negative thought? Was that thought 100% true? What would someone who loves you say about that thought?

Draw

Research the Chinese symbol, yin-yang. Draw your own yin-yang in your journal.

Extend

If you haven't already, create a book of affirmations. Use it each day before you leave the house.

Read

"The Quiltmaker's Gift" by Jeff Brumbeau

Listen

Click here to view the read aloud.

Discuss

How does the king's mindset change from the beginning of the book until the end?

Make

Draw a quilt pattern to give away. You could also use cut out paper shapes to make your "quilt."

Read

"Not a Box" by Antoinette Portis.

Listen

Click here to view the read aloud.

Discuss

What would you make out of a box? How many different ideas can our class come up with?

Make

Draw a picture of what you could build with a not-a-box, or build something great with your not-a-box!

If you like this book, try "Not a Stick" by the same author. Follow the same activities, but use a stick instead of a box.

Read

"Zen Shorts" by Jon J Muth

Listen

Click here to view the read aloud.

Discuss

Listen again to Stillwater's story of "A Heavy Load" that starts at 7 minutes. The older monk asks, "I set the woman down hours ago. Why are you still carrying her?" How was the younger monk still carrying her? What does that mean? Do you ever carry grumpy feelings? What ideas does our class have to set those grumpy feelings down?

Make

Join Stillwater in A Mindful Moment.

If you liked Zen Shorts, look up Zen Ties, Hi Koo!, and Zen Ghosts.

Read

"I'm Trying to Love Spiders" by Bethany Barton

Listen

Click here to view the read aloud.

Discuss

What are you "trying to love?"

Make

As a class, research some neat facts about something students are "trying to love."

Read

"ish" by Peter H. Reynolds

Listen

Click here to view the read aloud.

Discuss

How can "ish" spelling help you write more of your ideas down? Ramon loves to draw--it feels like his purpose! What is something you love to do as much as Ramon loves to draw?

Make

Draw an "ish" drawing, or try spelling some words you aren't sure of by sounding them out the best you can.

Read

"The Most Magnificent Thing" by Ashley Spires

Listen

Click here to view the read aloud.

Discuss

Have a class discussion about Imagination Station. Have you ever made something you thought would be "magnificent" but turns out "all wrong?" How did you learn from your mistakes?

Make

Do Imagination Station today. Remember, this can be spread out over Create for more than one day so students really have time to learn and grow through their design process like this girl did.

Read

"Tiny Perfect Things" by M.H. Clark

Listen

Click here to view the read aloud.

Discuss

What tiny, perfect things surround you? Go find some and then share them with your class.

Make

Do a Nature Study. "I notice, I wonder, this reminds me..."

Read

"Laughter Is Like Sunshine" by Author Unknown

Discuss

How does laughter make you feel?

Make

Have a giggle fight. Be sure to stop when your Guide says so.

Read

"Face the Sun" by Author Unknown

Discuss

What does the line, "you find what you look for; don't pray for distress" mean?

Make

The sun is a symbol of hope in this poem. Use play dough to design your own hopeful sun.

Read a Picture Book

"Those Shoes" by Maribeth Boelts

Listen

Click here to listen to a read aloud.

Discuss

Sometimes we might feel left out if we don’t have what other people have. How can knowing what’s important to you help you overcome those feelings?

Make

Create a "Needs vs. Wants" chart. Using old magazines or newspapers, cut out interesting pictures. Sort the cut pictures into either the need column or the want column.

Read a Quote

"Stand tall and proud. Go out on a limb. Remember your roots. Drink plenty of water. Be content with your natural beauty. Enjoy the view." Advice from a tree.

Discuss

In what ways are you like a tree? In what ways do you still need to grow?

Make

Go on a nature walk and find the tree that best resembles you. Sketch it in your journal.

Read a Quote

"You can't connect the dots looking forward: you can only connect them looking backward. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future." Steve Jobs

Discuss

Consider a problem you see in your daily life. What are the causes? What are possible solutions? How could those solutions work out in the future?

Make

View this Apple commercial from 1997. Sketch your reaction in your journal.

Tic-Tac-Toe Hand-Clapping Game

Follow the instructions from Mya to learn this more complex hand-clapping game. All things are hard before they are easy; practice makes better!

The Cup Game

Learn the Cup Game individually, then play it as a class. Have those who catch-on quickly assist those who are struggling. Remind everyone that some things might take you longer than other people, and that's okay!

Miss Mary Mack Hand-Clapping Game

Your brain can stretch and grow! Stretch it as you learn Miss Mary Mack with a partner.

No Hands Cup Stacking

This hands-on group challenge is an exercise in patience and perseverance, not to mention a total blast! Decide how many students you want in each group and tie that number of strings to a single rubber band, making one for each group. Each person in the group holds onto one of the strings attached to the rubber band, and, as a group, they use this device to pick up the cups (by expanding and contracting the rubber band) and place them on top of each other in order to build a pyramid.

Art Reproduction Puzzle

Make small groups. Ask your Guide to give each team an image and blank pieces of white card stock, one per team member. First, each team must cut up the image into the same number of pieces as there are group members. Then, each player will take one of the pieces of the image and reproduce it onto their blank piece of card stock with pencils, colored pencils, or markers. (If the team cuts the image into irregularly shaped pieces, each team member must then cut their blank paper into the same shape.) When every team has created the pieces of their puzzle, they will switch pieces with another team. The team will work together to solve the puzzle.

Self Talk: Version 1

Have the students collaboratively brainstorm examples of negative self-talk (on a physical poster or electronically using something like Jamboard) they have either said about themselves (out loud or in their head) or heard others say about themselves. Example of negative self-talk: I will never be a good reader or I’m not . Then, ask each student to choose one of the statements they see and turn it into growth-mindset self-talk.

Self Talk: Version 2

Each student can do this on their own using a worksheet like this one. You can have each student share at least one with the group that they are comfortable sharing. You can create a poster with all of the positive/growth-mindset statements to hang in the room if you want too!

Hypothetical Situations

Give the students hypothetical scenarios and ask them to collaboratively write down all the possible ways the person could handle it. Then have them sort those responses into growth mindset versus fixed mindset responses. Optional discussion question: What were the impacts of each response? In what ways do we think the growth mindset responses were more beneficial?

Rosie's Glasses

Go through the children’s picture book: Rosie’s Glasses by Dave Whamond and have students in partners or small groups write the story adding words to the pictures. Each partnership/group can present their story and you can ask them to discuss what they learned.

Bonus: When students say something negative/in a fixed mindset at any point, you can say “let’s put on Rosie’s glasses and try that again.

I Have, I Can, I Am

Give each student 3 post-its, one for “I have”, one for “I am” and one for “I can”. What do they have that can help them grow and succeed? For example, parents that care by having high expectations. What positive qualities do they have? For example, I am kind and empathetic. What are they capable of? For example, I can use coping tools to help me handle my big emotions.

Growth Mindset Jar

Have students write growth-mindset affirmations on scraps of paper, fold them up and put them in a jar so that the group has a place to go and pick out an affirmation when they need one.

Famous People

Venus and Serena Williams, Malala Yousafzai, Shaquem Griffin, Mary Walker, Lilian Todd, Albert Einstein, Will Allen. WIlma Rudolph, Marie Tharp, Steve Jobs. Ask: in what ways did this person live a growth mindset?