Mindset in Action
What does it mean to have a "growth mindset"?
Belief that abilities can improve with effort and learning.
What is "grit" in simple words?
Persevering, sticking with difficult tasks, and trying again after setbacks.
What does "resilience" mean?
The ability to recover from difficulties and keep going.
What does "setting a goal" mean?
Deciding something you want to achieve and planning how to reach it.
Give one example of a self-talk phrase a student might use to show a growth mindset when facing a hard task.
"I can learn this if I keep trying." or "Mistakes help me improve."
Name two habits someone with perseverance might show when learning a new skill.
Practicing regularly, asking for help, and not giving up when mistakes happen.
Give one example of a resilient reaction to being left out by friends.
Talk to a trusted adult, join another activity, or try to include new people.
What does SMART stand for in SMART goals? (List each word.)
Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound.
Describe one classroom action a student with a positive mindset would take after receiving critical feedback.
Ask clarifying questions, revise work, or practice the skill again.
A student is struggling with a long project and feels like quitting. List three strategies they can use to keep going.
Break the project into smaller parts, set deadlines for each part, and reward progress.
Describe how resilience can help someone bounce back from a failure at school or in sports.
Resilience helps a student try again, learn from mistakes, and keep practicing.
Convert this vague goal into a SMART goal: "I want to get better at math."
SMART example: "I will complete 10 extra practice problems in math each week for four weeks to raise my grade by one letter."
Explain how practicing reflection (thinking about what you did and why) helps turn a fixed mindset into a growth mindset.
Reflection helps identify strategies that worked and areas to change, turning mistakes into learning steps.
Explain why breaking a big goal into small steps helps someone persevere. Include an example like preparing for a big test.
Smaller steps make a challenge feel doable and build momentum; e.g., study one chapter per night instead of everything the night before.
Explain the role of support systems (friends, family, teachers) in building resilience. Give one classroom example.
Support systems provide advice, encouragement, and resources; e.g., teacher offers extra help after a low test score.
A student has the SMART goal: "I will complete three extra math practice problems every weekday for four weeks to raise my quiz average by 10%." Identify which parts make this goal Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
Specific (complete three problems daily), Measurable (three problems; 10% increase), Achievable (realistic workload), Relevant (improves quiz average), Time-bound (weekday routine for four weeks).
Read this short scenario and answer: Jordan failed a science quiz and thinks "I'm not good at science." Describe a 3-step plan Jordan can use to apply a growth mindset and improve for the next quiz.
Example plan: 1) Review incorrect quiz items and identify topics; 2) Ask teacher or peer for help on confusing parts; 3) Practice targeted problems for 20 minutes 3 times before next quiz.
Read this short scenario and answer: Maya practiced basketball every day for months but still misses many shots in games. Explain how persevering through these setbacks can lead to improvement and what evidence Maya should look for to know she’s making progress.
Persevering leads to skill growth through practice; evidence: fewer mistakes in practice, improved stats in games, greater confidence.
Imagine a student moves to a new school and feels lonely and nervous. Create a 4-step resilience plan they could follow to adapt to the new school over the first month.
Steps: 1) Join a club to meet peers, 2) Say hi to classmates each day, 3) Ask a teacher about class expectations, 4) Set small social goals like introducing themself to one person each day.
A student misses homework often and wants to change that. Create a weekly action plan (with at least 5 concrete steps) using strategic goal-setting ideas to help them complete homework consistently.
Weekly plan steps: set a specific nightly homework time, prepare supplies before school, use a planner, set phone-free study time, check off each completed assignment; review progress every Sunday.