Let it grow! - Growth mindset

• newEditor
• Study Skills
• Primary Education
• Lower Secondary (Key Stage 3)

Introductie

Especially for primary school students, a story that teaches your pupils that you become stronger from practising, making mistakes, asking for help, and being patient. A lesson that helps understand the importance of a growth mindset, without using this abstract term. Help your pupils to give themselves space and learn that you can't do something perfectly in one go. Everyone needs to practise, everyone makes mistakes, and everyone needs help at times. This applies to footballers, artists, performers, and doctors. No one has improved by giving up, but by continuing step by step, they have!

Let it grow!

Let it grow!

Discover the power of practice, making mistakes, and asking for help.

In this lesson, you will discover that you can become better at something by:

• practising

• making mistakes

• making mistakes

Let it grow!

Let it grow!

What do you need to grow something beautiful in this pot?

What do you need to grow something beautiful in this pot?

Teacher's Instruction:
Ask the students what is needed to make a plant grow; water, light, soil, a seed, attention, care, patience.

Mention that the same applies when learning new things. Your brain needs care, patience, attention, light, water, and nourishment to grow and learn.
And it doesn't go right the first time, it involves trial and error.

Tim was very eager to participate in the Great Plant Competition in the city.

His neighbour was willing to help him. She gave him a packet of very special seeds: Rainbow-Seven-League seeds.

"These plants don't just grow on their own," she said. "You'll have to take good care of them."

De Grote Plantenwedstrijd

The Big Plant Competition

When his granddad heard about the plan, he had to laugh.
"But Tim, you don't have green fingers at all! Are you sure you want to participate?"

Tim looked at his fingers and saw that his granddad was right. His fingers weren't even a little bit green! "I can never win that competition," he thought sadly.

Teacher's Instruction:

If the students are not familiar with the expression 'To have green fingers', it is advisable to explain it to them.

Class question: What did grandpa mean by 'green fingers'? Do you know anyone with green fingers?

Which thought best matches how Tim feels?

Which thought best matches how Tim feels?

A

"I can still learn!"

B

"I can't do it."

Teacher's Instruction:
Discuss with the class which of the two thoughts helps you the most. And why do the students think that? What are they inclined to think themselves in such a situation?

He decided to practise with a plant belonging to his mother. If he could make that one grow, then he would succeed with his own plant too!

"Water! A plant needs water!", Tim thought. He gave the plant a lot of water. The next day, all the leaves were drooping.

Tim wanted to quit. But then he remembered what his teacher had said: "Mistakes show you what you can still learn."

"Too much water was a mistake!
I won't do that again! And plants need light too!" thought Tim.
He placed the next plant in full sun. Two days later, all its leaves were brown and dried out.

1

Stop

2

Continue

What do you think? Should Tim stop or continue?

What do you think? Should Tim stop or continue?

Teacher's Instruction:
Engage in conversation with the students.
Option 1: Think - Pair - Share
First, have the students think of their own answer.
Then, let them discuss their opinions in pairs and try to reach a common standpoint.
Finally, they share their standpoint with the group.
Option 2: Think Twice.
Duplicate this slide. Have the students answer the first question.
Then, give them some time to reflect on the poll results. Does it make them doubt their choice? What do they wonder? What do they want to know from their classmates?
Next, ask the same question again. Has the percentage of answers changed? If so, why? What led students to decide to change their answer?

"A plant needs water and sunlight, but not too much of either," thought Tim. "But how do I know when I'm giving just the right amount of water and light? Does a plant need anything else? And who could help me?"

Tim went to ask various people how they kept their plants so green and healthy!

Tim took the Rainbow Seven-league seeds and put them in a pot. He gave a little water, placed the pot in the sun on time, and carefully watched the plant that emerged after a few days.

He increasingly understood what his little plant needed, and it continued to grow!

What did Tim do to make his plant grow?

What did Tim do to make his plant grow?

Teacher's Instructions:
Good answers may include:
Trying, learning, watering, giving sunlight, seeking advice, not giving up

This is how growth works:

Plants grow from water, light, time, and care.

You grow from practising, making mistakes, asking for help, trying again, and patience.

You don't have to be able to do something immediately, give yourself the chance to grow!

What helps you to grow?

What helps you to grow?

Unhelpful

Helping

I'm trying again

I can't do this

I am asking for help

I'm done with it

It never works

I practise step by step

Keep going a little longer

This is far too difficult

Teacher Instructions:
Drag the sentences to the correct box.
Which thoughts are helpful and help you grow? And which thoughts make you wither?

On the day of the competition, Tim proudly showed off his colourful plant.
Unfortunately, he didn't win the competition, but he did learn how to grow seeds into a real plant!

Let it grow!

Let it grow!

Just like Tim's plant, you too can grow. As long as you dare to make mistakes, keep practising, dare to ask for help, and allow yourself time!

Where would you like to grow?
Follow the steps in the hotspots:

Write on the jar what you need to achieve that. Consider questions like: What am I going to practise? Who can help me? What do I do when it becomes difficult?

4

Write next to the flower what your goal is. What do you want to achieve? What do you want to be able to do? Or what would you really like to learn?

3

Draw a plant with leaves in the pot.
At the top of the plant, draw a beautiful, large flower.

2

Draw a flowerpot.

1

Write on the leaves which steps you are going to take. Start with the bottom leaf.
For example: practise for 5 minutes every day, ask for help from the teacher/dad/friend, try again, learn from my mistakes.

5

Teacher's Instructions

Your message for this task could be: No one is good at something immediately. Growth takes time. Mistakes don't mean you can't do something.
They show what you can still learn.

You might not be able to do it yet.
But with practice, trying, and asking for help, you can get better and better.
What would you like to learn or what do you want to improve in?

What will you help grow this week?

What will you help grow this week?

Let it grow!

Let it grow!

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