L & L Unit; Growth Mindset & Puzzles - City Year (PDF)

L & L Unit: Growth Mindset & Puzzles 1.0 PROJECT OVERVIEW Project title Keep Calm and Puzzle On School Compass Academy Grade level 6-8 Competency Growth Mindset Discipline(s) L&L Competency Study Start & end dates Feb 4th-April 3rd Author(s) Celine Wuarin Project summary (Include need/question driving student inquiry) Did you know that your knowledge and competence can grow with effort? That’s right. You weren’t born with a limited amount of smarts or abilities. People who have a growth mindset know that when they practice and dedicate themselves to something over time, their brain actually changes (Scientists call this is called neuroplasticity!). When things get tough, people with a growth mindset are resilient. You will often hear them say, “I haven’t gotten it YET.” In contrast, people with a fixed mindset believe that you either have talents, intelligence, and abilities, or you don’t. If something doesn’t come easily to these people, they think that they just can’t do it. (Even crazier, they believe that if they are really good at something it’s because they were born with that skill or talent.) People with a fixed mindset spend their time trying to prove how smart they are or hiding the things that they can’t do. A growth mindset will help you learn and improve at ANYTHING YOU WANT whether it’s Academic Excellence you are after or any other goal you are Determined to achieve. In this unit, we are going to grow our growth mindsets. Through mind-bending puzzles, tricky challenges like escape rooms, self-study and reflection, you’re going to have the chance to change your brain for good. Guiding Questions: How do I develop a growth mindset? (#conceptattainment) What strategies can I consistently use to build it? (#strategybuilding, ◼ Compass Academy​ | 2285 S Federal Blvd, Denver, CO 80219 | (720) 424-0096 ​ 1  #practice) How can a growth mindset support me both in and outside of school? (#purpose) Culminating product/performance & audience 6th & 7th Grade: Students will develop a visual representation of their own growth mindset. The visual will represent both areas where they have grown and opportunities for further growth. Depending on teacher and student interest and availability of resources, possible options include: photo collage, poem, totems, flip books. Teachers can either choose to ask students to present to their Pack or organize a gallery walk with active reflection opportunities and celebration. 8th Grade: Students will design a Capstone project that continues to develop their Growth Mindset. The audience for this project will be students’ families and the entire 8th grade class. Other product(s) that students create as part of this project After most application opportunities (ie puzzles or challenges), students will have the opportunity to complete guided reflections in their Growth Mindset Notebooks. Projects/ Products Related Compass Competencies Learning Targets Related to these Competencies Growth Mindset Notebook & Visual Representations /Capstones I demonstrate in my words and actions that I believe that I can learn, grow, and succeed. I demonstrate effort especially when the work is difficult. I use positive language that expresses optimism in my ability to grow. I embrace mistakes and feedback as opportunities to grow. ◼ Compass Academy​ | 2285 S Federal Blvd, Denver, CO 80219 | (720) 424-0096 ​ 2  UNIT DESIGN FRAMEWORK More information about the inquiry-based learning cycle can be found ​here​. 2.0 PROJECT MILESTONES #1. After completing the first individual challenge, students analyze how they responded and generate their own definition of Growth Mindset. Students understand the purpose of the unit. #2-4​. Students learn about, apply and reflect upon new growth mindset skills through exposure to a series of 3-4 individual and team puzzle challenges. #5 Students apply full set of growth mindset skills to a novel challenge and reflect. #6-7. Students complete final growth mindset demonstration of learning. ◼ Compass Academy​ | 2285 S Federal Blvd, Denver, CO 80219 | (720) 424-0096 ​ 3  3.0 PROJECT STEPPING STONES WITH MILESTONES Milestone #1. Student experience an initial challenge, develop their own definition of Growth Mindset and participate in an initial reflection. Milestone #2. Student learns a specific growth mindset strategy, applies it during the puzzle challenge, and completes reflection. Entry Event Initial Reflection Hook & New Learning Application & Reflection Engage students in inquiry: Without any context, teacher asks students to do an individual challenge, eg “pistol squats”. Facilitate debrief and lead students to create their own definition of growth mindset. Consider: https://the-impossible quiz.co.uk/theimpossi blequiz2.html Preview unit: why growth mindset, importance of journaling, learning through puzzles. Journal Entry #1: Categories - Give set of cards with words on them eg “soccer, basketball, chores, babysitting, cooking, math, science, friendships, relationships, art, writing”; have students pick one that goes in growth mindset category and one that does not & explain why. Target:​ I demonstrate effort especially when the work is difficult. Play video like​ this​, facilitate debrief centered around learning target. Students make a list of things that they didn’t know to do when they were little, but can do now. Activity: Students choose puzzle to work on like ​word boxes​, slitherlinks​, or ​battle ship​. Journal Entry #2: Record strategy “Use the power of Yet”. What did you notice about what it takes to learn something new? What are things you are trying to learn now that are difficult? How might the power of yet help you in these situations? Milestone #3. Student learns a specific growth mindset strategy, applies it during the puzzle challenge, and completes reflection. Milestone #4. Student learns a specific growth mindset strategy, applies it during the puzzle challenge, and completes reflection. Hook & New Learning Application & Reflection Hook & New Learning Application & Reflection Target:​ I use positive Activity: Students Target:​ I embrace Activity: ​Light my ◼ Compass Academy​ | 2285 S Federal Blvd, Denver, CO 80219 | (720) 424-0096 ​ 4  language that expresses optimism in my ability to grow. Play video like ​this and facilitate debrief centered around learning target. Play a video like ​this​, and ask students to write the self-talk for people who experienced failure. Students make positive self talk memes or other visual to put in classroom. choose puzzle to work on like ​word boxes​, ​slitherlinks​, or battle ship​. Or, lead class through Collaborative Numbers​. Journal Entry #3: Record strategy “Replace the word ‘fail’ with ‘Learning’”. What was your experience like during puzzle time today? Did you use any positive self talk messages? How did it impact your feelings of success? Did anything about your mindset change from yesterday? What is something you’re working on in your life now where you could benefit from using positive language? mistakes and feedback as opportunities to grow. Play video like ​this​ and facilitate debrief centered around learning target. Fire Journal Entry #4: Record strategies “Embrace challenges as opportunities to grow”. “Learn from my mistakes”. “Take risks in the company of others”. What happened when your invention didn’t work? How did your group deal with mistakes? What did you notice about the language your team used? Milestone #5. Students set growth mindset strategy goal and practices developing through experience one last time. Milestone #6. Students complete final growth mindset demonstration of learning. Goal Setting Application & Reflection Framing & Planning Execution Students identify in which growth mindset strategies they have been successful, and where Escape Room Challenge​. Journal Entry #5: Which growth Students are introduced to ​project​, shown exemplar and walked through project criteria. Students are given time to complete final visual representation of growth mindset reflection. ◼ Compass Academy​ | 2285 S Federal Blvd, Denver, CO 80219 | (720) 424-0096 ​ 5  they are experiencing difficulty. Students set goals in journals for final extreme puzzle challenge. mindset strategy was the most important for you during this challenge? Why? Did you meet your goal? Why or why not? Students are given a day to plan their visual and get feedback from peers/teacher. Milestone #7. Students participate in final presentation of learning. Planning Reflection Teacher prepares either 1) student presentations or 2) gallery walk. Final shout outs and appreciations. NOTE: The plan above includes the main steps in implementing the project. Teachers should use their discretion about how to use time to support your students. 5- to 6-weeks of the module are planned above. The teacher may adjust the length and/or progression of this module by adjusting the number of individual puzzle sessions/group challenges and/or the order. ◼ Compass Academy​ | 2285 S Federal Blvd, Denver, CO 80219 | (720) 424-0096 ​ 6  4.0 DETAILED PROJECT DESIGN Milestone #1. After completing the first individual challenge, students analyze how they responded and generate their own definition of Growth Mindset. Primary Objective for Milestone Learning we’ll be capturing (“In students’ journals, we will see evidence of…) Special Considerations eg (expected challenges and/or misconceptions) Student Support Students develop their own understanding of growth mindset using relatable activities and student-friendly language Sorting and explanation of growth mindset activities and explanation of WHY Differentiation between positive risk-taking and growth mindset 6th - Anticipation of silliness or joking when kids experience failure 7th - Anticipation of IDC Consider connections to where kids are already showing growth mindset eg video games, sports, fights/relationships Be ready w/ sentence stems or language supports to help conceptualize fixed vs. growth mindset Milestone #2-4. Students learn about, apply and reflect upon new growth mindset skills through exposure to a series of 3-4 individual and team puzzle challenges. Primary Objective for Milestones Learning we’ll be capturing Special Considerations Student Support Develop a specific growth mindset strategy, apply it to a challenge and reflect on personal use of strategy This is where kids get repeated “at bats” to start to internalize the Connection between the strategy and activity/or real life w/in their written reflections Teachers can add milestones and/or puzzle time if students show dedication and enthusiasm about solving/completing puzzles. If students are demonstrating growth mindset by wanting to ◼ Compass Academy​ | 2285 S Federal Blvd, Denver, CO 80219 | (720) 424-0096 ​ 7  competency practice more puzzles, this should be honored. How can we prepare to support kids in authentic reflection? May be a matter of asking the just right reflection question. Realistic balance between written reflection and verbal processing/circles - remember to give choice (voice recording, drawing) #5 Students apply full set of growth mindset skills to a novel challenge and reflect. Primary Objective for Milestones Learning we’ll be capturing Special Considerations Student Support At this point, students should have a number of growth mindset strategies recorded in their notebooks. This milestone gives them the opportunity to apply them as needed during a novel and unguided experience. Did they demonstrate growth mindset in the provided activity? #6-7. Students complete final growth mindset demonstration of learning. Primary Objective for Milestones Learning we’ll be capturing Special Considerations Student Support How are we going to show our final demonstrations to the school? In other words, who is our audience and what is the ◼ Compass Academy​ | 2285 S Federal Blvd, Denver, CO 80219 | (720) 424-0096 ​ 8  relevance/purpose of this demonstration of learning? ◼ Compass Academy​ | 2285 S Federal Blvd, Denver, CO 80219 | (720) 424-0096 ​ 9