6th Grade School Counseling Centers

Growth Mindset Activities: Read Aloud Literature Units for Growth Mindset Books

These growth mindset picture books, Your Fantastic Elastic Brain by JoAnn Deak, The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes by Mark Pett and Gary Rubinstein, Beautiful Oops by Barney Saltzberg, and The Dot by Peter Reynolds are perfect for teachers and students who are committed to understanding growth mindset concepts!

Please take a look at the individual listings for each growth mindset picture book here:

• YOUR FANTASTIC ELASTIC BRAIN
• THE GIRL WHO NEVER MADE MISTAKES
• BEAUTIFUL OOPS BY BARNEY SALTZBERG
• THE DOT BY PETER H REYNOLDS

You can also find growth mindset literature units here:

• GROWTH MINDSET PICTURE BOOK BUNDLE #2
• ALL the GROWTH MINDSET LITERATURE UNITS

Descriptions for each product are as follows:

The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes:

Are you teaching your students about growth mindset? The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes by Mark Pett and Gary Rubinstein is a perfect picture book for teachers who want to provide fun instruction on the role of failure and/or making mistakes in growth mindset and fixed mindset perspectives.

Conceptually, these ideas are perfect for any level, but this literature unit was created with 2nd-6th graders in mind (2nd graders may need extra support with some of the activities).

You will find the following activities in this literature unit for The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes:

• Discussion questions in 1/2 sheet task card form as well as list form (13 questions over 2 pages)
• Discussion questions answer sheet
• Compare and Contrast
• Growth Mindset vs. Fixed Mindset (using mistakes as a framework)
• Too Much Pressure (students reflect on pressure they might feel)
• What Can You Learn From Mistakes?
• Got Mistakes? (brainstorming different types of mistakes students have made)
• Perseverance (a look at famous people who have failed and/or made multiple mistakes along the way)
• A Week of Purposeful Mistakes...
• When You Feel Worried (steps for helping)
• 5 full-color posters with quotes about mistakes
• 5 corresponding black and white quotes posters

PLEASE NOTE: Since the questions and activities are opinion and experience based, there are NO answer keys.

Your Fantastic Elastic Brain:

Are you teaching your students about growth mindset? Your Fantastic Elastic Brain by JoAnn Deak is a perfect segue for teaching your students the power of growth mindset. Conceptually, these ideas are perfect for any level, but this literature unit was created for 3rd-6th graders in mind.

I recommend starting the school year (or your growth mindset instruction) with material that teaches students about the brain. This provides students with a solid foundation for build subsequent growth mindset instruction.

PLEASE NOTE: There is a unit created for 1st-2nd grade as well and can be found here: YOUR FANTASTIC ELASTIC BRAIN (LOWER GRADE VERSION)

Infused with reflections, challenges (including a STEM challenge for creating slingshots using rubber bands), and opportunities to identify and clarify growth mindset vs fixed mindset, your students are sure to learn and have a great deal of fun!

Your Fantastic Elastic Brain activities included:

• Brainstorming ways to use elastics
• Comparing and contrasting using a Venn diagram
• Fixed Mindset vs. Growth Mindset
• Prompts for student reflections
• A rubber band challenge
• Identifying parts of the brain and their purpose
• Fantastic Elastic Brain bookmarks (in full color and black and white)
• Slingshot STEM challenge
• Growth Mindset Posters (5 posters in full color and in black and white)
• Answer Keys where deemed appropriate

Beautiful Oops:

Are you teaching your students about growth mindset? Beautiful Oops by Barney Saltzberg is a perfect picture book for teachers who want to provide fun instruction on the role of making mistakes in growth mindset and fixed mindset perspectives.

Conceptually, these ideas are perfect for any level, but this literature unit was created with 2nd-6th graders in mind (2nd graders may need extra support with some of the activities).

You will find the following activities in this literature unit for Beautiful Oops:

• Teacher Tips
• Your Oops
• A Glass Half Full
• Growth Mindset: Beautiful Oops
• What's the Use?
• Self-compassion
• Creations with Oops
• Brainstorming with Figures
• Sharing My Best Oops Moment
• I Meant to do That!
• Additional Activities

PLEASE NOTE: Since the questions and activities are opinion and experience based, there are NO answer keys.

The Dot:

This literature unit for The Dot by Peter Reynolds now includes a digital distance learning option in Google Slides™. Please refer to the final 7 pages of the product file for the link and instructions.

Are you looking for growth mindset activities or want to celebrate International Dot Day? The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds is a perfect picture book for teachers who want to provide fun instruction on the role of taking risks in growth mindset and fixed mindset perspectives.

This literature unit is the perfect companion for use with your students any time of year but it is particularly for International Dot Day!

Conceptually, these ideas are perfect for any level, but this literature unit was created with 2nd-6th graders in mind.

You will find the following activities in this literature unit for Beautiful Oops:

• Teacher Tips
• The Dot Discussion Task Cards
• The Dot Questions List
• Sample Answers (for the discussion questions)
• Daring Dots (things you would do if you didn't have fear)
• Make a Mark (create an image in a swirly frame)
• Growth Mindset: The Dot (writing activity related to growth mindset)
• What's the Dot? (draw an image around dots)
• What Is It? (draw images and incorporate preprinted doodles)
• What Can You Make? (draw a picture using at least 10 dots)
• Three journal prompts (with optional back side)
• Three quotes posters in full color and black-and-white
• Additional Activities

WAIT! This literature companion is part of a Growth Mindset Literature Unit (MONEY-SAVING) BUNDLE!:

GROWTH MINDSET PICTURE BOOK BUNDLE

NOTE: THESE FILES INCLUDE A DIGITAL DISTANCE LEARNING OPTION!

These products include a digital option (as well as the no prep printable option). The instructions for utilizing the digital portion appear at the end of the packet.

You may also be interested in the following GROWTH MINDSET products:

GROWTH MINDSET ACTIVITIES:

• GROWTH MINDSET AFFIRMATIONS POSTERS (with cursive)
• GROWTH MINDSET AFFIRMATIONS POSTERS (NO cursive)
• GROWTH MINDSET PRIVACY FOLDER OFFICES
• GROWTH MINDSET FLIP BOOKS
• GROWTH MINDSET VOCABULARY CARDS FOR A WORD WALL OR BULLETIN BOARD