Growth Mindset Journey

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Curriculum Link

Subject: PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education)
Key Stage: 2
Year Group: Year 3
Curriculum Reference: Relationships Education - Mental Wellbeing (UK Statutory Guidance for PSHE)

Focus: Developing a Growth Mindset - Recognising challenges as opportunities, learning from mistakes, and fostering resilience and self-awareness.

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Lesson Objectives

By the end of this 45-minute session, students will:

1. Understand what a growth mindset means in simple terms.
2. Recognise how thoughts/phrases can reflect either a fixed or growth mindset.
3. Practise changing fixed mindset phrases into growth mindset statements.
4. Reflect on a time they overcame a challenge and how they grew from it.

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Resources Required

• Whiteboard/flip chart and markers
• Mindset flashcards (examples provided in the activity)
• A4 paper and coloured pencils/crayons for students
• Printed sheet: "My Growth Challenge Tree" activity (see description under Activity 3)

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Lesson Outline

1. Welcome and Introduction (5 minutes)

1. Greeting and Warm-up:
   Teacher greets the class and begins with a quick energiser:

   • Ask: "Can anyone tell me something difficult they’ve learned to do, like riding a bike or tying their shoes?" (1-2 examples)
   • Follow-up: "Was it easy at first? Did you have to practise?"

2. Introduce Topic:
   Display the words Fixed Mindset and Growth Mindset on the board. Tell the children:

   • "Today, we’re going to learn what these words mean and how the way we think about things can help us grow stronger, just like practising helped us learn new skills!"

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2. Growth Mindset vs Fixed Mindset (10 minutes)

1. Simple Explanation:
   Use simple definitions:

   • Fixed Mindset: "This is when we believe we can’t do something and don’t try to change or learn."
   • Growth Mindset: "This is when we believe we can keep improving by working hard and learning from mistakes."

2. Examples on the Board:
   Write these scenarios and ask the class which mindset they think is being described:

   • “I’m rubbish at drawing, I’ll never get better.” (fixed)
   • “I can’t do this YET, but I’ll keep trying.” (growth)
     Use a thumbs-up/down system for engagement.

3. Mini Reflection:
   Ask: “Which mindset helps you grow and learn more?” (Growth mindset.) Encourage students to briefly share ideas about why.

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3. Interactive Activity: Switching Mindsets (15 minutes)

1. Group Task: Divide the class into pairs or small groups. Give each group 3 flashcards with fixed mindset phrases, e.g.:

   • “I’m bad at maths, so I should just give up.”
   • “Everyone else is better than me. I’ll never catch up.”
   • “I made a mistake, which means I’m a failure."

2. Challenge: Students must collaboratively “switch” the phrases into a growth mindset alternative. Encourage creativity and positivity.
   Examples:

   • “I’m bad at maths” could become “Maths is hard, but I’ll get better if I keep practising.”
     Each group writes their rephrased sentences on paper and shares with the class.

3. Teacher Feedback: Praise effort and originality. Highlight particularly creative re-wordings.

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4. My Growth Challenge Tree (15 minutes)

1. Introduce the Activity:
   Ask students to reflect on a challenge they’ve faced in the past (e.g., learning to swim, spelling a difficult word).
   Explain they’ll create a “Growth Challenge Tree”:

   • The roots represent the challenge they faced (e.g., “I found swimming hard”).
   • The trunk represents what they did to get better (e.g., “I practised every week”).
   • The branches and leaves represent how they grew or what they learned.
     (e.g., “I became more confident and didn’t give up!”).

2. Guided Drawing: Provide printed tree templates or blank A4 sheets for students to draw and fill out their Growth Challenge Trees.
   Encourage Creativity: They can use colour, drawings, or key words to describe their tree.

3. Share and Celebrate:
   (If time permits) Invite a few students to share their trees with the class. Emphasise their learning journey and celebrate their resilience.

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5. Wrap-Up and Reflection (5 minutes)

1. Summarise: Recap that:

   • A growth mindset means believing “I can improve!”
   • Challenges and mistakes are chances to grow.

2. Personal Takeaway:
   Ask students to think about one area they want to use a growth mindset in this week (e.g., reading more confidently, being patient when practising something). Allow volunteers to share their goals.

3. Closing Note from Teacher:
   “Remember, you are like your Growth Challenge Tree. Every challenge helps your roots grow strong and your branches grow tall!”

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Extension Activities (Optional/Homework)

• Mindset Journal: Provide a simple blank “Growth Mindset Journal” template for students to take home. They can write or draw one weekly challenge and how they overcame it.
• Classroom Display: Create a “Growth Forest” on the wall. Pin up students’ completed Growth Challenge Trees to celebrate their efforts and inspire others.

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This plan uses creativity, reflection, and collaboration to engage Year 3 students while building an understanding of mental well-being through a growth mindset lens. It ties directly into the PSHE curriculum and fosters a supportive, safe environment for personal development.