UbD Unit Growth Mindset

First Grade

Submitted by

Eva Sanchez

April 20, 2021

University of Alaska Southeast

MAT Elementary Distance: ED 688

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 Student Teaching UbD Unit Design Growth Mindset

Student Name: Intended Grade Level of Unit

Eva Sanchez 1st Grade

Theme of Unit Content Area:

Growth Mindset while incorporating a Science
number of different content areas in Language Arts
Math
science, language arts, math, and art. Art

Classroom Demographics:
The students are in a culturally diverse, English-speaking, general education classroom of 6- and 7-
year-old female and male first-grade students.

Alaska Content Standards:

1-LS1-1. Use materials to design a solution to a human problem by mimicking how plants and/or animals use
their external parts to help them survive, grow, and meet their needs.
1.W.1. Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or name the book they are writing about, state
an opinion or preference, supply a fact (e.g., because race cars go faster than…) or reason for the
opinion, and end with a sentence that restates their opinion related to a feeling or emotion (e.g., it
makes me laugh; that was the scariest part).
1.MD.7. Organize, represent, and interpret data with up to three categories. Ask and answer comparison and
quantity questions about the data.
Art Production: (Standard A) When students are engaged in the creative process, they have the opportunity
to explore various media, tools, and techniques as well as learn critical 21st
Century Skills such as creativity, innovation, problem-solving, decision
making, and collaboration with others.

Alaska Cultural Standards:

A. Culturally responsive educators incorporate local ways of knowing and teaching in their work.
4. Provide opportunities for students to learn through observation and hands-on demonstration of cultural
knowledge and skills.

B. Culturally responsive educators use the local environment and community resources on a regular
basis to link what they are teaching to the everyday lives of the students.
1. Regularly engage students in appropriate projects and experiential learning activities in the surrounding
environment.

Transfer Goal(s) - Unpacked Standards

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  Science: Students will use brain anatomy vocabulary to explain the concept of neuroplasticity
 Language Arts: Students will write an opinion paragraph to explain why or why not a growth mindset is important
and support their opinion with at least one fact.
 Math: Students will collect data from online as well as in-person students to collect data to determine whether
students believe that a growth mindset is important then create a graph representing collected data.
 Art: Students will use imaginative ways to visually represent important qualities of a growth mindset.

BIG IDEA of the Unit:

 Is a growth mindset necessary for academic success?

 How can we show the importance of a growth mindset?

STAGE 1 – Essential Questions and Enduring Understandings (Bank of EUs and EQs for Unit)
Enduring Understanding(s) Essential Questions to be Considered:
Students will understand that….

1. Students will understand that all of our 1. How can science be used to explain how we
brains have the ability to grow. learn?
2. Students will understand that they can 2. How can an opinion piece of writing help
effectively express their opinions on others to understand the importance of a
the importance of a growth mindset growth mindset?
through writing. 3. How can students use numbers to represent
3. Students will understand that numerical the concept of a growth mindset?
data, as it pertains to a growth mindset, 4. What ideas of a growth mindset can we express
can be collected and analyzed using a through art?
graph.
4. Students will understand that growth
mindset characteristics can be
presented and shared through art.

STAGE ONE: (Bank of Objectives for Unit) STAGE TWO: (Bank of Assessments for Unit)
Objectives/Learning Targets: Assessments Sources of Evidence of Learning
Knowledge and Skills: K & S ____________________________
___________________________ (Assessment bank here)
(Objective bank here)
(K) Students will explain how neuroplasticity  Students will brainstorm differences between
contributes to a growth mindset. fixed and growth mindset.
(S) Students will create a ‘brain cap’ and explain  Students will identify statements as either fixed
how neurons contribute to learning. or growth mindset.
(K) Students will explain how they can express their  Students will create ‘Brain Cap’ and identify
opinion through writing. different lobes of the brain and each lobe’s
(S) Students will express their opinion through function.
writing on important ways to cultivate a growth  Students will discuss the different lobes of the
mindset. brain and discuss the function.
(K) Students will describe how numbers can be  Students will play game What Part Am I?
used to denote the number of people, both in  Students will brainstorm personal examples of
class and at home, who think that a growth when practice made something easier to do and
mindset is important. make that connection to neural pathways.
(S) Students will collect (survey) and display data  Students will answer T/F questions on GRIT.
(graph) on the number of people in their lives
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 that believe that a growth mindset is important.  Students will brainstorm ways a person can
(K) Students will explain how art enhances develop GRIT.
their and other’s understanding of the  Students will create opinion piece on how a
importance of a growth mindset. person can develop a growth mindset using
(S) Students will create a collage depicting what GRIT.
they perceive are the most important  Students will include introduction, 1-3 reasons,
benefits of a growth mindset. and a conclusion in their writing.
 Students will complete worksheet on reading
data from a survey sheet.
 Students will survey classmates and family
members of growth mindset characteristics.
 Students will represent data in a bar graph.
 Students will present data to classmates.
 Students will create art collage that depicts what
a growth mindset means to them.

STAGE TWO: Culminating Performance Task

Culminating Performance Task

The school principal has asked you to become the Growth Mindset Ambassadors for the lower
elementary (k-2 grades). You are asked to teach the other students why it is so important to create a
growth mindset. In your presentation, you will be asked to explain the brain science in creating a
growth mindset. You will also be asked to read a few of your most persuasive opinion pieces explaining
why it is so important to have a growth mindset. Your presentation will include the data that you
collected and report what students think are the most important aspects in creating a growth mindset.
Last, you will share and explain your art pieces that demonstrate what a growth mindset means to you.

STAGE THREE: Learning for Understanding/ Instructional Activities

(Make only as many lessons as are appropriate for your Unit)
Pre-Requisites for the entire unit: What are the prior knowledge and skills students have to have in place before
starting this Unit of Study?

Students can recognize that their attitude can greatly impact their success.

Students can articulate that through practice, everyone can get better -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JC82Il2cjqA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUJkbWNnNy4

Unit Overview/Introduction/Main Hook (Make a connection with students’ backgrounds using an authentic
situation

 Discussion: What is a growth mindset?

 What is the difference between a fixed and a growth mindset?
o Everyone is born to learn, but we all learn at a different pace.
o Fixed Mindset: We are born with our talents – I was born to be good at math, I can’t get better no
matter what I do. I was either born smart or not.
 Self-Talk: If it’s too hard, I’ll just give up, I don’t like challenges, I feel embarrassed if I don’t
understand.
o Growth Mindset: I believe that I can get better through hard work, learning, and persistence.
 Self-Talk: I can’t do this…YET, when I’m wrong is a great time to learn and grow, I can learn

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 to do anything I set my mind to.
 What do you do when things get hard? Why?
 Fixed vs Growth Mindset Statements Game
 Play Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUJkbWNnNy4

Action/ Mini-hook for each Process: Specific strategies

Lesson lesson: connection to Teacher does/ Student Does to accommodate specific student
prior Product: variability/ accommodate all
learning/knowledge Assessment/ Evidence of learners
Learning
Lesson closure

Materials for lesson #1:

 Your Fantastic Elastic Brain
 Brain Part Coloring Cap
 Crayons
 Yarn
 Neurons cut outs

Objectives and Essential Questions for lesson #1:

Essential Question: How can science be used to explain how we learn?
Objective: (K) Students will explain how neuroplasticity contributes to a growth mindset.
(S) Students will create a ‘brain cap’ and explain how neurons contribute to learning.

Standards/Content areas covered in lesson #1:

1-LS1-1. Use materials to design a solution to a human problem by mimicking how plants and/or animals use their external parts to
help them survive, grow, and meet their needs.

Lesson Mini Hook: 1. Teacher will discuss how our  Provide step by step instructions
1 Title brains are divided into that are both visual and oral that
Read book Your Fantastic different parts. students can follow in creating
Meet Elastic Brain 2. Teacher will describe what their design Content.
Your each part of the brain does.  Teach parts of brain and function
Brain 3. Students will color the using the senses - orally, visually,
different parts of the brain on a and tactile Content.
‘brain cap’.  Group discussions will engage
4. Students will discuss what the schemas for all students-
different parts of the brain do. Content/Action and
5. Teacher will demonstrate that Expression.
it is hard-wired to learn new  Allow students to collaborate
things with yarn showing how with one another during lesson,
the brain changes as we thus scaffolding those that
practice new things. require it and reinforcing the
6. Students will provide concept to those students
examples from personal helping- Action and Expression.
experience how the more they  Mini Quiz is oral as well as visual
practiced, the easier it got. allowing students to scaffold
knowledge and ability
Assessment.
Assessment
1. Students will create ‘Brain Cap’
and identify different lobes of
the brain and each lobe’s
function
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 (formative/summative).
2. Students will play game What
Part Am I? (formative).
3. Students will brainstorm
personal examples of when
practice made something
easier to do and make that
connection to neural
pathways(summative).

Materials for lesson #2:

 GRIT Videos
 Pencil
 T/F Worksheet
 Graphic Organizer
 Anchor Chart

Objectives and Essential Questions for lesson #2:

Essential Question: How can an opinion piece of writing help others to understand the importance of a
growth mindset?

Objective: (K) Students will explain how they can express their opinion through writing.
(S) Students will express their opinion through writing on important ways to cultivate a growth
mindset.

Content areas covered in lesson (from standards) #2:

1.W.1. Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or name the book they are writing about, state an opinion or preference,
supply a fact (e.g., because race cars go faster than…) or reason for the opinion, and end with a sentence that restates their opinion
related to a feeling or emotion (e.g., it makes me laugh; that was the scariest part).
Lesson 1. Teacher will play video SOAR.  Group discussions will engage
2 Title Mini Hook: 2. Students will discuss what schemas for all students-
evidence the girl in the story Content/Action and
The Video showed GRIT. Expression.
Power https:// 3. Students will answer T/F  T/F question will be displayed
of GRIT www.youtube.com/ questions on Grit (formative). on SmartBoard as well as orally
watch?v=45mMioJ5szc 4. Students will brainstorm read Assessment.
ways a person can develop  Provide sentence starters and
GRIT (formative). word wall for those students that
https://vimeo.com/ 5. Students will complete have difficulty writing
148198462 graphic organizer for opinion Assessment.
piece (formative).  Allow students to orally express
6. Students will create opinion opinion Representation/
piece on how a person can Assessment.
develop a growth mindset
using GRIT (summative).
7. Students will include
introduction, 1-3 reasons, and
a conclusion in their writing
(summative).

Assessment
1. T/F Worksheet.
2. GO on opinion piece.
3. Opinion Piece

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Materials for lesson #3:
 Lemonade for Sale
 Survey Anchor Chart
 Charts and Graphs Assessment
 Growth Mindset Survey
 Growth Mindset Bar Graph

Objectives and Essential Questions for lesson #3:

Essential Question: How can students use numbers to represent the concept of a growth mindset?

Objectives: (K) Students will describe how numbers can be used to denote the number of people, both in
class and at home, who think that a growth mindset is important.
(S) Students will collect (survey) and display data (graph) on the number of people in their lives
that believe that a growth mindset is important.

Content areas covered in lesson (from standards) #3:

1.MD.7. Organize, represent, and interpret data with up to three categories. Ask and answer comparison and quantity questions about
the data
Lesson 1. Teacher will read Lemonade  Provide step by step instructions
3 Title Mini Hook: for Sale. that are both visual and oral that
2. Teacher will explain how students can follow in creating their
What Read Aloud Lemonade for students can be statisticians design Content.
do you Sale and collect data.  Group discussions will engage
think? 3. Teacher will model creating a schemas for all
tally chart base on students’ students-Content/Action and
favorite pet. Expression.
4. Students will articulate how  Allow students to collaborate with
they can express their opinion one another during data collection
through a survey (formative). process, thus scaffolding those that
5. Students will be able to require it and reinforcing the
concept to those students helping-
discuss the vocabulary word,
Action and
data. Expression/Assessment.
6. Students will complete
 Allow students to collaborate with
worksheet on reading data one another during class
from a survey sheet presentations, thus scaffolding those
(formative). that require it and reinforcing the
7. Students will survey concept to those students helping-
classmates and family Assessment.
members of growth mindset
characteristics (summative).
8. Students will represent data
in a bar graph (summative).
9. Students will present data to
classmates (summative).

Assessment
1. Brainstorm what a survey is.
2. Survey/Data Interpretation
Worksheet.
3. Growth Mindset Survey
4. Growth Mindset Graph
Materials for lesson #4:
 Magazines
 Scissors

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  Construction Paper
 Glue
Objectives and Essential Questions for lesson #4:
Essential Question: What ideas of a growth mindset can we express through art?
Objectives: (K) Students will explain how art enhances
their and other’s understanding of the
importance of a growth mindset.
(S) Students will create a collage depicting what
they perceive are the most important
benefits of a growth mindset.
Content areas covered in lesson (from standards) #4:
Art Production: (Standard A) When students are engaged in the creative process, they have the opportunity
to explore various media, tools, and techniques as well as learn critical 21st
Century Skills such as creativity, innovation, problem-solving, decision
making, and collaboration with others.

Lesson Mini Hook: 1. Teacher will discuss how a  Provide step by step instructions
4 Title simple picture brings to mind that are both visual and oral that
Display Pictures on what that image represents to students can follow in creating
Collage SmartBoard and ask us as individuals-a playground: their design Content.
It!! students to express how fun, laughing, exercise.  Group discussions will engage
picture makes them feel. Schoolhouse: learning, schemas for all students-
teachers, rules. Content/Action and
2. Students will brainstorm Expression
examples of pictures that elicit  As students brainstorm pictures
that same level of images to and related emotions, provide
them (formative). visual examples of Smartboard
3. Students will brainstorm (visual) as they discuss (visual)-
images that they think best Content.
represent a growth mindset.  Students can demonstrate
4. Students will create their own learning in a variety of ways by
collage of what a growth either drawing or using pictures
mindset means to them either from magazines to create their
using magazine cutouts or collage-Assessment.
pencil drawings (with or  Allow students to collaborate
without color) (summative). with one another during creative
5. Students will present their process, thus scaffolding those
artistic representations to that require it and reinforcing
their class and explain the the concept to those students
purpose of each image in their helping- Action and Expression.
personal construction of the  Allow those students with motor
meaning of a growth mindset skill disabilities to create their
(summative/performance). collage by dragging and pasting
from internet commons area
Assessment.
 For those students that cannot
Assessment present their collage verbally,
1. Students will brainstorm how give option to write or record
images elicit certain feelings or their explanation that will be
memories. read or listened to in class-
2. Students will brainstorm Assessment
images that they think best
represent a growth mindset.

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 3. Students will create their own
collage of what a growth
means to them either using
magazine cutouts or pencil
drawings (with or without
color) (summative).
4. Students will present their
artistic representations to
their class and explain the
purpose of each image in their
personal construction of the
meaning of a growth mindset
(summative/performance).
Unit Closure: Bring it all together with the focus of the lesson and the Objective. Tie the closure for each lesson in
with the Main Hook, the Objective, and the Essential Question.
 Science: Students will use brain anatomy vocabulary to explain the concept of neuroplasticity
 Language Arts: Students will write an opinion paragraph to explain why or why not a growth mindset is important
and support their opinion with at least one fact.
 Math: Students will collect data from online as well as in-person students to collect data to determine whether
students believe that a growth mindset is important then create a graph representing collected data.
 Art: Students will use imaginative ways to visually represent important qualities of a growth mindset.

 Students will have Growth Mindset Party and discuss how each of the content area lessons helped
them to better understand how to develop a growth mindset. Each will express what was the most
helpful to them in their idea of a growth mindset.
o Understand the science and brain and CNS anatomy behind a growth mindset.
o Express through writing how a person can develop a growth mindset.
o How their opinions can be expressed through surveys, displayed through a graph, and
interpreted.
o How art helped them to express the importance of a growth mindset.

Cultural Capital: Discuss how this Unit increases your students’ access to “Cultural Capital.”
During the course of this entire lesson, I have integrated real-world scenarios into my student’s understanding of the
importance of creating a growth mindset. This creates a lesson that is authentic and applicable to their lives as students in
Seward, Alaska. I have explicitly explained vocabulary and engaged student schema at the beginning of each lesson that
allowed them to connect new learning to their current knowledge, hopefully increasing the chances that they will truly
appreciate the enduring understandings of this lesson. I have provided multiple points of differentiation and allowed students
to perform tasks through the lens of their families, their culture, their world.

A. Attachments: Graphic Organizers, Quizzes, Worksheets, Assessment Rubrics etc. for each Lesson.
(You can embed them as screenshots)

Brain Anatomy Brainstorm Assessment

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Math and Growth Mindset: Survey and Bar Graph

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 Growth Mindset Survey
What do you think is most important in creating a
growth mindset?
Characteristic Tally Marks Tally Total

This Photo by Unknown

Author is licensed under
CC BY-NC-ND

Hard Work

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 Data Bar Graph
Results
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

This Photo by Unknown

Author is licensed under
CC BY-NC-ND

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Opinion Piece GRIT True/False

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Opinion Piece Writing Prompts
Is it important to have a Growth Mindset? Why or Why
Not?

I think _________________________________ for

many reasons.
First of all, ______________________________
because______________________________________
________________________________.
Second,________________________________because
_______________________________.
Third,_________________________________because
_______________________________.
That is why _____________________________
______________________________________.
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Is it important to have a Growth Mindset? Why or Why
Not?

I think _________________________________ for

many reasons.
First of all, ______________________________
because______________________________________
________________________________.
That is why _____________________________
______________________________________.

Word Bank
important best effort redo
don’t quit take time practice
determination courage yet
Name: __________________________
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In your opinion, is it important to have a growth
mindset? Why or why not?

B. Attachments: Examples of student work

Brain Anatomy Hats

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Math and Growth Mindset: Survey and Bar Graph

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Opinion Piece GRIT T/F

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Opinion Piece Writing Prompt

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Art and a Growth Mindset

O.J. noted that a growth mindset makes her feel happy and like she can do anything she wants to, as long
as she practices and works hard at her goal. The cartoon characters are her vision of happiness. She
noted that the picture of the group on the log is each person helping the other [collaborating] and ‘that
makes all of them better together’.

A.F. noted that a growth mindset makes her feel safe and happy. She feels safe because she and her
family are moving soon and she has been experiencing some anxiety about the move. With a growth
mindset, she’s not so afraid anymore because now she knows that she can do new things and ‘I can make
a lot of new friends if I really try’.
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F.K. feels like a growth mindset makes her feel powerful! She feels like a growth mindset has made her
braver and more excited to try new things. She’s ready to tackle the world!

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