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Lesson Excerpt:

Launch:

1. Say:  I’ve been thinking a lot lately about our brains.  Do you think brains grow?

2. Allow students to respond to the question in pairs.  Then share out a few ideas.

3. Watch the Class Dojo video “Growth Mindset for students- Episode 1 of 5”.

4. After watching the video pose these questions to students: (questions adapted from https://ideas.classdojo.com/)

• Why does Mojo want to leave school?

• Tell your partner about a time you wanted to quit.

• What does Katie say to Mojo to convince him not to leave?

• Do you think Mojo can become smarter?  Why or why not?  (Possible answers: Your brain is like a muscle you just have to exercise it or anyone can be smart you just have to keep trying until one day you can)

• What will you need to do in order to become smarter?   (Possible answers:  work at it,  keep trying, don’t give up, persevere)

5. Introduce today’s task: 

• Say: Mathematicians, today we will work to make our brains stronger by completing some math puzzles.   You will use shapes to build pictures.  You might find some puzzles to be difficult, but I want you to keep trying and not give up.   If we want our brains to grow smarter, we need to keep trying and persevere. Even if you don’t get it today, you’ll get it soon.

• Pass out pattern block puzzles and pattern blocks.  Put more puzzles on each table than there are students so they can be continuously engaged in the task.