This week students flexed their writing skills and creative problem solving abilities as we completed activities with the story, The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes. After talking about how many of us have made mistakes before and how it made us feel, I read the story to the students. We discussed the main character of the story and how she changed from the beginning to the end, focusing specifically on her mindset (even though they didn't know the term mindset at the time). Students completed a graphic organizer displaying this information. Next, students were introduced to the two types of mindsets that people have - fixed and growth. We looked at the language of both mindsets and discussed which mindset would help us be more successful in life.
Next it was time to put our mindset to the test! Students took on a STEM challenge related to the story in which they had to create a rolling hamster wheel for Beatrice's hamster, Humbert. Students worked in pairs or trios to problem solve and plan their design, build their wheels, and test and improve their design. Students also reflected on what was challenging about this assignment and what they would do differently to improve their design if given the chance to do the activity over again. This really tested their ability to communicate, collaborate, follow directions, and problem solve.
Next it was time to put our mindset to the test! Students took on a STEM challenge related to the story in which they had to create a rolling hamster wheel for Beatrice's hamster, Humbert. Students worked in pairs or trios to problem solve and plan their design, build their wheels, and test and improve their design. Students also reflected on what was challenging about this assignment and what they would do differently to improve their design if given the chance to do the activity over again. This really tested their ability to communicate, collaborate, follow directions, and problem solve.