Can You Train Your

Brain?An Introduction to

Mindsets

Let’s Start with a Quiz…

Read each question and decide whether you mostly agree or disagree with it.

Write your answers on your sticky note.

1. Your intelligence is something very basic about you that you can’t change

very much.

Agree or Disagree?

2. You can learn new things, but you can’t really change how intelligent you

are.

Agree or Disagree?

3. No matter how much intelligence you have, you can always change it

quite a bit.

Agree or Disagree?

4. You can always substantially change how intelligent you are.

Agree or Disagree?

The Results

If you agreed with questions 1 and 2, you may have a fixed mindset

If you agreed with questions 3 and 4, you may have a growth mindset

What are Mindsets?

A mindset is a mental attitude that determines how you will interpret and respond to situations.

Are the best athletes born the best or do they train

to be the best?

Video: Fixed vs. Growth Mindset

Video: Can you identify the mindset?

What kind of mindset does Sabrina show?

What about her classmate?

Who do you think will be more successful in school? Why?

Day 2How does the brain

work?

Review: Fixed vs. Growth Mindset

Table Talk…Do you think you can train your brain to be smarter?

What we know about the Brain

Brains are a lot like musclesWhat you’re

born with is just a start

What you do makes a big difference in how your muscles and brain grow and develop!

There are four

important ways that

muscles and brains are

alike.

1. Muscles and brains have tiny structures that grow and multiply.

Muscles have fibersThe contract

when the muscle is put to work

Your muscles grow as the fibers get bigger and new fibers are added

Brains have neuronsNeurons are

activated when the brain is in use

Your brain grows as new neurons are added

1. Muscles and brains have tiny structures that grow and multiply.

Muscles have FIBERS

Brains have NEURONS

2. Muscles and brains only develop when challenged by increasingly difficult tasks.

To develop bigger muscles…You need to lift

heavier and heavier weights

To develop your brain…You need to do

harder and harder work

Muscles and brains

only develop when PUSHED

past the point of

comfort.

3. Building muscles and building your brain take

time and sustained effort.

Sustained effort is required to…Build new

connections between neurons

Integrate new neurons into old neural pathways

In other words…

BRAIN SWEAT

4. Everyone can build their muscles and their brains.

Muscles and brains start small in everyone and grow with use.

Babies’ muscles start small and get bigger and stronger with use.

Brains become denser and more complex as new mental skills are developed.

4. Everyone can build their muscles and their brains.

BUILDING MUSCLE

makes you stronger!

Your new muscles can help you do all sorts of things!

BUILDING YOUR BRAIN

makes you smarter!

Your increased intelligence can help you learn in all subjects!

How are muscles and brains alike?

1. Both have tiny structures that GROW AND MULTIPLY.

2. These structures only develop when CHALLENGED by difficult tasks.

3. Both muscles and brains require SUSTAINED EFFORT in order to develop.

4. EVERYONE can build their muscles AND their brains.

So…

Does mindset matter?

YES!You can grow your

brain!

Quick Write…

“Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.” -Tim TebowWhat does this quote mean to you?

How can you apply it this school year?