1st Grade Unit 0: Growth Mindset

Unit Driving Question

How does mindset affect learning of mathematics?

Essential Goal

1. There are many ways to see mathematics.   

Big Ideas

1. Math is about learning not performing. 
2. Math is about making sense. 
3. Math is filled with conjectures, creativity, and uncertainty. 
4. Mistakes are beautiful things.  

Launch Task

1 Lesson 

This task begins with a video that explains how our brains grow and change. After the video students are asked to do a dot card number talk. The dot card is followed by a collection of finger activities and creative ways to try to fill an area with squares. You can choose the activities that fit your class best and the time you have available. 

1. Watch this video to set the stage for growth mindset. 
2. Follow video with dot card activity. 
3. Additional activities are available: These lessons focus on dot card number talks and finger activities. 

Big Ideas for Development Lessons

1 Week (approximately 1 day per big idea and 1 day for launch task) 

Big Idea 1: Math is about learning not performing. 

Collaborative Engagement

1. Video: Begin with a video to show students that it is important to believe in themselves. Follow up by completing a graphing activity without numbers. They will need to interpret and create their own graph. 
2. Graph: Explain a graph without numbers task. 

Key Resources

1. Emoji Graph: This activity is open and allows students space to interpret data without numbers. 

Big Idea Formative Assessment

1. Allow time to focus on questions students might have about the graph activity.

Evidence of Understanding 

• Develop a deep and flexible conceptual understanding

• Develop accurate and appropriate procedural fluency

• Develop strategies for problem solving

• Develop mathematical reasoning

• Develop a productive mathematical disposition

• Develop the ability to make conjectures, model, and generalize

• Develop the ability to communicate mathematically 

Big Idea 2: Math is about making sense.

Collaborative Engagement 

1. Video: Start with a video showing students the importance of thinking about math.
2. Shape activity: Make a shape using 4 right triangles. 

Key Resources

1. Shape activity: Exercise the visual and creative side of your brain as you compose and decompose shapes. 

Big Idea Formative Assessment

1. Share conclusions from triangle activity and allow students to explain their findings. 

Evidence of Understanding

• Develop a deep and flexible conceptual understanding

• Develop accurate and appropriate procedural fluency

• Develop strategies for problem solving

• Develop mathematical reasoning

• Develop a productive mathematical disposition

• Develop the ability to make conjectures, model, and generalize

• Develop the ability to communicate mathematically 

Big Idea 3: Math is filled with creativity, conjectures, and uncertainty. 

Collaborative Engagement

1. Video: Begin with a video that shares a very important message for all math learners, speed is not important in mathematics. 
2. Visual and tactile task: Students will fold paper to make shapes. 

Key Resources

1. Shape Origami: In this activity, students will experience making shapes. 

Big Idea Formative Assessment

1. Discuss the most challenging part of the activity.  

Evidence of Understanding 

• Develop a deep and flexible conceptual understanding

• Develop accurate and appropriate procedural fluency

• Develop strategies for problem solving

• Develop mathematical reasoning

• Develop a productive mathematical disposition

• Develop the ability to make conjectures, model, and generalize

• Develop the ability to communicate mathematically  

Big Idea 4: Mistakes are beautiful things. 

Collaborative Engagement 

1. Video: Begin with a video explaining that mistakes are powerful.   
2. Seeing Numbers Visually: This activity allows students to make observations about number visuals.   

Key Resources 

1. Explore Number Patterns: Students will use various visual to represent number quantities.  

Big Idea Formative Assessment

1. Share discoveries with the class.  

Evidence of Understanding 

• Develop a deep and flexible conceptual understanding

• Develop accurate and appropriate procedural fluency

• Develop strategies for problem solving

• Develop mathematical reasoning

• Develop a productive mathematical disposition

• Develop the ability to make conjectures, model, and generalize

• Develop the ability to communicate mathematically

Unit Closure

1 Day (includes time for probes, re-engagement, and assessment) 

•  Growth Mindset-Week of Inspirational Math: More activities are available for re-engagement or assessment.