Teaching Growth Mindset: Your Fantastic Elastic Brain

Are you teaching your students about a growth mindset?  Have you heard about or seen the book Your Fantastic Elastic Brain by JoAnn Deak?  For teachers who are searching for straightforward, easy-to-understand information about the workings of the brain, this book is your answer!  Also, if you haven’t seen this post about the 10 Things You Need to Know About Growth Mindset, it’s also packed with valuable information for teachers!

This post may contain affiliate links.  Please see my disclosure.

Your Fantastic Elastic Brain answers the following questions for kids:

• What is the brain?
• What does the brain do?
• List the different parts of the brain.
• What does each part of the brain do?
• How does the brain change over time?
• What happens to the brain when you learn something new?
• What happens to the brain when you make a mistake?
• How does the brain stretch and grow?
• What are neurons, and how do they help your brain grow?
• What can you do to help your brain grow and stretch?

Whether you teach early elementary grades or upper-level elementary school grades, students will benefit from the information and message in this story.  I highly recommend it for teachers who are just beginning to introduce the growth mindset to their students. These activities are included in the Your Fantastic Elastic Brain literature unit for upper grades.

Use these discussion questions and/or activities with Your Fantastic Elastic Brain:

1.  Brainstorm attributes and uses of elastic bands.  Why does JoAnn Deak compare the brain to an elastic band?  Compare and contrast:  How are a brain and an elastic band the same?  How are they different?  Create a Venn Diagram (or ask pairs of students to fill one in at their desks) as a visual aid to help students see the similarities and differences.
2. Deepen their understanding of fixed mindset.  Given that the information in this book describes a growth-mindset approach, what might the attributes of a fixed mindset be?  Do you know anyone (in literature or real life) who displays the characteristics associated with a fixed mindset?
3. Discuss each part of the brain and its function.  How does knowing about the function of the brain change the way you make decisions or choices in your life?  Does your understanding of the brain affect your courage to try something new?  Why or why not?  How might your outlook change when you are faced with a challenge that feels impossible?
4. Ask students to create personal affirmations aligned with a growth mindset to help them when they face a challenge.  Affirmations should be written in the first-person point of view (a perfect opportunity for a language arts connection and review).

You will find these activities in the Your Fantastic Elastic Brain literature unit for primary grades.

Other Resources:

Finally, if you are looking to dive deep and need ready-to-use lessons aligned with Your Fantastic Elastic Brain, you can also check out this resource in my store, which includes no-prep printables, bookmarks, and posters (this same product has also been modified and created for lower grades here).

Peruse my store for more growth-mindset products, including additional literature units, affirmation posters, and character traits quotes.

What is your favorite picture book to help your students understand growth mindset concepts?