Build a classroom succulent garden to teach and reinforce Growth Mindset. Encouraging students to have a Growth Mindset instead of a fixed mindset will help them as they persevere throughout the school year. Introducing growth mindset can be done in conjunction with building your class succulent garden. You can talk about how succulents are resilient, they can be clipped, transported and grow new roots. This metaphor can make an abstract idea more concrete. All you need is a little soil, some succulent clippings, mini pots and time to have a great class conversation! Be sure to download the Free Succulent Craft Printable here!
If you know someone who has succulent plants then this step will cost you nothing but a little time. Simply clip some pieces of the plant off, leaving about an inch of the stem to replant. If you do not know someone who has succulents, local garden stores have them relatively inexpensive.
Fill up the pots about 3/4 way full with soil and replant the succulent clipping by firmly placing it in the soil. Add a little water to the top and in no time they will re-root. This is a great talking point about a growth mindset: Sometimes we need to start over too.
To connect it to growth mindset remind students -- cacti are amazingly resilient plants that symbolize strength, endurance, perseverance and so much more. Have your class think more in depth about how succulents and cacti can relate to how they can grow and maintain a growth mindset all year long. Download the Free Succulent Craft Printable here! Have the class fill out everything they already know about succulents and what they want to learn on the KWL chart. Then use the circle map as a Class Collect for the students to share out what they know. This can lead your discussion as to how succulents are a great symbol for having a growth mindset.