Unit 1: Mindsets & Goals

August 24 - October 12

Lesson 1: Starting Middle School

In this lesson, students will identify challenges they might face when starting middle school and identify resources in their school where they can get help.

You Can Try This at Home

Tell your child about something that made you nervous when you started middle school. Ask what makes them nervous and who they can go to for help at school.

Lesson 2: How to Grow Your Brain

In this lesson, students will learn about the brain’s ability to grow and change when they practice challenging things. Having a growth mindset supports your child’s success in school and in life.

You Can Try This at Home

Tell your child about a time you had to learn something new. Explain whether it was hard to learn and how you learned it. Ask your child if there’s anything they would like to learn to do this year.

Lesson 3: Trying New Strategies

In this lesson, students will brainstorm different strategies they can try when they’re having trouble learning something new.

You Can Try This at Home

Tell your child about a time you needed to change your approach in order to learn something new. Ask your child to tell you about something they’re working hard to learn and how you can help.

Lesson 4: Making Goals Specific

In this lesson, students will learn how to identify and set achievable goals by making them specific.

You Can Try This at Home

Ask your child to tell you about a specific goal they’re interested in working toward and what makes it specific.

Lesson 5: Breaking Down Your Goals

In this lesson, students will practice breaking big goals down into smaller, short-term goals.

You Can Try This at Home

Think of a time you achieved a big goal, such as learning to drive or graduating from school. Tell your child about your goal and the series of smaller steps you needed to take to achieve it. Ask your child to tell you about a goal they have.

Lesson 6: Monitoring Your Progress

In this lesson, students will learn strategies for how to stay on track toward their goals. They’ll learn how to monitor their own progress, decide if they need to try new strategies, and determine when their goal is complete.

You Can Try This at Home

Ask your child about a goal they’re actively working toward. Ask them if they are encountering any roadblocks and how you can help them determine the next steps forward.

Lesson 7: Bringing It All Together

In this lesson, students will bring it all together and create an action plan to help them accomplish one of the goals they chose at the beginning of the unit.

You Can Try This at Home

Ask your child what their goal is, how they broke it down into smaller goals, and their plans for achieving it. Discuss how you can support them if things at home or in school slow them down or stand in their way and about how you can celebrate when they achieve their goal.

Bennington Public Schools

11620 N 156th Street, Bennington, NE 68007

Phone 402-238-3044| Fax

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