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Growth mindset is such an important topic and you can help your students cultivate this mindset starting from the very beginning of the school year.
I love back-to-school read-alouds because they ease students into the classroom. They can also be great to spark conversations over SEL topics such as Growth Mindset. A great read-aloud book for that is “The Magical Yet” by Lorena Alvarez. Apart from this amazing book, you can check out my posts on 3 Activities To Introduce Growth Mindset for more ideas.
When I say this book is BEAUTIFUL, I am not kidding. This is one of the books that personally I cannot wait to read with my daughter.
Let’s dive in!
Table Of Contents:
- The Magical Yet Days Overview
- Back to School Read Alouds Lesson Plan
- Save For Later
- Lesson Plan Summary & Graphic
The Magical Yet Overview
“The Magical Yet” provides a vibrant, imaginative exploration of the power and potential of the word “yet.” The story portrays a little girl grappling with learning a new skill, feeling disheartened until she meets the Magical Yet. This encouraging entity helps her realize that while she might not have mastered the skill immediately, she hasn’t done it “yet.”
Alvarez’s beautifully illustrated narrative offers a valuable lesson about the power of perseverance, patience, and the importance of a growth mindset. It reminds students that learning is a journey and that they can achieve their goals, given time and practice.
Back To School Read Aloud Lesson Plan: Growth Mindset
Objective: Students will understand the concept of a growth mindset and how to use the power of yet to cultivate this mindset themselves.
Pre-Reading
Show students the book’s cover. Facilitate a discussion about what they think the book might be about, based on the cover and title.
Initiate a discussion about the concept of a “growth mindset.” You can start a KWL chart to assess what your students know and what to know about Growth Mindset then add to it throughout the read-aloud.
Questions To Ask:
- What does “growth mindset” mean?
- Was there a time when things were hard, and you gave up?
- Was there also a time when things were hard, and you didn’t give up?
During Reading
Pause at the page where the Magical Yet is introduced. Ask students to predict how the Magical Yet might help the main character.
Questions To Ask:
- Have you ever felt like the character does?
- How does it feel when something is hard to do?
- What do you think the Magical Yet represents?
Post Reading
Ask students to reflect on how the character’s mindset changes throughout the book. Discuss how they can apply the lessons learned from the book to their own lives.
Questions To Ask:
- How did the Magical Yet help the main character?
- What can we learn from her journey?
- How can you apply the “power of yet” in your own life?
If you have started a KWL chart, go back and look at the questions in the W, were any of the questions answered? Ask students what they have learned about Growth Mindset in this book and add them to the L column.
Activity: Create Your Own Magical Yet
In this activity, students imagine themselves as superheroes facing a bad day. They have to identify the potential negative reaction, what they could do, and then positive alternatives, what they would do instead.
Materials Needed:
- Paper of The Magical Yet Pennant
- Pencils, Markers, Colored Pencils, Crayons
- Scissors
Instructions:
- Ask students to imagine if they have a Magical Yet, what would their Magical Yet look like.
- Tell students that they will create and draw their Magical Yet today so when they encounter challenges in the future, they know that their Magical Yet is by their side.
- Give students the Paper or the Magical Yet Pennant.
- Students draw their interpretation of their Magical Yet.
- You can also instruct students to write down speech bubbles of what their Magical Yet might say to them when they encounter a challenge.
- Share some of these Magical Yets as a class, fostering an environment of mutual encouragement and resilience.
- Continue to refer back to the “Magical Yet” throughout the school year.
Optional:
Students then write a statement about how their Magical Yet can help them conquer this challenge.
If you love Social Emotional Learning and want to implement it throughout the school year, grab a FREE 1 month of SEL Daily Morning Meeting here.
Check Out Rainbow Mindfulness Books and More!
Save It For Later
Pin this Blog Post or the Back To School Read Aloud Lesson Plan below for later use!
Check Out More Back To School Read Alouds here:
- Back To School Read Alouds: Book #1 – The Circles All Around Us (Class Community)
- Back To School Read Alouds: Book #2 – Kindness Snippet Jar (Kindness)
- Back To School Read Alouds: Book #3 – Even Superheroes Have Bad Days (Self-Regulation)
- Back To School Read Alouds: Book #4 – I Walk With Vanessa (Anti-Bullying)
The Magical Yet Read Aloud Lesson Plan:
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With its vibrant illustrations and meaningful message, “The Magical Yet” provides an opportunity to instill a growth mindset in your students.
I hope that you read the “The Magical Yet” this school year! I would love to see your students’ magical yet creation, so don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @LittleYellowStarTeaches. And go show @angeladiterlizzi and @artichoke_kid for such a beautiful book they created.
Here’s to a school year full of learning, growth, and resilience!
Bye for now,
Prima from LittleYellowStar
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Other Blog Posts That You Might Enjoy:
- How To Create A Calm Down Corner In The Classroom
- 11 Classroom Essential First Year Teacher Must Haves That Won’t Break The Bank
- Meaningful And Fun Back To School Activity: Create A Classroom Wreath!
