So excited to finally have this whole class Grit and Growth Mindset activity available for you! Essentially this project is a mural that is created in pieces by students in your class. Students have no idea what the end result or picture will be and instead are asked to focus on their small tile and to recreate the image assigned to them with as much accuracy as they can.
I’ve included two options for the mural. Based on which tile you have students recreate their assigned design will result in either a 3 x 3 ft mural, or a 5 x 5ft mural! One of the wonderful details about this project is that up to 64 students can be involved in this project. You are also able to easily differentiate with the tiles because the designs on the tile vary from all levels of difficulty.
If you do not have 64 students, simply have students complete more than one, with the varying levels of design and complexity you could simply layout the tiles and let students pick their own, once they have completed their first until all of the tiles are finished.
Why I Love This Project
Any lesson that includes a little mystery immediately means ENGAGEMENT. Your students will be excited and interested in the sheer unknown factor. This project leads to MEANINGFUL discussion. I’ve included a poster and discussion questions to guide the discussion. This is a great lesson to use when introducing setting goals. This project illustrates why it’s important to set small attainable goals in order to achieve their big goals or dreams. It’s also wonderful for talking about teamwork, and unity in the classroom.
You could use this as a morning meeting, at the beginning of the school year, with new year resolutions or at the start of a new term or semester! I love that at the end of this project you are left with a mural that can be used as a classroom display or bulletin board that MEANS something to your class. You can refer to it throughout the year when students come across a tough concept that feels like an “elephant”. Remind them of the power in taking it one small bite at a time.
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If you use this in your classroom, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE share images and connect with me on Instagram or Facebook in our private group. There is nothing that makes projects like this quite as meaningful to me as seeing them in your classroom!
Don’t forget to check out my NITTY GRITTY Classroom Challenges!
Learn the Nitty Gritty about these Best-Selling Grit & Growth Mindset Challenges:
If you plan to use these challenges throughout the school year, purchasing the bundle is your best choice and gives you the best value. This product includes access to over 60 pages and 35 DIGITAL and Printable Activities. You can also purchase the challenges individually, see descriptions for more information.
Click Here to Purchase the BUNDLE: All of the following paid activities are included
The Nitty Gritty
1. The Nitty Gritty Triangle Challenge: (Digital & Printable)
Click Here to Purchase The Nitty Gritty Triangle Activity 1:
Students will complete the Magic Math Triangle, where all digits along the perimeter of the triangle must add up to the given magic sum. There are two triangles with 4 possible magic sums totaling 8 activities! There is a signature section where you can require the student to get a signature from you, a classmate, or their own before moving on. ANSWER KEY is included! Take each challenge a step further and see if the students can find multiple solutions per magic number Triangle. Great for critical and higher-level thinking. This activity requires a minimum of 20 minutes per triangle. By no means will a student finish all 4 triangle challenges, unless you stretch the challenges out.
2. The Nitty Gritty Tangle Challenge: (Printable)
Click Here to Purchase The Nitty Gritty Tangle Activity 2
The Nitty Gritty Tangle is a great way to challenge younger students or start off on a lighter note. Don’t be fooled. These mazes are not for the faint of heart. There are a total of 7 mazes that are scaffolded to build confidence, while still facilitating a challenge.
3. The Nitty Gritty Puzzler Challenge: (Digital & Printable)
Click Here to Purchase The Nitty Gritty Puzzler Activity 3
The Puzzler, is named appropriately. This challenge includes 4 different puzzles and trust me, your students will struggle to complete them. Remember these activities are intended to cause frustration, disappointment, in order to better explain Grit and Growth Mindset. These puzzles are fun and will cause excitement and strain as students work to solve them. Two of the puzzles allow students to actually cut out the pieces to be manipulated. Great for that kinesthetic experience! Another however strictly requires only mental computation, this component truly causes a strain.
4. The Nitty Gritty Confuzzler Challenge: (Digital & Printable)
The Nitty Gritty Confuzzler Activity 4
The Confuzzler is SO fun and SO hard. I guarantee failure on this one. The best part is the answers are right in front of you and they become SO obvious once you finally know it! The Confuzzler includes 4 different types of word puzzles made up of: Rebuses, (Rebus), anagrams, pangrams, brainteasers, matchstick, logic puzzles and more! Give these time to marinate. The worst thing you can do is give the answers too quickly. In fact, you could try your hand at these along with the students!
5. The Nitty Gritty Scribbler Challenge: (Printable )
One of these activities will work as a digital product, however, it works best as a printable 😀
The Nitty Gritty Scribbler Activity 5
The Nitty Gritty Scribbler includes over 28 pages such as:
- Tricky Triple Diamond Sketch Puzzle
- Impossible Envelope Brain Teaser Sketch Puzzle
- Scattered Grid Puzzle Page
- Distorted Grid Drawing Pages
- Symmetry Drawing Pages
- Grid Method Drawing Pages
- Extreme Dot to Dot
- Grit Detailed Coloring Pages
- Growth Mindset Coloring Pages
- + MORE
The Following activities are Free Activities or include a Free Sample
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6. The Nitty Gritty Thingamajig Challenge: FREE To Members of On Lemon Lane
The Nitty Gritty Thingamajig is a fun bunch of challenges with a more kinesthetic vibe! From folding origami to solving the Impossible Paper Trick! I’ve also included links to videos of my other favorite paper puzzles and tricks that all require a few supplies to complete, all of which can be found around the classroom! As an added bonus, the Nitty Gritty Thingamajig also includes intricate coloring pages that you or your students can edit the Growth Mindset Quote the print and color!
ALL OF THIS is available FREE to you!
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Click Here to Download The Nitty Gritty Thingamagig Challenge
7. The Nitty Gritty Bewilderer Activity 7: FREE SAMPLE available To Members of On Lemon Lane (Digital & Printable)
Ancient Chinese Legend tells of a turtle with a curious pattern found on his shell. It wasn’t until someone looked closer that they realized the pattern was in fact a magic square! A magic square is filled with consecutive numbers in a way that the sum of each row, column, and diagonal all add up to the same number. Founding Father, Benjamin Franklin without the help of a calculator, even created a 16 x 16 magic square over 200 years ago! He is quoted saying, “[it] is the most magically magical of any magic square ever made by any magician.” The Nitty Gritty Bewilderer allows students to dive deep into these magical shapes all while practicing Grit and developing a Growth Mindset! This Activity includes both DIGITAL and Printable activities!
Click Here to Purchase the Full Version of the Nitty Gritty Bewilderer
As discussed previously, I’ve created a free sample of this challenge for you and your class! The Free Sample is made up of two challenges based on the 3 x 3 Magic Square. This puzzle can be assigned as either a digital or printable! Click on the link below to check out the FREE Sample of the Nitty Gritty Bewilderer Challenge #7
Click Here to have this FREE Sample sent straight to your inbox!
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