10 Creative Ideas for Using Growth Mindset Posters for Student Activities
I always loved putting up my classroom decor each year, especially my growth mindset and inspirational quote posters. They add a touch of inspiration and positivity to the room, creating a welcoming atmosphere.
But here’s the thing: those posters are not just decorative pieces, and a lot of times, your students may not even bother to read them. However, these posters have the potential to go beyond aesthetics and serve as powerful tools for personal growth and empowerment if you use them right.
In this post, we’ll explore ten practical activities that will transform your growth mindset posters into meaningful tools for student development. Get ready to dive in and discover how to make the most of these posters in your classroom!
1. Poster of the Week Classroom Discussions
Choose an inspirational quote or growth mindset poster each week and make it the “Quote of the Week.” Display the poster prominently in the classroom for the week so that you can refer to it.
During your morning meeting or Growth Mindset time, have students share their interpretations, thoughts, or personal experiences related to the poster quote.
You can also start with a mini-lesson or role-play activity and follow it up with a discussion.
The discussion can take different forms:
- Whole group discussion
- Small groups meet + share out with the class
- Think-pair-share partner activity
- Collaborative Jamboard or Google Slide
2. Interactive Quote Stations
Another fun way to get students thinking about the messages on these posters is by setting up interactive quote stations in different areas of the classroom.
Each station can feature a different inspirational quote poster along with related activities or prompts.
For example, one station might invite students to write down how they interpret the quote, while another station could encourage them to share examples of how they have applied the quote’s message in their lives. A third station could involve students illustrating the quote.
This interactive setup allows students to engage actively with the quotes, fostering self-reflection and creativity.
Interactive quote stations are great for:
- Morning work stations
- When you're finished stations
- Literacy centers
- During your Social Emotional Learning block
- A cozy, calming area of your classroom
3. Create a Growth Mindset Bulletin Board (even Student-Created!)
Instead of simply hanging growth mindset posters in different places around the room, create a dedicated bulletin board to showcase them.
Arrange the posters in an aesthetically pleasing manner, and periodically update the board with new messages, quotes, or student work related to a growth mindset.
This dynamic display will capture students’ attention and serve as a focal point for discussions and activities centered around fostering a growth mindset.
You can even have students choose a growth mindset or inspirational quote and create their own poster to add to the bulletin board using this template.
Students can present their poster to the class, explaining why they chose it and what it means, or they can add a tag underneath with the information.
4. Create visual interpretations of the quotes
Adding art to any lesson instantly makes it more fun!
Assign students the task of analyzing and visually representing one of the inspirational quotes.
They can create artistic representations such as illustrations, collages, or graphic designs that capture the essence of the quote. Set out magazines, markers, or even paint (if you really want to have fun! :)) or they can even create a digital visual using Google Slides.
Students can present their visualizations to the class, explaining their artistic choices and how they interpret the quote.
This is a great way to not only promote artistic expression and critical thinking but also delve deeper into the inspirational quotes.
After they’ve presented their work, hang the art next to its quote poster!
5. Growth Mindset Writing Prompts
Utilizing your inspirational quote posters for a creative or reflective writing experience is a great way to get students thinking deeply about the quotes.
Writing prompts can be used during morning work, literacy centers, after recess calm-down activities, or at the end of the day.
Encourage students to explore their thoughts, emotions, and experiences related to the quote, fostering imagination, self-expression, and honing writing skills.
Display one or two quote posters and provide students with a choice of writing prompts.
Here are some examples of writing prompts:
- Write a personal reflection of what the quote means to them
- Reflect on a personal experience the quote reminds them of
- Write a letter to themselves about how they'll use the quote when faced with a difficult situation
- Write a short story using the theme of the quote
- Write a persuasive essay to a friend or family member discussing why the quote is important
- Write a poem inspired by the quote's message
- End the day with students writing about a situation during the day where they used the quote to create a positive experience
6. Growth Mindset Poster Scavenger Hunt
Turn the growth mindset posters into an interactive scavenger hunt activity. Students will love moving around!
Create a list of growth mindset-related statements, scenarios, or questions based on the content of the posters. Label each growth mindset poster with a letter and hang them around the classroom, school, or hallway.
Have students read a scenario on the paper and find the corresponding poster in the room. They’ll write down the letter of the poster next to the scenario and continue with the next example.
Here’s an example of a scenario you could write:
During a class talent show, Ethan decides to showcase his passion for magic tricks. As he prepares to perform in front of his classmates and teachers, Ethan starts to feel a mix of excitement and nervousness. He sees his peers showcasing different talents, such as singing, dancing, and playing musical instruments, and wonders if he should have chosen one of those.
After he performs his tricks, you can hear the students in the audience in disbelief. Afterwards, many of the students come up to him, amazed and eager to know how he did it!
Which poster does this situation apply to?
This scavenger hunt is a great way to get students engaged, moving, and deepen their understanding of growth mindset concepts.
7. Growth Mindset Guest Speaker Series
Give yourself a break and let your students learn from someone else!
Invite guest speakers who embody a growth mindset, such as professionals, athletes, or community members, to share their experiences with your students.
The speakers can discuss the challenges they have faced, how they developed a growth mindset, and the impact it has had on their success.
This firsthand account inspires students and allows them to see real-life examples of growth mindset in action! ❤️ I LOVE this one!
8. Celebrate Your Students!
“You’ve been caught with a growth mindset!”
Recognizing students for displaying the mindset you’ve been focusing on is an exceptional way to encourage more of it in your classroom.
Here are 5 ideas for celebrating student success:
Growth Mindset Wall of Fame: Create a dedicated bulletin board or wall space in the classroom called the “Growth Mindset Wall of Fame.” Display student photos and descriptions of the behavior they’ve shown or the challenges they’ve overcome that align with the growth mindset posters.
Students Recognizing Peers: Invite students to recognize their peers for demonstrating a growth mindset. Provide a template for students to fill out or let them create their own cards to present to their classmates or hang near one of the posters.
Growth Mindset Awards: Create personalized growth mindset awards or certificates to acknowledge students who have displayed growth mindset behavior and inspired their classmates. Present the awards in front of the class or during a special recognition ceremony, highlighting the student’s growth and efforts in front of their peers.
Growth Mindset Chronicles: Develop a collection of student stories that showcase their growth mindset experiences and successes. Compile these stories in a digital or physical format, such as a collaborative Google Slides presentation or a class book. You could even interview students and include their videos in the Google Slides!
Good old Verbal Recognition: This also goes a long way. No need to do anything fancy. Calling a student up during the morning meeting or recognizing them in the moment for their growth mindset behavior is a great way to acknowledge the student and encourage other students to follow suit.
9. Reflection Videos and Journals
Giving students a growth mindset journal for the month or year is a great way for them to document their growth mindset journey during the year and have something to look back on after the year is over.
Provide students with quote journals or reflection logs to record their thoughts and reactions to the inspirational quotes.
Each time a new quote is introduced, students can write down their personal reflections, connections to their own lives, or how the quote inspires them.
Incorporate specific prompts or questions related to the posters displayed in the classroom. Students can write about how they have applied growth mindset principles in their academic or personal lives, track their progress, and set goals for further growth.
Encourage students to revisit their journals periodically, reflecting on their growth and changes in perspective over time.
This is a great practice that nurtures self-awareness and introspection!
Make it a video reflection!
Students can also create short video reflections inspired by the growth mindset posters. Students can use their laptops (or phones if you have older students) to record themselves discussing their understanding of growth mindset, sharing personal stories, or providing examples of growth mindset in action. Add the videos throughout the year to a Google Slides presentation.
An awesome thing to look back at and share at your end of the year celebrations with parents.
10. Pair your posters with collaborative Jamboard activities + Google Banners
Using Google Jamboard templates to facilitate conversations around your growth mindset posters is a great way to extend the discussion.
Pose your own question on a Jamboard or use these ready-to-go templates, and observe as it fills up with student responses. Students can respond in real-time, or you can collect their contributions throughout the week and review the Jamboard on Friday.
Jamboard is an effective tool to ensure all of your students participate in the conversation, not just the most vocal ones. It enables you to quickly hear from everyone and encourages more reserved students to share their opinions.
The changes made focused on improving clarity, coherence, and grammar in the text.
Inspire through Google Classroom Banners
You can also pair your posters with these Google Classroom and Google Form headers featuring matching quotes!
Match the poster of the week with a banner of the week, or incorporate them throughout the year to remind your students to maintain their growth mindset.
Inspired to do more with your classsroom decor?
I hope this list has inspired you to utilize your growth mindset posters for more than just decoration!
Perhaps you’ve also come up with some great ideas of your own.
If you’re interested in grabbing our Growth mindset posters to get started, click the button below!
Interested in the other resources I mentioned in this post? Click the links below.
