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Bubble Gum Brain Book Review and Activities

It is heartbreaking to hear how hard students are on themselves. Sadly, they do not do this based on natural instincts. They see it happen to others and pick up on it. Or, they hear they need to be better and do better. Due to this, students are often fearful of trying something new because they do not think they will be good enough. This is exactly why teachers work so hard to instill a growth mindset in students. They want to encourage and inspire students to be open to trying new things and understand mistakes are part of the learning process. Thankfully, the Bubble Gum Brain book review & activities show students the importance of living life to the fullest. Honestly, the Bubble Gum Brain read aloud will be one students remember for years to come!

bubble gum brain read aloud

Bubble Gum Brain 

Author Julia Cook and illustrator Allison Valentine show students how their lives are open to so many possibilities! 

Many times, students are either fearful or fearless. This means that they will either try anything or avoid everything for fear of making mistakes. Students will see these two sides with Bubble Gum Brain and Brick Brain. 

Bubble Gum Brain likes to consider new ideas to stretch her brain. She feels making mistakes is part of the learning process. However, Brick Brain is very much the opposite. He thinks everything is just how it is and nothing will change. Honestly, the mindsets of these two could not be any more different. 

Students will love to see how Bubble Gum Brain helps Brick Brain loosen up and realize how fun life is- mistakes and all! After all, becoming is better than being! 

Book Activities 

Sometimes, students can just listen to a book and enjoy it as a read aloud. However, other times they need to reflect on the story to understand the important message. This is absolutely the case with the Bubble Gum Brain read aloud. 

literature unit

 

Bubble Gum Brain Literature Unit 

This is the perfect unit to install perseverance and a growth mindset in students! It includes so many activities to help readers realize the difference between a bubble gum brain and a brick brain. Students will reflect on these differences through writing prompts and reframing brick brain comments. Additionally, there is a newspaper template and a hot air balloon craftivity to show students the importance of never giving up. There are even quote banner templates to provide students with positive thoughts throughout the day. 

Brain Bag 

Students may not realize how often they overcome their fears to try something new. This includes everything from riding a bike to baking a new recipe. Thankfully, the Bubble Gum Brain read aloud is the perfect time to reflect. Students can think back to situations where they tried something new and overcame their fears. They can bring a small item to represent the skill or a picture. Depending on the age, this activity could also be a great way to build school-to-home connections. Students can then share all of their hard work with the class!

Growth Mindset Goal 

It is hard to step outside our comfort area! For children, this can be something they have never tried before. Therefore, they must have support and guidance from caring adults. This is why helping students with a growth mindset goal is an incredible way to help them peel off their bubble gum wrapper! By discussing hopes and dreams, teachers can help students set a goal and action plan to work towards it. Just be sure that students know their goals do not just have to be on academics. They could learn to play an instrument, learn a new gymnastic move, or try a new activity!

read aloud activities

Bubble Gum Brain versus Brick Brain Sort 

Students may not know if they have a bubble gum brain or a brick brain. Honestly, a growth mindset may be entirely new for them. They may struggle to understand what it means to work on “becoming” instead of “being.” To help students grasp this, allow them to complete a brain sort. They will receive cards with different situations. This may be something like “Learning how to play the violin.” Or, it could be something like “Not riding the roller coaster due to a fear of heights.” Examples can even come out of the Bubble Gum Brain read aloud. Then, students can form two piles. One represents having a bubble gum brain, and one represents having a brick brain. 

After sorting, allow classmates to discuss how a growth mindset will allow a brick brain to shift perspectives. Honestly, it is neat to hear how students overcome their fear of making mistakes.  

Students will face enough pressure and stress throughout life. Thankfully, the  Bubble Gum Brain read aloud shows students that mistakes are okay and to never give up on dreams. While there is so much content to get through each year, the Bubble Gum Brain book review & activities are imperative. Ultimately, students see that while learning new things may be challenging, every minute of hard work is worth it.

If you do not want to miss any of the upcoming lessons, join my email list to be notified of all the interactive lessons coming up! By joining the email list, you will also receive FREE Growth Mindset Activities for blog exclusive subscribers! 


bubble gum brain read aloud

I am Kirsten Tulsian, an elementary educator with 18 years of experience as a teacher and counselor. My passion lies in empowering students to discover their inherent brilliance through the use of engaging, rigorous, and meaningful activities. I look forward to connecting with you!

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