Lesson Plan

Practicing Active Open-Mindedness

Grade Level: 6-12

Length: 45-60 minutes

DE Domain: VAR

  • Students identify specific ways to practice active open-mindedness.

Active Open-Mindedness is the practice of seeking new evidence that deepens, refines, or recalibrates our beliefs. It’s a willingness to question our first assumptions and accept that initial judgments may be flawed, or limited by incomplete information. This activity has students evaluate the ways that they and their classmates demonstrate active open-mindedness, and reflect on ways to improve their practice.

VAR.3 Recognize, practice, and demonstrate active open-mindedness.

SOURCE: Metz, S. E., Baelen, R. N., & Yu, A. (2020, August). Actively open-minded thinking in American adolescents. Review of Education, 8(3), 768–799. https://bera-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/20496613/2020/8/3

Lesson:

Give your students this worksheet to reflect on their thoughts and actions when confronted with new ideas or different ways of thinking.

When they’re finished, introduce the concept of Active Open-Mindedness, and ask for examples of what it might look like to practice this on a day-to-day basis.

After you’ve introduced the concept, give the students this worksheet to reflect on their classmates’ actions when confronted with new ideas. Give them time to discuss their responses in small groups.

Suggested Discussion Questions:

  • What similarities and differences do you notice between your thoughts and your actions?
  • What do your responses tell you about your own practice of Active Open-Mindedness?
  • Compare your responses about your classmates. What similarities and differences do you notice?
  • Are there differences in how you see yourself and how you see your classmates? Why? How do you think your classmates see you?
  • How might our class discussions feel different if we all practices Active Open-Mindedness? What would change?

Differentiation:

If you split the lesson into multiple days, you could collect student responses and present aggregated data to the class (either from the first worksheet, the second, or both).

Optional extensions:

After students have had a chance to discuss their survey responses in small groups, you could give them time to reflect on their own with this writing prompt:

Active Open-Mindedness can be a challenging mindset to maintain. Think about a time when you realized you made a judgment or assumption that was inaccurate. What happened? What information made you change your mind? What was your immediate response when you realized you’d be wrong? Why is it important to practice Active Open-Mindedness?

You could also use this as an opportunity to write norms or commitments to guide class discussion.

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