Use the excerpt to answer the question.

Did you know your brain changes and grows as you learn new things? Like a muscle, your brain gets stronger the more you use it. Your brain’s amazing ability to adapt is called neuroplasticity.

The “neuro” in “neuroplasticity” relates to neurons. Neurons are nerve cells. They are the building blocks of the brain and nervous system. They interpret information that comes from the outside world. They also send signals to other neurons. When neurons in your brain are activated in a certain pattern, the connections between those neurons get stronger. As a result, it becomes easier for your brain to activate the same pattern in the future. In other words, every time you do a task, like throwing a ball, your brain remembers it. Next time, the task will be a little easier.

Strengthening our neural connections doesn’t just happen when we do something correctly. It also happens when we make mistakes! Neurons in your brain register when you make a mistake, and your brain rewires itself to improve next time. Every time we make a mistake, we are strengthening our brain’s neural pathways.

Brain science shows us that if we aren’t afraid to make mistakes, we can improve and accomplish difficult things. Having a growth mindset can help us do that. A growth mindset is the belief that mistakes are not failures, but instead are opportunities for growth. And it’s true! Even when you make mistakes doing a challenging task, you are expanding your brain’s capabilities. And as you try different ways to accomplish something, you are learning and building your brain’s connections! (ReadWorks)

In a short paragraph, summarize and explain the evidence that the author uses to support the idea that mistakes can be valuable for learning. (2-3 sentences)

The author supports the idea that mistakes can be valuable for learning by explaining the concept of neuroplasticity. They explain that when neurons in the brain register a mistake, the brain rewires itself to improve next time. This means that making a mistake actually strengthens the brain's neural pathways and allows for growth and improvement.

The author uses the concept of neuroplasticity and the strengthening of neural connections to explain how mistakes can be valuable for learning. When we make a mistake, neurons in our brain register it and our brain rewires itself to improve next time. By trying different ways to accomplish something, we are learning and building our brain's connections, which ultimately leads to growth and improvement.

The author supports the idea that mistakes can be valuable for learning by explaining how neurons in the brain register mistakes and how the brain rewires itself to improve next time. When a mistake is made, the connections between neurons in the brain get stronger, making it easier for the brain to activate the correct pattern in the future. This evidence shows that making mistakes can actually strengthen the brain's neural pathways and help improve learning and performance.