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Activityengage

AmericanGenius:PerseveranceHowcanfailureleadtosuccess?

OverviewStudentsinvestigatetheimportanceoffailuretotheprocessofinnovationbyinvestigatingseveralitemsthatwereinventedbyaccident.Theyshareone“failuretosuccess”storybycreatinga3-panelcomicstripposter,andthenwriteanessayinwhichtheyconnectthetraitofperseverancetosuccess.

Program

Directions1.Activatestudents’priorknowledge.

Writethetermsperseveranceandgritontheboard.Invitevolunteerstodefinethetwotermsintheirownwords.(Perseveranceisthequalitythatallowssomeonetocontinuetryingtodosomethingeventhoughitisdifficult.Gritismentaltoughnessandcourage.)Thenhavevolunteersexplainhowtheythinkthetermsarerelated.(Bothshowstrengthofcharacterinthefaceofobstacles.)Haveawhole-classdiscussionusingthepromptsbelow.Ask:

Namesomeonewhohasneverfailedatanything.Whyisthatimpossible?Thinkbacktowhenyoufirstlearnedtorideabike.Howmanyofyoufelldownwhileyouwerelearning?Didyougetbackup?Haveyouorsomeoneyouknowevermadeamistakewhilecooking,andendedupcreatinganewdishthatyoulikedjustaswell?Sharesomeofyourexperiences.Isfailurefinal?Ifyoufailatsomething,isittimetogiveup?Namesometraitsofpeoplewhoshowperseverance.

2.Introducetheactivity.

WritethefollowingquotationfromThomasEdisonontheboard:“Manyoflife'sfailuresarepeoplewhodidnotrealizehowclosetheyweretosuccesswhentheygaveup.”Placetheitemsyougatheredbeforetheactivityonatableinfrontoftheclass.Writethenamesoftheitems,aswellasthoseofinnovationsyoucouldn’tbringin,ontheboard:SillyPutty,Post-ItNotes,ScotchgardCarpetandUpholsteryProtector,Penicillin,aSlinky,aMicrowaveoven,potatochips,andSaccharinartificial

Forthecompleteactivitywithmediaresources,visit:http://education.nationalgeographic.org/activity/american-genius-perseverance/

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sweetener.Ask:Doyouknowwhatalloftheitemshaveincommon?Explainthatalloftheseitemswereinventedbyaccident,bymistake,orbecausetheinventortriedandfailedtoinventsomethingelse.Explaintostudentsthat,inthisactivity,theclasswillworkinteamstoexploreoneoftheseitems,whichwouldneverhavebeeninventedifitsdevelopershadgivenup.Studentswillinvestigatehowitwasinventedordiscoveredandwhyitservesasanidealexampleabouttheimportanceofperseveranceandgrit.Thentheywillsharethatstorywiththeclassinauniqueandcreativeway.

3.Havesmallgroupsresearchaninnovation.

Dividetheclassintopairsorgroupsofthree.DistributeacopyoftheFailuresThatSucceededworksheettoeachteamandassignorallowthemtoself-selectoneoftheitemsfromthelist.Trynottohavemorethanonegroupinvestigatethesameitem.ExplainthateachteamwillresearchtheiritemontheInternetandcompletetheFailuresThatSucceededworksheet.Whentheyhavecompletedtheirresearch,theywillcreateasimplecomicstriponapostertodisplaytotherestoftheclass.Showtheclassawoodenmatchstick(thekindsoldinboxes;notsafetymatchestornfromabook)andexplainthatthefirstfrictionmatchlikethisonewascreatedbyaccidentinthelate1820sbyEnglishchemistJohnWalker,wholikedtousethinstickstomixhisconcoctions.Onedayhefoundthathecouldn’tcleanamixtureofftheendofhisstick.Afterrubbingwithaclothhestartedscrapingthestickontheground,andsuddenly,thestickburstintoflames.JohnWalkerquicklyrealizedthathehadcreatedsomethingthatwouldchangetheworld.

4.Havesmallgroupscreateacomicstripposteroftheinnovation.

ProjecttheMatchstickComicStripexample,anddiscussthepartsofthestripthattheywillberequiredtoincludeintheirownposters.Teamsmustincludeatleastthreeandnomorethanfourframes.Aboveorbeloweachframeshouldbeashort,1–2sentencecaptionexplainingwhatisgoingonintheillustrations:

Frame1:Illustratewhattheinnovatorwastryingtodo.Includedetailstosuggestthesettinglikethelaboratoryinthisexample.Frame2:Illustratewhat“wentwrong.”Includespeechballoonsifyou’dliketoshowtheinventor’sreactions.Frame3/4:Illustratehowthismistakebecameasuccess.Thiscanbetheinventorrealizingwhatheorshehasdoneoradifferentscene,showingtheproductinuse.

Provideeachteamwithposterboardandhavethemusetheirresearchtodesigna3-4framecomicstripillustratinghowthisinnovationcametobe.Havestudentsattachtheobject(oraphotoofone)ontheposter.Displayallofthepostersaroundtheroomorintheschoolhallway.

5.Havethewholeclassdoaposterwalk.

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Havestudentswalkaroundthedisplaysandexploretheposters,learningthestoriesofthese“FailuresthatSucceeded.”Wheneveryonehashadtimetofullyexploretheposters,havestudentsvoteontheirfavoritefailure-to-successstory.

6.Debrieftheactivity.

Invitestudentstosharetheirfavorite“failuretosuccess”storiesfromtheactivity.Ask:

Whatisthemainreasonthatyouvotedforthatstory?(Possibleresponses:theylikeand/orusetheproductthemselves,theyenjoyedthestorybehindtheinvention,theywereinspiredbythewaytheinventorturnedamistakeintoasuccessorshowedperseverance,andsoon.)Howdothestorieswe’veexploredtodayhighlightwhatThomasEdisonsaidinthequotationwrittenontheboard?Whatwouldhavehappenediftheseinventorshadgivenup,orifnooneelsecamealongtoseethepossibilitiesinthemistakesthatweremade?Whatwouldtheworldbeliketodayifnobodyevermadeamistake?DoyouthinkwewouldbeenjoyingchocolatechipcookiesorMicrowaveovens?Howdothesestoriesserveasalessonfortherestofustoliveby?

7.Havestudentswriteanopinionstatementessayofatleastthreeparagraphs.Firstsharetheessayprompts:

Howcanfailuresometimespointthewaytosuccess?Isfailureacriticalpartofachievingsuccess?Doeseverysuccessstoryincludesomeonewithgritandperseverancedrivingtheexperience?Explainyourreasoningandprovideexamplestosupportit.HowdoesyouropinionrelatetotheThomasEdisonquote,“Manyoflife'sfailuresarepeoplewhodidnotrealizehowclosetheyweretosuccesswhentheygaveup”?

ProjectanddiscusstheOpinionStatementRubricsothatstudentsknowonwhatcriteriatheiressayswillbeassessed(statementofpurpose[opinion],adherencetoallthreequestionsinthewritingprompt,aswellasgeneralwritingskillslikelogicandorganization).

TipAllowstudentswithexperienceusingPhotoshop,PowerPoint,orothergraphicssoftwaretodesignandcreatetheircomicstripsonthecomputerandprintthemfortheposterwalk.

ModificationForashorteractivity,createastudysheetofthestoriesabouteachinnovationandhavestudentsfocustheireffortsoncreatingthecomicstripinsteadoftheresearch.

TipHaveolderstudentsinvestigatethevalidityoftheFailurestoSuccessstoriestheyfindonline.Somestoriesaretolddifferentlyindifferentsourcesandsomemaybeexposedasmyths.Havethemaddaparagraphtotheircomicstripsexplaininghowthestory,althoughpossiblynotauthentic,stillstands

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asamodelforperseverance.

InformalAssessmentObservestudentsduringclassdiscussionsandteamwork,andinformallyevaluatetheirfinalprojectstodetermineifthecomicstriptoldastoryoffailureleadingtosuccess.Evaluatethecomicstripona5-pointscale,reflectinghowitmettherequirementsyoudescribed:

(2points)Includes3–4frameswithcaptionsthatdescribetheillustration(3points,1foreachpartofthestory)Includeswhattheinventorwastryingtodo;whatwentwrong;howsuccesscameoutofthefailure.

UsetheOpinionStatementRubrictoassesstheopinionstatementessay.

ExtendingtheLearning(ForGrades10–12)AnotherinnovationinworldhistoryinwhichperseveranceandfailureplayedamajorrolewastheatomicbombthatwasdevelopedduringWorldWarII.Havestudentsresearchandreportonthesupposedfailuressurroundingtheinventionoftheatomicbomb.StudentsshoulduselibrariesandtheInternettofindtheirinformationaboutthestoryofthisinnovation,andprovideevidenceofthereliabilityandvalidityoftheirsources.Askstudentstoexplainwhatrolefailureplayedinthedevelopmentoftheatomicbomb.(Foryoungerstudents)“Igetknockeddown,butIgetupagain.” Researchsongsthatpromotethetraitofperseverance.Chooseonesongandanalyzethelyricsastheyarerelatedtotheworkofthescientistsandinnovatorsthatwereexploredinthisactivity.Whatmessageisthesongtryingtoconveytothelistener?

1.Refrainfrom“Tubthumping,”byChumbawumba.EMIRecords,1997.

ObjectivesSubjects&DisciplinesLanguageArts

ReadingStorytellingWriting(composition)

ScienceEngineering

SocialStudiesUnitedStateshistoryWorldhistory

LearningObjectivesStudentswill:

researchthestoryofanAmericaninnovationthatwasdevelopedordiscoveredastheresultofmistakeorfailurecreateathree-orfour-panelcomicstriptosharethestoryofthisinnovationwithothers,and

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reviewhisorherowncomicdevelopandwriteanopinionabouttheimportanceoffailuretoachievingsuccess

TeachingApproachLearning-for-use

TeachingMethodsCooperativelearningDiscussionsInformationorganizationResearchStorytellingWriting

SkillsSummaryThisactivitytargetsthefollowingskills:

21stCenturyStudentOutcomesInformation,Media,andTechnologySkills

InformationLiteracyLearningandInnovationSkills

CommunicationandCollaborationCriticalThinkingandProblemSolving

CriticalThinkingSkillsAnalyzingCreatingUnderstanding

NationalStandards,Principles,andPractices

IRA/NCTEStandardsfortheEnglishLanguageArts

•Standard7:Studentsconductresearchonissuesandinterestsbygeneratingideasandquestions,andbyposingproblems.Theygather,evaluate,andsynthesizedatafromavarietyofsources(e.g.,printandnonprinttexts,artifacts,people)tocommunicatetheirdiscoveriesinwaysthatsuittheirpurposeandaudience.

NationalCouncilforSocialStudiesCurriculumStandards

•Theme2:Time,Continuity,andChange•Theme8:Science,Technology,andSociety

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NationalStandardsforHistory

•U.S.HistoryEra10(5-12)Standard2:Economic,social,andculturaldevelopmentsincontemporaryUnitedStates•WorldHistoryEra8(5-12)Standard2:ThecausesandglobalconsequencesofWorldWarI

CommonCoreStateStandardsforEnglishLanguageArts&Literacy

•ReadingStandardsforInformationalText6-12:KeyIdeasandDetails,RI.11-12.1•ReadingStandardsforInformationalText6-12:KeyIdeasandDetails,RI.6.1•ReadingStandardsforInformationalText6-12:KeyIdeasandDetails,RI.7.1•ReadingStandardsforInformationalText6-12:KeyIdeasandDetails,RI.8.1•ReadingStandardsforInformationalText6-12:KeyIdeasandDetails,RI.9-10.1•SpeakingandListeningStandards6-12:PresentationofKnowledgeandIdeas,SL.11-12.4•SpeakingandListeningStandards6-12:PresentationofKnowledgeandIdeas,SL.6.4•SpeakingandListeningStandards6-12:PresentationofKnowledgeandIdeas,SL.7.4•SpeakingandListeningStandards6-12:PresentationofKnowledgeandIdeas,SL.8.4•SpeakingandListeningStandards6-12:PresentationofKnowledgeandIdeas,SL.9-10.4•WritingStandards6-12:TextTypesandPurposes,W.6.1•WritingStandards6-12:TextTypesandPurposes,W.7.1•WritingStandards6-12:TextTypesandPurposes,W.8.1•WritingStandards6-12:TextTypesandPurposes,W.9-10.1•WritingStandards6-12:TextTypesandPurposes,W.11-12.1

PreparationWhatYou’llNeedMaterialsYouProvide

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PaperColoredmarkersorpencilsPencilsPensPosterboard(1perteam)SomeexamplesorphotosofinnovationslikeSillyPutty,Post-ItNotes,ScotchgardCarpetandUpholsteryProtector,Penicillin,aSlinky,aMicrowaveoven,potatochips,orSaccharinartificialsweetener

RequiredTechnologyInternetAccess:RequiredTechSetup:1computerpersmallgroup,Projector

PhysicalSpaceClassroomComputerlab

GroupingLarge-groupinstructionSmall-groupwork

OtherNotesBeforeconductingtheactivity,gatheritemsorimagesofitemsincludingSillyPutty,Post-ItNotes,ScotchgardCarpetandUpholsteryProtector,Penicillin,aSlinky,aMicrowaveoven,potatochips,orSaccharinartificialsweetener.

ResourcesProvided:Handouts&WorksheetsFailuresthatSucceedOpinionStatementRubric

ResourcesProvided:ImagesMatchstickComicStrip

Background&VocabularyBackgroundInformationPerseveranceisanimportantskilltoteachstudentstoday.Inaworldofinstantgratification,wheretheInternetprovidesanswerstoallquestionsattheclickofamouse,videogamessimulatereallife,andsocialnetworkingsiteslikeFacebookandTwittertaketheplaceofinvestingtimetocreaterealrelationships,theabilitytostickwithsomethingevenwhenthegoinggetstoughseemstobedisappearing.AsSteveJobsoncesaid,“I’mconvincedthatabouthalfofwhatseparatesthesuccessfulentrepreneursfromthenon-successfulonesispureperseverance.”

Onewaytoencouragethetraitofperseveranceistoreframetheideaoffailureasiteration.Iterationisdefinedastheprocessofrepeatingataskoroperationagainandagain,eachtimecoming

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successivelyclosertoadesiredresult.Whenfailureisthoughtofasiteration,itbecomessimplyapartoftheprocess,aseriesofsetbacksandwrongturnsratherthanmistakes.Thesesetbacksbecomeacceptablebecausetheprocessfeelspurposeful—theinnovatorlearnsfromeveryoccurrence.WeneedtoencouragestudentstothinklikeThomasEdison,whosaid,“Ihavenotfailed10,000times.Ihavenotfailedonce.Ihavesucceededinprovingthatthose10,000wayswillnotwork.”

SharingthestoriesofinnovatorscelebratedintheNationalGeographicChannelseriesAmericanGeniuswillhelptomakethispoint.Thehistoryofinnovationisfilledwithstoriesofperseverance,makingthistopictheperfectopportunitytosharethevalueofgritandperseverancewithstudents.

PriorKnowledge[]RecommendedPriorActivities

None

VocabularyTerm PartofSpeech Definition

failure noun lackofsuccess.

grit noun courageousandtoughcharacter.

innovation noun somethingnew.

perseverancenoun consistenteffortdespiteanysetback.

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