Lesson Plan - Ready, Set, Fail!

Watch a Slideshow

Watch the slideshow to enjoy a digital tour of the Museum of Failure. Afterward, discuss: Which item displayed in the museum did you find most interesting? Why? Why did it fail? 

Preview Words to Know

Project the online vocabulary slideshow and introduce the Words to Know.

• perseverance
• reassurance

Set a Purpose for Reading

As students read, have them think of a time they failed at something and how that experience might have helped them.

1. What are the main ideas of the section “Everybody Fails”? 
This section is mainly about the goals of the Museum of Failure. The museum was created to show that making mistakes isn’t all that bad and that you can fail at something and still be successful.
^{(RI.4.2 Main Idea)}

2. Why did Samuel West include the Nintendo Power Glove in his Museum of Failure? Cite evidence from the text to support your response. 
Samuel West included the Power Glove in his museum because the glove is an example of a failed product that inspired a successful one. The glove let players use hand gestures to move characters on-screen. But as the article states, “. . . the Power Glove was a flop.” The glove led to the creation of the Wii, however.
^{(RI.4.1 Text Evidence)}

3. Why does the author include the sidebar, “Train Your Brain”? 
The author includes this sidebar to help students stay positive when dealing with failure. The sidebar suggests ways of changing your thinking.
^{(RI.4.7 Text Features)}

Featured Skill: Social and Life Skills

Continue your exploration of the value of failure with the skill builder “Read and Reflect.” Have students choose one quote to respond to and apply to their own lives.

^{(W.4.9 Reflective Writing)}