LEARNING OBJECTIVE

To recognize the importance of failure and understand the concept of grit

HEALTH ED STANDARD

Demonstrate the ability to use goal-setting skills to enhance health (NHES 4)

KEY VOCAB

counterintuitive, inevitable, mind-set, deep-seated, grit, perseverance, visionaries, taboo, derailed, pivot

Lesson Plan: League of Extraordinary Losers

In our status-obsessed culture, students often view failure as a major flaw, rather than an opportunity for learning. This feature teaches about the power of grit and perseverance.

ESSENTIAL QUESTION

How can failure help me achieve my goals?

 CLOSE-READING QUESTIONS

  1. What is a gold-star culture? It is a culture where a very limited definition of achievement is rewarded over and over again. 
  2. How can social media contribute to perfectionism? Everyone is posting the most fabulous moments of their lives without any of the backstories, so you feel pressure to live up to unrealistic standards. 
  3. Why is grit the most important factor when it comes to lifelong success? What matters most is learning from your mistakes and having the desire to keep trying until you get it right. 
  4. What are the four steps of failing up? The four steps are: sit with your feelings, reflect on the factors that led to the outcome, set a goal to tackle your next steps, and act.

Like What You See?

Then you'll love Choices, our health, social-emotional learning, and life-skills magazine for grades 7–12 

 CRITICAL-THINKING QUESTIONS

  1. Out of all the famous fails mentioned in the article, which one are you most surprised or inspired by? Why? Answers will vary. 
  2. What’s something that you do just because it’s the safe option? What would you like to try instead? Possible answers: Playing an instrument that you’ve always played when you want to learn another one, or staying in the same level class when you want to try an AP course. 
  3. Why do you think the tech industry has embraced the idea of failure? Possible answer: The tech industry is all about innovation and creativity. In order to come up with ideas that are new and different, they have to be willing to take risks to see what might work.

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES

DIGGING DEEPER

NHES 3, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.7

In the article, there are several examples of successful people who have failed. Now, students will learn that setbacks are part of the process for just about everyone. Using the FAMOUS FAILS RESEARCH GUIDE, they’ll pick a public figure and research the roadblocks they encountered—and how those led to even greater success later on. Check out our Failure Résumés for inspiration!

WRITE AND REFLECT

NHES 4

Tech leaders gather for conferences called FailCons, where they share their failures and discuss what they’ve learned in the process. Students will use the FAILURE REFLECTION handout to prepare for their own FailCon. After writing about a failure, they’ll take a risk by sharing their experience with the class and discussing how they’ve grown since.

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