Lesson 4: I Learn from Failure

What is FAILURE?  No one likes to fail.  When we fail, does it mean . . .
 

• We are not smart? 

• We are not good at certain skills?

• Should we just give up? 

• Could failure ever be a good thing? 

Let's look at ways some children have experienced failure . . . 

Do you think inventors experience failure?  Let's look at some ways these inventors have used failure to help them Fail Forward:

Meet James Dyson holding his invention of the Dyson vacuum cleaner.  It took him 5,126 attempts to make a vacuum that did not use bags.  Each time Dyson failed, he learned something to help him to get closer to a working vacuum.  Inventors learn from failures and make adjustments.

In the late 1960s, a 3M researcher accidentally created a very weak glue when he meant to make a strong one. The eureka moment didn’t come until 1974 when Arthur Fry, another 3M scientist, was looking at his hymnal book and wishing he had a bookmark that would attach to the page, but not leave any stickiness behind.  Ta-da!  This weak glue was put to a new purpose and is used by many people today!  Sometimes inventors failures lead to a new and unexpected invention!

If we are afraid to make mistakes, then we will never really create anything new or exciting.  Our world needs risk-takers who are brave enough to . . . 

Let's look at the main character in The Most Magnificent Thing.  Can you relate to the struggles and frustrations she has?  

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It is good to have a plan when you face something that is hard for you.  We are will have challenges throughout our entire lives!  Draw or write about things you can do when you feel you are about to lose it!  You will feel better and be able to look at the challenge in a positive way just like our main character did in The Most Magnificent Thing.

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