The Most Magnificent Thing is a powerful story about a young girl who has a brilliant idea—but quickly discovers that turning an idea into reality takes patience, perseverance, and many attempts. Through humor and relatable frustration, the book shows students that mistakes and setbacks are part of learning. It’s a perfect read-aloud for sparking conversations about growth mindset, problem-solving, and sticking with a goal when things don’t go as planned.

Goal/ Barrier/ Strategy

In this activity, students will identify a personal goal, think about the barriers that might get in the way, and choose strategies to help them move forward. As a class, model the process by identifying the main character’s goal, the barriers she faces, and the strategies she uses to overcome them. Help students understand that reaching a goal often requires trying more than one strategy and overcoming multiple barriers—and that while students may share similar goals, the barriers they face can be very different.

A Time I Tried and It DIdn't Work . . . (Yet)

After reading The Most Magnificent Thing, invite students to quietly think about a time they tried something and it didn’t work the way they hoped. Explain that everyone experiences setbacks and that these moments can teach us important lessons. Ask students to complete the provided writing page by describing what they were trying to do, what went wrong, how it made them feel, and what they did, or could do, to try again. Remind students that their writing is personal and will only be shared if they choose, and emphasize that people may face different challenges even when working toward similar goals.

Compare and Contrast

Ask students to think about the character traits of the main character and reflect on their own traits. Using the Venn diagram, students will compare and contrast how they are similar to the main character and how they are different. Encourage students to support their thinking with examples from the story and from their own experiences.

My Hard Work Story

Invite students to reflect on something they have worked really hard to achieve. Using this writing paper or their journal, ask them to describe what they were trying to do, the challenges they faced along the way, and what helped them keep going. Encourage students to include details about their effort, feelings, and persistence, and remind them that hard work often includes mistakes, retries, and growth.