SEL Read Aloud: The Magical Yet by Angela DiTerlizzi
Summary
“The Magical Yet” by Angela DiTerlizzi tells the story of a child who faces various difficulties and setbacks, like not being able to ride a bike. The child is introduced to the concept of “yet,” which is like a magical helper that reminds the child that they may not be able to do something “yet,” but with effort and determination, they can achieve their goals. It emphasizes the power of practice, learning from mistakes, and believing in oneself. It encourages children to keep trying and growing, no matter how big or small the obstacles may be.
Comprehension Questions
Six questions aligned to Bloom’s taxonomy for teacher’s to evaluate students’ comprehension
- Remembering: Can you recall a specific example from the book where the main character faces a challenge and uses the concept of “yet” to overcome it?
- Understanding: Can you explain in your own words what the term “yet” means in the context of the book?
- Applying: Imagine you are a character in the story. How would you use the concept of “yet” to overcome a challenge you face in the book?
- Analyzing: How does the author use storytelling and illustrations to convey the idea of “yet” and its transformative power?
- Evaluating: Evaluate the effectiveness of the book’s message about growth and learning. Do you think the concept of “yet” is a valuable one for children to learn? Why or why not?
- Creating: Imagine you are a character in a similar story. Create your own narrative where you encounter challenges and use the power of “yet” to overcome them. Describe the challenges and how “yet” helps you.
CASEL Discussion Questions
Five questions aligned to the CASEL competencies for teachers to foster an engaging discussion and foster social-emotional learning
- Self-Awareness: Can you identify instances in the book where the character’s self-awareness grows as they encounter and overcome challenges?
- Self-Management: Describe how the character manages their emotions and perseveres when faced with challenges.
- Social Awareness: How does the concept of “yet” relate to building positive relationships with others?
- Relationship Skills: Identify moments in the story where the character demonstrates effective communication or collaboration with others.
- Responsible Decision Making: Can you think of an example where the character weighs the pros and cons of a decision before taking action?
Design Thinking Challenge
Take students’ learning even further by incorporating the Imagineerz design thinking framework
Show how to turn failure into opportunities for growth.
Understand
- Begin by reading “The Magical Yet” by Angela DiTerlizzi, which explores the concept of perseverance and embracing challenges with a growth mindset.
- Engage in a class discussion about the emotions and experiences the main character in the book goes through when facing setbacks and how the character uses the power of “yet” to overcome them.
Ideate
- As a class or in small groups, brainstorm various scenarios or situations where students might face rejection, setbacks, or challenges in real life. These could include trying a new sport, learning a musical instrument, or tackling a difficult math problem.
- Encourage students to think creatively and come up with innovative ways to turn a failure into an opportunity for growth and improvement. Discuss the importance of a growth mindset and how it can lead to success.
Prototype
- Each student or group should select one of the scenarios from the brainstorming session. Their task is to create a visual representation (poster, comic strip, or multimedia presentation) that illustrates how someone can navigate rejection and transform it into a positive learning experience, drawing inspiration from “The Magical Yet.”
- In their designs, students should include key elements from the book, such as the idea of “yet,” the process of persevering, seeking help, collaborating, and adapting the original approach.
Test
- Students should present their prototypes to the class, explaining their thought process and the strategies used in their designs.
- Facilitate a class discussion where students analyze how the presented designs align with the themes of the book. Encourage them to discuss how the strategies demonstrated in the prototypes can be applied in real life to overcome challenges and foster growth.
- Conclude the challenge with a reflection on the importance of having a growth mindset and embracing “yet” in various aspects of life.
Read Aloud
If you appreciated getting to read this book with your class, you might also want to share this book with them!
Additional Resources
Copyright Notice
The image on this page comes from the book The Magical Yet by Angela DiTerlizzi. Copyright © 2020 by Angela Terlizzi.
