Final Project: Famous Failures

Lesson Objective: Students will choose and research a famous person who has had to
overcome a major challenge/failure. Students will have a choice to present to the class their
research in the form of a written report, poster, or PowerPoint/Sway.

Utah Core Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.2A-E
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information
clearly.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.4
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate
to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in
standards 1-3 above.)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.7
Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different aspects
of a topic.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.8
Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and
digital sources; take notes and categorize information, and provide a list of sources.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.9
Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.4
Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience in an organized manner, using
appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak
clearly at an understandable pace.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.5
Add audio recordings and visual displays to presentations when appropriate to enhance the
development of main ideas or themes.

Essential Questions:
1. How can I apply my knowledge of growth mindset to analyze another person’s failures
and successes?
2. How can researching and analyzing another person’s failure help me synthesize my
understandings of growth mindset?
3. How can I effectively present my research?

Enduring Understandings:
1. Students will be able to apply their knowledge of growth mindset to analyze another
person’s mindset.
2. Students will be able to use research and analyzation of another person’s mindset to
synthesize their understandings of growth mindset.
3. Students will be able to effectively present their research to the class.
Materials: “Famous Failures” YouTube video, research graphic organizer, research project
rubric, computer, document camera

Approximate length of time:

Phase I:
• Show the “Famous Failures” YouTube video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLYECIjmnQs
• Go over essential questions and enduring understandings with students.
• Inform students this is their final project for the growth mindset unit. They will choose a
famous person on whom to research and create a final project. They will have the
choice to write a 5-paragraph report, create a poster, or create a PowerPoint or Sway.
They will present their projects in front of the class.

Phase II:
• Project research graphic organizer on the doc cam.
• Go over the entire graphic organizer
• Demonstrate how to research a person online. Be sure to discuss internet safety and
protocol. Can we believe everything we read on the internet? Let students know they
must ok any websites with the teacher.
• Go over the final project rubric.
• Answer questions.
• Pass out graphic organizer and rubric.
• While students work on their journals and/or incomplete work, call students back to
sign up for a famous person.

Phase III:
• Students research their famous person and complete final projects.

Assessment:
• Final presentation

Accommodations:
• Alternative graphic organizer and presentation rubric for students who need extra
support (see 2nd graphic organizer and cut out for Amelia Earhart).