Institute for Learning
The Art of Failure (Grades 8-9)
The Art of Failure (Grades 8-9)
Couldn't load pickup availability
- Two informational texts
- 2-3 weeks instruction
- Explanation writing
What is this unit about?
In this unit, students read two texts: “Lolo’s No Choke” by Sean Gregory and “The Art of Failure” by Malcolm Gladwell. Both Gregory and Gladwell explore what it means to fail, specifically, the mental processes that lead to failure. They do this by drawing conclusions from narrative stories and by discussing research in cognitive science that looks specifically at what happens in the brain when a person chokes.
In “Lolo’s No Choke,” Gregory uses the story of Lolo Jones, an Olympic athlete, as the cornerstone for examining what it means to choke as an athlete. He supports his analysis of Lolo’s failure with research done by cognitive scientists who work closely with athletes to determine the mental processes that happen in the brains of elite athletes. In “The Art of Failure,” Gladwell discusses the difference between choking and panicking. Gladwell anchors his ideas in narrative cases and research. Together, these two articles lead students to think about what it means to choke and how choking might be prevented in high-pressure situations.
What content and concepts will students learn?
Students will learn about:
- why elite athletes and those who are considered experts sometimes fail.
- the different types of failures.
- different ways to overcome the possibility of failure.
- how narratives and research work together to convey information to the reader.
What practices will students use?
Students are supported to develop practices and habits such as how to:
- work from moments and ideas within one text and across two texts to develop text-based interpretations and draw conclusions.
- comprehend, analyze, and interpret long and complex informational texts with assistance and independently.
- read, reread, annotate, and summarize sections of texts and texts in their entirety as a means to enhance comprehension.
- participate in routines such as maintaining a Reader/Writer Notebook, completing quick writes, sharing in pairs/trios, and participating in whole group discussions.
How long will it take to engage students in the unit?
This unit spans approximately 15-17 instructional days, assuming a 45 to 60 minute class session. The tasks in the unit are designed to be implemented sequentially in order to support students to achieve the instructional goals. As such, the pacing of the lessons will depend on the time students need to achieve these goals.


