The Most Magnificent Thing Activities and Comprehension Questions
Do your students struggle with perseverance and a growth mindset? Read on to find The Most Magnificent Thing activities and comprehension questions to promote resilience, adaptability and persevering through challenging situations.
The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires is about creating amazing things and understanding that mistakes will be made along the way. It also shows how to regulate emotions to keep persevering through challenging situations. You can use the book with your students to promote:
The Most Magnificent Thing Synopsis
A girl and her best friend in the whole wide world do all kinds of things together. “They race. They eat. They explore. They relax. She makes things. He unmakes things.”
The girl, and her canine assistant glue, adjust, examine, stare, tweak, fasten, fix, straighten and study to create the most magnificent thing. “They are shocked to discover that the thing isn’t magnificent. Or good. It isn’t even kind-of-sort-of-okay. It is all WRONG. The girl tosses it aside and gives it another go.”
Her enthusiasm and confidence subside until she gets mad and quits! She walks her assistant and “bit by bit, the mad gets pushed out of her head” and inspiration hits her.
She starts construction of the magnificent thing on the sidewalk where neighbours, climbing over her discarded attempts, discover they can use them for themselves.
The girl and her dog finish their design and “climb aboard and take it for a spin. They are not disappointed. It really is THE MOST MAGNIFICENT THING.”
Scroll down for The Most Magnificent Thing activities, discussion questions and videos.
Illustrator: Ashley Spires
Take a look inside
Ashely Spires Official Website
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- Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty
- What to Do with an Idea? by Kobi Yamada
- Beautiful Oops! by Barney Saltzberg
- The Invisible Boy by Tracy Ludwig
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- Journey by Aaron Becker
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The Most Magnificent Thing Activities & Resources
I have created a bundle of literacy graphic organizers for The Most Magnificent Thing. You can find them at my Teachers Pay Teachers store. There are many activities for each literacy area to differentiate depending on your student’s ability/age.
In the classroom, you can use the book to teach different reading strategies, including:
*Click on these links to discover book recommendations on these topics.
External The Most Magnificent Thing Activities & Links
- EL Education: Close Read-Aloud, Session 3: The Most Magnificent Thing
- Kids Can Press: The Most Magnificent Thing Teaching Guide
- The NED Show: Lesson Plans for a Growth Mindset: The Most Magnificent Thing
- Reading is Fundamental: Guide for Educators
- Stages Theatre Company: Teachers Resources
- The STEM Learning Project: Curriculum resource module Year 1 Our magnificent thing
Would you like free graphic organisers for The Most Magnificent Thing?
I have a freebie that is part of a larger resource so you can try it out before buying anything!
Fill in the form below to get access to the FREE pack. Click on the image to see the full pack on Teachers Pay Teachers.
The Most Magnificent Thing Read-Aloud Questions
Read aloud sessions are a wonderful way for children to understand the connection between written text and spoken language. You can model reading habits and strategies, reading fluency, tone and eye contact. You can also introduce different genres, authors and illustrators.
- What does it mean to preserve? Why is it important to preserve?
- If you could make the most magnificent thing, what would it be?
What process would you use to make the most magnificent thing? - What do you think would have happened if the girl decided to give up on her project?
- How did the girl react when she met a challenge? Did she have a fixed or growth mindset, or both?
- Does it matter that her final project was not what she imagined it to be? Why?
What did the girl do to get organized before making her magnificent thing? - What did the girl learn by reflecting on her ‘failed’ projects? What have you learned from your own mistakes?
- How do the illustrations show how the girl is feeling throughout the story?
- Why is it important to take a break, like having a walk, when you are working?
You can find a full set of discussion cards in the The Most Magnificent Thing Literacy Bundle or as a separate pack.
The Most Magnificent Thing Videos
Books by Ashley Spires
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