The Magical Yet Activity
Help students discover the power of perseverance with a hands-on STEM activity inspired by The Magical Yet by Angela DiTerlizzi.
This read aloud STEM challenge combines literacy, social-emotional learning, writing, and engineering while teaching students that they may not be able to do something—yet!
You can get all of the worksheets for this activity in Carly and Adam’s store and in the STEM Teachers Club. STEM Teachers Club members can download this activity and 1,000+ more for FREE.
Introduce the Power of “Yet”
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Begin by reading The Magical Yet and discussing how the character learns to approach difficult situations.
Explain that adding the word “yet” to the end of a sentence can completely change its meaning. Instead of saying, “I can’t do this,” students can say, “I can’t do this yet.”
Invite students to think about something they can already do and something they cannot do yet. They might choose riding a bike, solving a difficult math problem, reading a challenging book, building a tall tower, or learning a new skill. Students can draw or write about their ideas before sharing them with the class.
This conversation helps students understand that their abilities are not fixed. With time, practice, support, and a willingness to keep trying, they can continue to learn and improve.
Talk About Productive Struggle
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Before beginning the STEM challenge, introduce the idea of productive struggle. Explain that struggling does not mean students are failing. It often means they are learning something new.
Create a classroom anchor chart showing how students might feel when a task becomes difficult. They may feel overwhelmed, stressed, confused, or stuck. Then brainstorm strategies they can use when they experience those feelings.
Students can:
Take a deep breath
Pause and think
Ask a teammate for help
Break the task into smaller steps
Think about what they already know
Try a different approach
Stay positive
Try again
Remind students that successful engineers rarely create a perfect design on their first attempt. Engineers test their ideas, notice problems, make changes, and try again.
Popsicle Stick Cup Stacking Challenge
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Now it is time for students to practice using their “Magical Yet” with a fun cup-stacking STEM challenge!
Provide each student or team with 6, 10, or 15 small paper or plastic cups and two craft sticks. Adjust the number of cups based on the students’ ages and experience levels.
Students begin with their cups stacked together. Using only the two craft sticks, they must separate the cups and arrange them in a triangular tower. Students may not touch the cups with their hands.
At first, this challenge may feel frustrating. Cups may fall, craft sticks may slip, and students may need to rethink their strategies. Encourage them to slow down, observe what is happening, and try a different method.
Once students successfully build the tower, have them repeat the challenge. They can time each attempt and see whether practice helps them improve their speed. This gives students an immediate and meaningful example of how perseverance can lead to progress.
Use the Engineering Design Process
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The challenge is also a simple way to introduce or review the Engineering Design Process. Ask students to imagine possible solutions, plan how they will move the cups, create their tower, test their strategy, and make improvements.
As students work, ask questions such as:
What is the most difficult part of the challenge?
How are you using the craft sticks?
What happened when the cups fell?
What could you change during your next attempt?
Did your speed improve with practice?
How did your partner or team help you?
What did you learn from an attempt that did not work?
These questions encourage students to focus on the learning process instead of only thinking about the finished tower.
Reflect on the Experience
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After the challenge, bring students together for a class discussion. Ask them to describe how they felt during their first attempt and how those feelings changed as they practiced.
Students can also complete a written reflection or create a story about an imaginary friend who helps them find the courage to face a difficult challenge. Younger students can draw a picture and dictate their response, while older students can write about the strategies they used and the improvements they noticed.
Celebrate persistence, creative thinking, teamwork, and improvement—not just the fastest stacking time. A tower that falls can provide just as much learning as one that remains standing.
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A Meaningful Growth Mindset STEM Activity
This The Magical Yet STEM activity is perfect for the beginning of the school year, growth mindset lessons, morning meetings, classroom team building, STEM class, makerspace activities, or read aloud extensions.
By combining a meaningful story with a hands-on challenge, students learn that mistakes are part of the learning process. Most importantly, they discover that when something feels difficult, they can pause, make a new plan, and keep trying. They may not be able to do it yet—but their “Magical Yet” can help them get there!
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