Serendipity

High school (ages 12+)
Thinking & Learning

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/serendipity

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the term originator?Horace Walpole
2. What is the year of term coining?1754
3. Why do some inventions happen by accident?People who are curious and ready to think differently can turn a mistake into a useful idea, like penicillin or Post-it Notes.
4. How can I become good at finding happy accidents?Stay curious, ask "why" when something unexpected happens, and try to connect it to other ideas you know.

Sagacity: The quality of having or showing keen mental discernment and good judgment; shrewdness.
Anomaly: Something that deviates from what is standard, normal, or expected.
Cognitive Readiness: A state of mental preparedness to notice, process, and act upon new information or events.