Chapter 5: Counting the Treasure
Negative Results
"Even a 'No' is a discovery!"
A sad face on a screen, but Professor Hoot is smiling and pointing at it.
About this page
The squad's experiment did not turn out the way they hoped, and the screen shows a glum little face. But Professor Hoot is beaming, because he knows a secret every scientist learns eventually, that finding out something does not work is still finding something out. This page teaches children that a "No" answer is real information, not failure, a habit of mind that makes the rest of Chapter 5 feel safe to explore. Disappointment and discovery can share the same page, and Hoot's smile shows which one wins.
Talk about it while you color
- Why do you think Professor Hoot is smiling at a sad face?
- Can you remember a time something you tried did not work, and what did you learn from it?
- What could the squad try next, now that they know this answer is a no?