Abstract

There are certain character strengths that can more than make up for various obstacles to learning and success in life. Grit is one of these character strengths. Manifesting itself as persistence, undaunted courage, determination, steadfastness, and a refusal to back down in the face of adversity, grit is a character strength that can lead to success no matter how high the obstacles. Readers learn how to acquire and demonstrate grit in their daily lives. Real-life role models--both everyday teens and celebrities--help illustrate the journey to and the rich rewards of approaching life with an unshakable spirit of grit. This text lends itself well to certain of the reading and analysis standards of the Common Core Curriculum for informational texts, affording readers the opportunity to summarize text, determine central ideas and identify supporting details, trace and evaluate an argument and its details, analyze how ideas and claims are developed, and determine an author's point of view and purpose.