Ready Steady Read Together
Magic Your Mind Happy: Non-Fiction Lesson 5
Quiz Time
Start
Questions about the book so far...
Picture Me
Which image is the best match for ‘practical joke’?
True or False?
Great magic is not just about knowing the secret. It is about practice and smooth movements.
False
True
Which One's Right?
When a magician is aware of how they stand, speak, where they look, and how this influences what the audience notices, this is called:
A) audience participation
B) performance awareness
D) stage presence
C) body language
Find Me
Find two words that show how magicians improve their skills through doing something again and again:
Great magic is not just about knowing the secret. It is about practice and smooth movements. At first this trick may feel awkward and slow. That is normal. Magicians repeat the same actions again and again until their fingers move without thinking.
2 Discuss then check
1 Discuss then check
repeat
practice
Speaking Spotlight
Live Action
Explore
Live-Action
What?
Who?
Why?
Where?
How?
When?
Create a live demonstration of a magic trick from this week's extracts.
Vocabulary
Explore
Hover for definitions!
cooperation
rehearsing
clear signals
method
glancing
giving clues away
Explore
From: Magic Your Mind Happy by Richard Wiseman © 2024. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Let me read today's text
Explore
THE VANISHING COIN
Let's use teamwork to make a coin disappear. You will need a small coin and a handkerchief or any similar-sized piece of cloth.
This trick is performed to a group of four or five people. Everyone can be sitting down but it's easier if they're standing up. One of them is your secret helper. Hold up the palm of your left hand and place the coin on it. Show everyone the coin and then cover your hand with the cloth. Working your way around the group, ask everyone to place their hands under the cloth and check that the coin is still there by touching it. Make sure that your helper is the last person that you choose.
From: Magic Your Mind Happy by Richard Wiseman © 2024. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
When your helper places their hands under the cloth, they secretly pick up the coin and hide it in their hand. Pretend to still have the coin in your left hand and move away from your helper. Your helper should put their hand, holding the hidden coin, down by their side. The group will think that the coin is still under the cloth. Now say a magic word and throw the cloth into the air to reveal that the coin has vanished. While everyone is clapping and cheering, your helper can quietly put the coin into their pocket or bag.
Like any good trick, this requires practice. You and your helper need to practise the illusion so that you can perform it smoothly. Make sure that your friend can secretly remove the coin without it looking suspicious or knocking the handkerchief out of position.
This trick can be performed with any small object that your secret helper can hide in their hand. What else could you use?
From: Magic Your Mind Happy by Richard Wiseman © 2024. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Working with a helper introduces an important idea in magic: cooperation. Many impressive illusions rely on trust, careful planning and clear signals between performers. Before presenting this trick to an audience agree on simple rules together. Decide exactly when the helper will remove the coin and how they will behave afterwards. Rehearsing these details makes the performance feel natural and confident. It is also important to consider your audience. Position yourself so everyone can see your hands clearly and keep your movements controlled and deliberate. If you rush people may begin to question what they have seen. After the reveal, enjoy the reaction but remain calm and focused. Avoid glancing at your helper or giving clues away. The strongest teamwork in magic is invisible. When everything works smoothly the audience remembers the mystery not the method and the illusion feels truly impressive.
From: Magic Your Mind Happy by Richard Wiseman © 2024. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Strategy Stop
Teach
Your turn
Practise & Apply
Use your text
Practise & Apply
1) Circle the word which best completes the sentence.
Make sure that your helper is the last person that you…
touch
choose
cover
hide
Reveal Answer
Practise & Apply
2) Remembering the whole extract, put the following events in order. Write a number 1-5 in each box.
The magician pretends to have the coin in their left hand as they move away from the helper.
The magician asks people to place their hands under the cloth to check the coin is still there.
A secret helper quietly removes the coin and hides it in their hand.
The magician shows everyone the coin in their hand and then covers it with a cloth.
Reveal Answer
The helper puts their hand down by their side as they secretly hold the hidden coin.
Practise & Apply
3) How can you tell that trust between the performer and the helper is essential for this magic trick to work? Give two pieces of evidence from the text.
Text Mark Evidence before presenting this trick to an audience agree on simple rules together
Text Mark Evidence when your helper places their hands under the cloth, they secretly pick up the coin and hide it in their hand
the helper must secretly remove the coin without being noticed
both performers must agree on clear rules and signals beforehand
Text Mark Evidence decide exactly when the helper will remove the coin and how they will behave afterwards
Text Mark Evidence your helper should put their hand, holding the hidden coin, down by their side
the helper must act calmly and naturally so the audience does not become suspicious
the helper must behave carefully after the reveal to avoid giving the secret away
Text Mark Evidence many impressive illusions rely on trust, careful planning and clear signals between performers
Text Mark Evidence you and your helper need to practise the illusion so that you can perform it smoothly
the trick depends on careful planning and rehearsal between the performer and helper
successful teamwork relies on trust that is hidden from the audience
RevealEvidence & Answers
4) Match each part of the text to its purpose:
Explaining how to perform the coin trick step by step
To make sure the trick looks smooth and believable
Describing the role of the secret helper
To help the reader successfully perform the magic trick
Explaining why practice and rehearsal are important
To show that trust and teamwork are essential in magic
Giving advice about audience behaviour and positioning
To make sure the trick looks smooth and believable
Reveal Answer
Practise & Apply
5) How can you tell that the writer thinks small errors can ruin a magic trick? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.
Text Mark Evidence like any good trick, this requires practice
Text Mark Evidence if you rush people may begin to question what they have seen
the writer shows that the trick needs careful practice to avoid mistakes
rushing the performance makes the audience suspicious
Text Mark Evidence avoid glancing at your helper or giving clues away
small clues can give the trick away
Text Mark Evidence make sure that your friend can secretly remove the coin without it looking suspicious or knocking the handkerchief out of position
the helper must remove the coin without any visible errors
Text Mark Evidence the strongest teamwork in magic is invisible
any visible teamwork would spoil the illusion
Text Mark Evidence decide exactly when the helper will remove the coin
the timing of actions must be precise
Text Mark Evidence after the reveal, enjoy the reaction but remain calm and focused
losing focus after the reveal could weaken the effect
Text Mark Evidence many impressive illusions rely on trust, careful planning and clear signals between performers
RevealEvidence & Answers
the trick depends on careful coordination between performers
Feedback: Who did what well?
FindRead Talk
EchoRead
ChoralRead
ReadingStrategy
Answers & Text Marks
Other...
To be a book lover, you could...
ask questions.
Reveal
Think of questions as you read and look for answers in the text.
If you like this book, you might like...
Copyright Notice
This document has been supplied under a CLA Licence with specific terms of use. It is protected by copyright and, save as may be permitted by law, it may not be further copied, stored, re-copied electronically or otherwise shared, even for internal purposes, without the prior further permission of the Rightsholder. Extracts sourced from: Magic Your Mind Happy by Richard Wiseman © 2024 Schools must purchase the original text for full content.
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Transcript
Ready Steady Read Together
Magic Your Mind Happy: Non-Fiction Lesson 5
Quiz Time
Start
Questions about the book so far...
Picture Me
Which image is the best match for ‘practical joke’?
True or False?
Great magic is not just about knowing the secret. It is about practice and smooth movements.
False
True
Which One's Right?
When a magician is aware of how they stand, speak, where they look, and how this influences what the audience notices, this is called:
A) audience participation
B) performance awareness
D) stage presence
C) body language
Find Me
Find two words that show how magicians improve their skills through doing something again and again:
Great magic is not just about knowing the secret. It is about practice and smooth movements. At first this trick may feel awkward and slow. That is normal. Magicians repeat the same actions again and again until their fingers move without thinking.
2 Discuss then check
1 Discuss then check
repeat
practice
Speaking Spotlight
Live Action
Explore
Live-Action
What?
Who?
Why?
Where?
How?
When?
Create a live demonstration of a magic trick from this week's extracts.
Vocabulary
Explore
Hover for definitions!
cooperation
rehearsing
clear signals
method
glancing
giving clues away
Explore
From: Magic Your Mind Happy by Richard Wiseman © 2024. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Let me read today's text
Explore
THE VANISHING COIN
Let's use teamwork to make a coin disappear. You will need a small coin and a handkerchief or any similar-sized piece of cloth.
This trick is performed to a group of four or five people. Everyone can be sitting down but it's easier if they're standing up. One of them is your secret helper. Hold up the palm of your left hand and place the coin on it. Show everyone the coin and then cover your hand with the cloth. Working your way around the group, ask everyone to place their hands under the cloth and check that the coin is still there by touching it. Make sure that your helper is the last person that you choose.
From: Magic Your Mind Happy by Richard Wiseman © 2024. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
When your helper places their hands under the cloth, they secretly pick up the coin and hide it in their hand. Pretend to still have the coin in your left hand and move away from your helper. Your helper should put their hand, holding the hidden coin, down by their side. The group will think that the coin is still under the cloth. Now say a magic word and throw the cloth into the air to reveal that the coin has vanished. While everyone is clapping and cheering, your helper can quietly put the coin into their pocket or bag. Like any good trick, this requires practice. You and your helper need to practise the illusion so that you can perform it smoothly. Make sure that your friend can secretly remove the coin without it looking suspicious or knocking the handkerchief out of position. This trick can be performed with any small object that your secret helper can hide in their hand. What else could you use?
From: Magic Your Mind Happy by Richard Wiseman © 2024. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Working with a helper introduces an important idea in magic: cooperation. Many impressive illusions rely on trust, careful planning and clear signals between performers. Before presenting this trick to an audience agree on simple rules together. Decide exactly when the helper will remove the coin and how they will behave afterwards. Rehearsing these details makes the performance feel natural and confident. It is also important to consider your audience. Position yourself so everyone can see your hands clearly and keep your movements controlled and deliberate. If you rush people may begin to question what they have seen. After the reveal, enjoy the reaction but remain calm and focused. Avoid glancing at your helper or giving clues away. The strongest teamwork in magic is invisible. When everything works smoothly the audience remembers the mystery not the method and the illusion feels truly impressive.
From: Magic Your Mind Happy by Richard Wiseman © 2024. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Strategy Stop
Teach
Your turn
Practise & Apply
Use your text
Practise & Apply
1) Circle the word which best completes the sentence. Make sure that your helper is the last person that you…
touch
choose
cover
hide
Reveal Answer
Practise & Apply
2) Remembering the whole extract, put the following events in order. Write a number 1-5 in each box.
The magician pretends to have the coin in their left hand as they move away from the helper.
The magician asks people to place their hands under the cloth to check the coin is still there.
A secret helper quietly removes the coin and hides it in their hand.
The magician shows everyone the coin in their hand and then covers it with a cloth.
Reveal Answer
The helper puts their hand down by their side as they secretly hold the hidden coin.
Practise & Apply
3) How can you tell that trust between the performer and the helper is essential for this magic trick to work? Give two pieces of evidence from the text.
Text Mark Evidence before presenting this trick to an audience agree on simple rules together
Text Mark Evidence when your helper places their hands under the cloth, they secretly pick up the coin and hide it in their hand
the helper must secretly remove the coin without being noticed
both performers must agree on clear rules and signals beforehand
Text Mark Evidence decide exactly when the helper will remove the coin and how they will behave afterwards
Text Mark Evidence your helper should put their hand, holding the hidden coin, down by their side
the helper must act calmly and naturally so the audience does not become suspicious
the helper must behave carefully after the reveal to avoid giving the secret away
Text Mark Evidence many impressive illusions rely on trust, careful planning and clear signals between performers
Text Mark Evidence you and your helper need to practise the illusion so that you can perform it smoothly
the trick depends on careful planning and rehearsal between the performer and helper
successful teamwork relies on trust that is hidden from the audience
RevealEvidence & Answers
4) Match each part of the text to its purpose:
Explaining how to perform the coin trick step by step
To make sure the trick looks smooth and believable
Describing the role of the secret helper
To help the reader successfully perform the magic trick
Explaining why practice and rehearsal are important
To show that trust and teamwork are essential in magic
Giving advice about audience behaviour and positioning
To make sure the trick looks smooth and believable
Reveal Answer
Practise & Apply
5) How can you tell that the writer thinks small errors can ruin a magic trick? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.
Text Mark Evidence like any good trick, this requires practice
Text Mark Evidence if you rush people may begin to question what they have seen
the writer shows that the trick needs careful practice to avoid mistakes
rushing the performance makes the audience suspicious
Text Mark Evidence avoid glancing at your helper or giving clues away
small clues can give the trick away
Text Mark Evidence make sure that your friend can secretly remove the coin without it looking suspicious or knocking the handkerchief out of position
the helper must remove the coin without any visible errors
Text Mark Evidence the strongest teamwork in magic is invisible
any visible teamwork would spoil the illusion
Text Mark Evidence decide exactly when the helper will remove the coin
the timing of actions must be precise
Text Mark Evidence after the reveal, enjoy the reaction but remain calm and focused
losing focus after the reveal could weaken the effect
Text Mark Evidence many impressive illusions rely on trust, careful planning and clear signals between performers
RevealEvidence & Answers
the trick depends on careful coordination between performers
Feedback: Who did what well?
FindRead Talk
EchoRead
ChoralRead
ReadingStrategy
Answers & Text Marks
Other...
To be a book lover, you could...
ask questions.
Reveal
Think of questions as you read and look for answers in the text.
If you like this book, you might like...
Copyright Notice
This document has been supplied under a CLA Licence with specific terms of use. It is protected by copyright and, save as may be permitted by law, it may not be further copied, stored, re-copied electronically or otherwise shared, even for internal purposes, without the prior further permission of the Rightsholder. Extracts sourced from: Magic Your Mind Happy by Richard Wiseman © 2024 Schools must purchase the original text for full content.