1. Gary and fred join the circus
reflected Year 1

2. Gary and Fred, two young dinosaurs, were roaming through the jungle one day when they came across an enormous red and white striped tent. From inside the tent they could hear cheers and clapping, so they peeked through a gap to see what was going on inside. To their delight, they had stumbled across a circus! Inside the tent were dinosaurs of all shapes and sizes, wizzing and whirring around the big top. There were dinosaurs juggling, dinosaurs tightrope walking and even some dinosaurs throwing each other across the tent on the trapeze.
Gary and Fred were roaming through the jungle when they came across an enormous red and white striped tent…

3. “We want to join the circus!” cried Fred.
Gary and Fred both gasped with delight.
“How on earth did the dinosaurs learn how to do that?” asked Fred.
“I’m not sure, but I would love to try!” replied Gary.
After the performance had finished, Gary and Fred went to speak to the Circus Master. “We want to join the circus!” announced Gary.
“How wonderful!” replied the Circus Master. “Do you have any circus skills to offer us?”
“I can juggle,” said Fred proudly.
“We want to join the circus!” cried Fred.

4. Ah, we already have lots of juggling dinosaurs,” said the Circus Master. “What we really need is two more dinosaurs on unicycles. Then the circus will be complete!”
“But I don’t know how to unicycle,” said Fred. “I know how to juggle. It’s easy. I want to juggle!”
“Shhh,” said Gary, desperate to be involved. “We can learn how to unicycle. We can learn how to do anything. Certainly Circus Master, we can be your unicycling dinosaurs. Give us one week and a couple of unicycles to borrow and we’ll be as good as anyone else in the circus!”
“You have a deal. Meet me back here on Friday and show me what you can do,” the Circus Master replied. He gave them their unicycles and Fred and Gary got straight to work. They both tried to climb onto their unicycles and fell off immediately.
“We already have lots of juggling dinosaurs,” said the Circus Master. “What we really need is two more dinosaurs on unicycles. Then the circus will be complete!”

5. “It’s too hard, I can’t do it. ” exclaimed Fred
“It’s too hard, I can’t do it!” exclaimed Fred. “I don’t see why I couldn’t just juggle. I KNOW how to juggle and I find it easy. I’m never going to be able to unicycle!”
Gary just laughed, “If other dinosaurs can do it then so can we. We just need to practise!”
Fred grumbled a reply and had another go at getting on the unicycle. He fell off again and again.
Gary realised he needed something to lean on, so he put his unicycle under a low branch and held onto the tree for support. “Look! I’m up!” he said, clinging onto the tree for balance.
“Yeah yeah, I bet you still can’t cycle though, can you? Go on, let go and see if you can do it!” Fred replied, jealous that his other friend had worked something out before him.
Gary scrunched up his face with concentration and let go of the branch as he began to pedal. He managed to go forward a few meters, but soon realised he was heading for a rock. He couldn’t work out how to turn the unicycle and ended up smashing into the rock and sending himself flying up, up into the air, and back down with a thud. “Oh dear,” said Gary. “That didn’t go so well. I wonder how the other dinosaurs balance?”
Fred snorted. “They’re just good at it. It’s just the way they are, like me and juggling. I can juggle, but I can’t unicycle and I never will be able to. I give up, I’m going home!” and with that Fred stomped off into the jungle.
“I can juggle, but I can’t unicycle and I never will be able to. I give up, I’m going home!” and with that Fred stomped off into the jungle.

6. Gary wasn’t convinced by what Fred had said
Gary wasn’t convinced by what Fred had said. “Surely no one is BORN able to unicycle, that’s ridiculous. They must have learned how to do it. I need to find out how!”
And with that, Gary headed back to the circus to find some help. It wasn’t long before he found what he was looking for - two dinosaurs zooming around behind the tent on unicycles, one of them even juggling coconuts as he did. Gary was impressed with how good they were.
“Excuse me,” he said nervously. “I want to learn how to unicycle, but I’m finding it hard to stay on. Would you mind showing me?”
“Sure,” replied the dinosaurs, “We’d love to!”
The dinosaurs introduced themselves as Bill and Ben, and began by showing Gary what to do. It wasn’t easy, but he gradually grew more confident. After an hour with Bill and Ben he was able to climb on and go a few metres without crashing.
Gary took the unicycle back to his cave and practised every day, getting a little better each time he did.
When the end of the week came he was excited to show the Circus Master what he had learned. Friday finally arrived and Gary headed to the big top, hoping he might run into Fred on the way so they could join the circus together, but Fred was nowhere to be seen.
“I guess he didn’t want to come,” said Gary to himself, glumly.
Gary took the unicycle back to his cave and practised every day, getting a little better each time he did.

7. Gary was nervous as he entered the big top, but he was greeted by a round of applause from the Circus Master and the other dinosaurs, who were keen to see what he had learned in such a short space of time.
“Welcome Gary! We’re so pleased you challenged yourself to learn how to unicycle. It’s not an easy skill, we can’t wait to see how you got on,” smiled the circus Master.
Gary was anxious with all the other dinosaurs watching, but he knew he had practised hard and was looking forward to the challenge. He walked to the centre of the big top and carefully got himself up onto his unicycle, with only a slight wobble. He balanced in one spot for a moment, wiggling his feet back and forth as Bill and Ben had shown him. He then began to cycle around the big top, weaving in and out of various balls and equipment that lay in his way. At one point he wobbled and nearly crashed into the railings, but he managed to upright himself again and carry on. He made his final turn in the top and slowed down to a stop in front of the Circus Master, hopping off the unicycle with only a little thud.
“Bravo! Bravo, Gary!” said the Circus Master.
“I’m sorry I was a little wobbly,” said Gary, worried he hadn’t done enough.
“Nonsense,” said the Circus Master. “I’ve never seen anyone learn so quickly before. I’m so impressed. We all have to start off wobbly, otherwise we’d never learn how to balance properly. I can see that you’ve worked very hard this week, and that’s what we like at Rexy’s Circus. A have-a-go attitude! Welcome to the team!”
The other dinosaurs cheered, and Gary beamed with pride. “Wow, really? Thank you so much! I won’t let you down. I’ll practise every day!” he said.
“I know you will Gary,” said the Circus Master, “because the next challenge is riding the unicycle while juggling fire. Get practising!”
“I can see that you’ve worked very hard this week, and that’s what we like at Rexy’s Circus. A have-a-go attitude! Welcome to the team!”

8. Fixed Mindset Vs Growth Mindset