Problems and Their Solutions in
Stories and Everyday Life 

Designed by: Emily Hammett,  Meadowfield Elementary

Grade Level:  1      Subject:  READING  

1) Core Curriculum Objective(s):  Identify the story elements (characters, character traits, setting, plot, problem, solution, goal, outcome, theme)  (1-AL-6)   PACT:  I.F.4, I.F.6, I.F.10

2) Overview: The teacher will ask children to brainstorm a variety of problems and solutions.  During whole class instruction, the students will use magnetic problem/solution cards to identify, explain, and correctly match problem/solution cards.  The students will identify the problem and solution in the story The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn.  As a culminating assessment, groups of three will correctly identify problem and solution cards by placing them in correctly labeled chart columns and by correctly matching the problem/solution cards.

3) Purpose/Essential Question(s):  What is a problem?  What is a way to fix a problem?

4) Time Frame: One  1 hour and 15 minutes lesson

5) Resources:

6  Magnetic Problem/Solution Cards for whole group instruction- In order to make the problem/solution cards, the teacher needs to either draw or find Internet or magazine pictures of three different problem/solution scenarios (ex: a broken table- problem and a child gluing the leg back on- solution; a child having difficulty with his/her math assignment- problem and the child asking for or getting help from a teacher, friend, or parent- solution; a lamp that won't work- problem and a person putting in a new lightbulb- solution).  Each picture should be glued onto a piece of construction paper, poster board, or tagboard and then cut out into a square.  Each square should then be laminated, and then a magnet strip should be glued to the back of the square.   

6 magnetic problem/solution cards for each group for assessment (each group should have completely different problem/solution cards so that there are no repeat scenarios) - see above directions for how to make the magnetic problem/solution cards.  Also, for problem/solution scenario ideas see pp. 4-5 in Macmillan/McGraw-Hill Practice Book Level 4.

One piece of chart paper with the left column labeled "problem" and the left column labeled "solution".

Dry Erase Markers

Overhead Projector, transparency, and transparency pens (optional)

Penn, Audrey.  The Kissing Hand,  Washington, DC: Child & Family Press, 1993.

One piece of chart paper with the left column labeled "problem" and the right column labeled " solution" for each group.

6) Assessments: 

1 point for each correctly identified problem       X   3   =   3

1 point for each correctly identified solution       X   3   =   3

1 point for each correct problem/solution match  X   3   =  3

=  A total of 9 possible points

So that

      8/9 to 9/9 points        = +

      7/9 points                  = ?

      6/9 and below points = -

7)  INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES:

1. The teacher will tell the children that they will be learning about problems and solutions (or how to "fix" a problem). 

2. The teacher will ask the children if they can think of any problem that they remember from a story they have read or a problem that could happen in everyday life.

3. If a child relates a problem from a story, the teacher will ask students, "How was the problem fixed or solved in the story?"  If a child relates a problem that could happen in everyday life, then the class needs to brainstorm all the possible ways to help solve or fix the problem (there could be multiple suggestions).  As each child relates a problem and the class suggests multiple solutions, the teacher should record these ideas on a piece of chart paper or on a chart on the overhead projector with two columns (one column labeled "problems," the other column labeled "solutions"). 

4. After a thorough discussion of problems and solutions, the teacher will then place the 6 magnetic problem/solution cards on the magnetic board.  Three of the cards will be pictures of various problems occurring, and the other three cards will be pictures of the solutions to these problems.  All six of the cards should be mixed up to one side of the board, and on the other side of the board, the teacher should draw a chart with one column labeled "problems" and the other column labeled "solutions".

5. The teacher will inform the children that there are 3 pictures of problems and 3 pictures of solutions and that the children need to decide which cards are problem cards and which cards are solution cards to the problems. 

6. The teacher will call on a child to choose one of the problem cards, explain why it is a problem, and move the card under the "problems" column of the chart.

7. Then, the teacher will call on a student to identify the solution card that matches the problem card that was just placed in the chart.  The child should explain why the chosen card is a solution to the problem, and he/she should place the solution card under the column labeled "solutions" and right beside its matching problem card.

8. The teacher will call on a child to identify another problem card, explain why it is a problem, and move the card under the "problems" column of the chart.

9. Next, a child should identify, explain, and correctly place the matching solution card.

10. This procedure should continue until all problem/solution cards are correctly identified, explained, matched, and placed in the correct columns.

11. After this activity, the teacher will explain to children that in many of the books they read, they will find problems and solutions.

12. The teacher will tell the children that they need to put on their detective listening and thinking devices so that they can figure out what the problem and solution are in the book The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn.

13. The teacher will read the book The Kissing Hand.

14. After reading the story, the teacher will call on a student to identify the problem in the story (Chester Raccoon does not want to go to school).

15. Then, the teacher will ask a student to identify the solution to the problem in the story (Mrs. Raccoon tell Chester about the Kissing Hand; Mrs. Raccoon gives Chester a kiss on the hand).

16. After discussing the problem/solution in the story, the teacher will divide the students into groups of three.

17. The teacher will explain that each group will be given a set of problem/solution cards.  Each set will have 6 magnetic cards (3 problem cards and 3 matching solution cards).

18. Each group also will be given a piece of chart paper labeled "problems" and "solutions". 

19. For a grade, each group should correctly identify the problem and solution cards by placing them in the correctly labeled columns and by ensuring that each problem card is correctly matched with its solution card (see rubric under Assessment).

20. If a group finishes early, each group member may illustrate and/or write his/her own problem/solution story.

21. When all groups have finished matching their problem/solution cards, each group member will identify and explain one of the matching problem/solution pairs while placing the magnetic cards on the problem/solution chart on the board.

22. During the presentations, the teacher will grade each group.

23. After the presentations, the teacher will review the concept of problem and solution by asking students to explain and give examples of problems and solutions.