Language Arts · Grade 6

Active learning ideas

Text Structures: Problem and Solution

Active learning engages students with problem-solution texts through hands-on tasks that reveal how authors organize ideas. When students move beyond passive reading, they notice subtle hints of problems and weigh evidence for solutions, which strengthens comprehension of informational structures.

• Ontario Curriculum Expectations
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.5

• 25–50 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Problem-Based Learning
• 25 min · Pairs

Pairs: Text Highlight Challenge

Pair students with informational articles on topics like plastic pollution. One color-marks the problem, another the solutions; partners justify choices and note if implied or stated. Pairs share one example with the class.

Analyze how an author introduces a problem and develops its potential solutions.

Facilitation Tip

During the Text Highlight Challenge, circulate to ask pairs: 'Does the author say the problem directly, or do you have to read between the lines?' to push their analysis.

What to look for

Provide students with a short informational text excerpt describing a problem and a proposed solution. Ask them to write: 1) The main problem (explicit or implicit). 2) The proposed solution. 3) One piece of evidence from the text that supports the solution's effectiveness.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Decision-Making
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Activity 02

• Problem-Based Learning
• 40 min · Small Groups

Small Groups: Solution Critique Circle

Groups read a text on urban green spaces. Identify problem and solutions, then rate each solution's strength on a rubric for evidence and feasibility. Discuss as a circle, rotating speaker roles.

Differentiate between a stated problem and an implied problem in a text.

Facilitation Tip

In the Solution Critique Circle, remind students to anchor evaluations in the text by asking: 'What evidence from this paragraph supports your claim?' before debating.

What to look for

Display two short paragraphs, one describing a problem and the other a solution. Ask students to identify which is which and explain their reasoning using the terms 'problem' and 'solution'. This checks basic identification.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Decision-Making
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Activity 03

• Problem-Based Learning
• 50 min · Small Groups

Whole Class: Problem-Solution Jigsaw

Divide a long article into problem intro, solution proposals, and evaluation sections. Groups master their part, create posters, then teach the class in a jigsaw rotation.

Evaluate the effectiveness of proposed solutions presented in an informational text.

Facilitation Tip

For the Problem-Solution Jigsaw, assign each group a unique text so they see varied examples of how problems and solutions connect in informational writing.

What to look for

Present students with a text that offers multiple solutions to a single problem. Facilitate a class discussion using the prompt: 'Which solution do you think is most effective and why? What evidence from the text supports your evaluation?'

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Decision-Making
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Activity 04

• Problem-Based Learning
• 30 min · Individual

Individual: Mini-Text Creation

Students write a short paragraph on a school issue, stating or implying a problem with a solution. Swap with a partner for peer feedback on structure clarity.

Analyze how an author introduces a problem and develops its potential solutions.

Facilitation Tip

During Mini-Text Creation, model how to embed a problem and solution in the first two sentences so students grasp the structure before elaborating.

What to look for

Provide students with a short informational text excerpt describing a problem and a proposed solution. Ask them to write: 1) The main problem (explicit or implicit). 2) The proposed solution. 3) One piece of evidence from the text that supports the solution's effectiveness.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Decision-Making
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers have success when they treat problem-solution texts like case files students must dissect. Avoid over-simplifying by labeling every paragraph as a 'problem' or 'solution'; instead, guide students to notice transitions such as 'due to' or 'as a result' that signal relationships. Research shows that when students create their own texts using the structure, their comprehension of informational patterns deepens significantly.

Successful learning looks like students confidently distinguishing implied problems from explicit ones, critiquing solution quality using textual evidence, and organizing their own texts with clear problem-solution patterns. By the end, they should articulate why some solutions succeed and others fall short based on facts, not assumptions.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Text Highlight Challenge, some students assume every highlighted section is a problem.

  During Text Highlight Challenge, ask pairs to categorize their highlights as 'problem,' 'solution,' or 'other' before moving on, so they practice distinguishing between text types before discussing.

• During Solution Critique Circle, students accept any proposed solution as equally valid.

  During Solution Critique Circle, require each group to list three pieces of evidence from the text before voicing an opinion, ensuring their critiques are text-based rather than personal preference.

• During Problem-Solution Jigsaw, students think problem-solution structure only appears in stories.

  During Problem-Solution Jigsaw, have groups underline transition words like 'therefore' or 'consequently' to highlight how nonfiction texts explicitly connect problems and solutions.

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Methods used in this brief

• Problem-Based Learning