Activity 01
Think-Pair-Share: Spot the Problem
Read a short story aloud. Students think alone for 2 minutes about the problem and solution. In pairs, they share and note key parts on drawings. Pairs report to the class, with teacher charting responses.
What is the problem in the story?
Facilitation TipFor Think-Pair-Share: Ensure the problem pictures are clear and relatable so students can focus on the element rather than decoding the image.
What to look forGive each student a picture showing a simple problem (e.g., a child with a broken crayon). Ask them to draw or write one sentence about how the child could solve this problem.
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Activity 02
Small Groups: Role-Play Fixes
Divide into groups of 4. Assign a story problem; groups act it out, then create and perform a solution. Peers guess the elements. Debrief on what worked best.
How did the character fix the problem?
Facilitation TipFor Small Groups: Assign roles like 'problem-spotter' and 'solution-actor' to keep every child engaged and accountable.
What to look forRead a short story aloud. After reading, ask students: 'What was the main problem for [character name]?' and 'How did [character name] solve it?' Observe student responses for understanding.
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Activity 03
Individual: Draw Your Story Map
Provide worksheets with story prompts. Students draw the problem in one box, solution in another, and add their help idea. Share one drawing each in a class gallery walk.
What would you do to help the character?
Facilitation TipFor Story Detective Hunt: Use a timer and provide a checklist so students practice quick scanning of story pages for key elements.
What to look forPresent a scenario: 'Imagine your friend's balloon floated away. What is the problem? What could you do to help your friend?' Encourage students to share their ideas and explain their chosen solution.
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Activity 04
Whole Class: Story Detective Hunt
Project story pictures. Class calls out problems and solutions as 'detectives'. Tally on board and vote on best fixes. End with group cheer for correct spots.
What is the problem in the story?
Facilitation TipFor Draw Your Story Map: Give grid paper to help children organise their drawings into beginning, problem, and solution sections.
What to look forGive each student a picture showing a simple problem (e.g., a child with a broken crayon). Ask them to draw or write one sentence about how the child could solve this problem.
RememberUnderstandAnalyzeSocial AwarenessSelf-AwarenessDecision-Making
Generate Complete Lesson→A few notes on teaching this unit
Teachers find success by keeping examples concrete and close to children's lives, like missing a bus or a torn notebook. Avoid abstract or moral-heavy stories at this stage. Research shows that repeating the same question frame—'What is the problem?' and 'How is it fixed?'—builds pattern recognition without overloading working memory. Always validate multiple solution paths to encourage flexible thinking.
Successful learning looks like students confidently naming the problem and solution in a story and explaining it in simple words. They should also show curiosity about different solutions and willingly share their own ideas with peers. Look for students using the vocabulary of problems and fixes naturally during discussions and plays.
Watch Out for These Misconceptions
During Think-Pair-Share: Spot the Problem, watch for students assuming problems are always scary or dangerous.
Use the provided picture cards showing everyday issues like a lost book or a missing shoe. Have pairs sort them into 'small problems' and 'big problems' categories, then share why even small problems matter in stories.
During Small Groups: Role-Play Fixes, watch for students believing solutions always come from the main character alone.
Give each group a scenario where a child needs help, like a stuck zipper, and provide props like a doll or toy to represent friends. Ask groups to act out both solo and team solutions, then compare which felt more realistic.
During Draw Your Story Map, watch for students thinking stories may not have clear solutions.
Ask students to draw three parts: the problem, the attempt to fix it, and the final solution. Circulate with questions like 'How does the story end?' to guide them toward noticing resolved endings.
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