First Grade English: Problem and Solution
If every story were about characters who were completely happy, ate ice cream all day, and had nothing go wrong, books would be terribly boring! What makes stories thrilling, hilarious, and inspiring is that characters face challenges. In literary terms, the difficulty or obstacle a character faces is called the problem, and the clever way the character overcomes that obstacle is called the solution. In this chapter, you will master the art of uncovering the problem and solution in every fiction story you read.
The Dynamic Duo: Problem and Solution
Problem and solution work together like a lock and a key. The problem is the locked door that stops the character, and the solution is the key that opens the door so the story can conclude happily!
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| THE LOCK AND KEY OF STORIES |
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| |
| [ THE PROBLEM ] [ THE SOLUTION ] |
| (The Lock) (The Key) |
| |
| What went wrong? How was it fixed? |
| What stands in the way? What clever action |
| What does character need? solved the trouble? |
| |
| "Sam lost his house key." ===> "A neighbor helped him |
| climb in the window." |
| |
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Why Stories Need Problems
Without a problem, there is no plot! The problem is the spark that lights the fire of action. When a problem occurs, the character must get off the couch, think creatively, ask friends for help, show bravery, and embark on an adventure.
Common Types of Story Problems
Story problems usually fall into four exciting categories that first-grade scholars will recognize immediately:
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| FOUR COMMON STORY PROBLEMS |
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| Problem Type | Description | Classic Example|
| ------------------+-----------------------+----------------|
| LOST SOMETHING | A treasured item or | A puppy loses |
| | friend goes missing | his collar; a |
| | | child loses toy|
| ------------------+-----------------------+----------------|
| NATURE & WEATHER | Rain, snow, mud, or | A flood washes |
| | wind traps character | away a bridge; |
| | | a snowstorm |
| ------------------+-----------------------+----------------|
| WANTING A GOAL | Character wants to do | An animal wants|
| | something difficult | to learn to fly|
| ------------------+-----------------------+----------------|
| DISAGREEMENT | Two characters clash | Two friends |
| | or argue | fight over toy |
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The Feelings Clue
To spot the problem in a story, look at the main character's face in the illustrations or notice emotion words in the text! Is the character crying, frowning, scared, worried, or angry? When a character feels upset, you have just located the problem!
How Characters Solve Problems
A great solution does not usually fall from the sky like magic; the character must actively work to make things right.
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| THE SOLUTION TOOLKIT |
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| |
| How do characters unlock solutions? |
| - Teamwork : Asking friends or family to join forces |
| - Perseverance : Trying again even after failing once |
| - Cleverness : Thinking of an unusual, creative idea |
| - Kindness : Sharing, apologizing, or forgiving |
| |
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Solution vs. Outcome
Be careful: the solution is the specific action taken to fix the problem, while the outcome is the happy feeling that comes afterward! If a character loses her dog, the solution is putting up posters around town; the outcome is hugging the puppy with tears of joy.
The Problem-and-Solution Graphic Organizer
When reading a book, visualize this simple graphic organizer in your mind:
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| PROBLEM & SOLUTION CHART |
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| STORY TITLE: The Thirsty Crow |
| |
| CHARACTER : A smart black crow |
| SETTING : A hot, dry summer afternoon in the desert |
| |
| PROBLEM : The crow is dying of thirst, but the water in |
| the tall pitcher is too low for his beak! |
| |
| SOLUTION : The crow drops tiny pebbles into the pitcher |
| one by one until the water rises to the top! |
| |
| RESULT : The crow drinks cool water and survives! |
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Practice Exercises
Exercise 1: Read the following story passage and state the exact Problem and the exact Solution: Ella was building a tall wooden birdhouse for the robins in her garden. Just as she was about to put on the roof, she realized she had run out of nails! Ella thought for a moment, walked over to her neighbor Mr. Davis, and asked if she could borrow five shiny nails in exchange for helping him rake his yard. Mr. Davis happily agreed, and Ella finished her birdhouse before dark.
Exercise 2: Imagine a problem where a boy wants to go to soccer practice, but it is raining torrentially outside and the field is pure mud. Create two different creative solutions for his problem.
Exercise Solutions
Solution to Exercise 1: The Problem is that Ella ran out of nails to finish the roof of her birdhouse. The Solution is that she visited her neighbor Mr. Davis and agreed to rake his yard in exchange for five nails.
Solution to Exercise 2: A student could suggest: Solution 1: The boy and his coach move practice indoors into a school gymnasium so they can practice passing on the dry floor. Solution 2: The boy puts on heavy rubber boots and rain gear, sets up mini cones in his driveway, and practices dribbling in the rain.