Plan a Story Problem

Overview

This is lesson 4 of 8 in Little Stories, Big Laughs. Students explore how a problem or challenge helps make a story entertaining, then plan a beginning, problem and solution for a playful narrative.

Learning intentions

• WALT identify a problem and solution in a story.
• WALT invent a playful problem for a character.
• WALT organise story ideas into a beginning, problem and solution.
• WALT share ideas and listen respectfully to others.

Success criteria

• I can explain what a story problem is.
• I can give my character a clear problem and solution.
• I can plan a beginning, problem and solution using words or pictures.
• I can choose a solution that is surprising or funny.

Curriculum links

• Creating texts: planning ideas, sequencing events and developing characters for an imaginative story.
• Oral language: contributing ideas, speaking clearly and responding to others.
• Language features: using precise action and feeling words to make a story entertaining.
• Key competencies: managing self, relating to others, and participating and contributing.

Lesson structure (40 minutes)

1. 0–5 minutes – Hook: What goes wrong? Show the opening visual and question on the introduction slides: “What would happen if a taniwha suddenly lost its sneeze?” Invite several quick responses. Explain that funny stories often begin when something goes wrong for a character.

2. 5–12 minutes – I do: model a story plan Use the model story slides to model a simple plan: “At the beach, Pip the penguin wanted to surf. Problem: his surfboard floated away. Solution: he rode on a friendly seal.” Think aloud about how the problem makes the story interesting and how the solution fixes, changes or responds to it. Point out the three parts: beginning, problem and solution.

3. 12–19 minutes – We do: invent playful problems Display the problem-making prompts on the playful problems slides. As a class, generate ideas such as a taniwha losing its sneeze, a robot stuck in jelly, or a pirate whose map keeps changing. Ask: “Who has the problem? What goes wrong? Why might it be funny?” Record students’ ideas where everyone can see them. Encourage kind, imaginary humour rather than humour that targets a classmate.

4. 19–24 minutes – We do: test possible solutions Choose one class problem, such as “The robot is stuck in jelly.” Invite pairs to suggest a solution. Share two or three possibilities and discuss which is funniest, most surprising or most helpful. Model choosing one and explain that writers can try more than one idea before deciding.

5. 24–35 minutes – You do: complete a story plan Distribute the beginning–problem–solution story planning map. Students choose or invent a character and complete the three sections with drawings, labels or short sentences. Provide the sentence frames: “At the beginning…”, “But then…”, and “In the end…”. Circulate and ask individuals to explain their plan orally. Students ready for a challenge should draw or write two possible solutions, then circle the funniest one.

6. 35–40 minutes – Share and reflect Invite three or four students to share their plan with a partner, then take two examples for the class. Use the sharing and reflection slide to revisit: “What was the problem?” and “How did the solution make the story entertaining?” Students show thumbs up, sideways or down to indicate how confidently they can plan a story problem. Collect plans for formative assessment.

Resources

• the story problem teaching deck
• the beginning–problem–solution story planning map
• Whiteboard or large paper
• Markers
• Pencils, crayons or coloured pencils
• Optional picture cards or teacher-drawn pictures of characters and settings
• Visual timer

Assessment

• Listen during discussion for students who can distinguish a problem from a character, setting or event.
• Check planning maps for a recognisable beginning, a clear challenge and a possible solution.
• Note whether students can explain how their problem or solution makes the story funny, surprising or entertaining.

Differentiation

• Support learners with picture choices for characters, settings and problems; scribe their oral ideas when needed.
• Offer sentence frames and allow drawing, labels, oral rehearsal or shared writing before independent recording.
• Pair students strategically and rehearse ideas with a partner before whole-class sharing.
• Extend confident writers by requiring two possible solutions, descriptive action or feeling words, and a choice of the funniest solution.
• Support EAL learners by explicitly acting out “problem” and “solution”, using gestures and repeating the sentence frames.