Module B

LESSON NINE (Creative solutions to problems)

Face-to-face
Synchronous
Skill: Problems and solutions

Essential questions:
● Will having students do extensive research on a cause provide opportunities for them to
care about the cause and, by extension, grow as a person?
● Will providing opportunities for students to co-create their projects by communicating
their knowledge of and opinions on a topic help improve their language skills?

Learning objectives:

At the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

Learning Objectives Students’ Needs Assessment READY strategy based on 5C

(click the link to see details) standards (Goal Areas)
#1: Academic English and
skills; #2: Communicative
English; #3 Good motivations

Apply previously-learned #1, #2 Reinforce: learners access and

languages skills (skimming, evaluate information and diverse
scanning, and refuting) to perspectives that are available
research content. through the language and its
cultures.
(in Connections goal area)

Process information to identify #1 Explain: learners understand,

the benefits and obstacles of interpret, and analyze what is
different solutions. heard, read, or viewed on a
variety of topics. Clarify the
“why” or the “how” of ideas,
actions, or phenomena.
(in Communication goal area)

Develop: use the language to

investigate, explain, and reflect
on the nature of language
through comparisons of the

Analyze an issue on a deeper
level by explaining it to a
partner.
Identify ways that a topic relates
to their society, culture, and the
world.
language studied and their own.
(in Comparison goal area)
#1, #2 Explain: interact and negotiate
meaning in spoken, signed, or
written conversations to share
information, reactions, feelings,
and opinions.
(in Communication goal area)
Advancement: learners use the
language to investigate, explain,
and reflect on the relationship
between the practices and
perspectives of the cultures
studied.
(in Culture goal area )
#1 ,#2, #3 Advancement: learners use the
language to investigate, explain,
and reflect on the relationship
between the practices and
perspectives of the cultures
studied.
(in Culture goal area )
Develop: learners use the
language to investigate,
explain, and reflect on the
nature of language through
comparisons of the language
studied and their own.
(in Comparison goal area)
Yearns towards: learners use the
language both within and beyond
the classroom to interact and
collaborate in their community
and the globalized world.
(in Community goal area)
 Synthesize language,
communication and analysis to
prepare a presentation for
Lesson 10.
#2 Reinforce: learners access and
evaluate information and
diverse perspectives that are
available through the language
and its cultures.
(in Connections goal area)

Explain: present information,

concepts, and ideas to inform,
explain, persuade, and narrate
on a variety of topics using
appropriate media and
adapting to various audiences
of listeners, readers, or
viewers.
(in Communication goal area)

Develop: learners use the

language to investigate,
explain, and reflect on the
nature of language through
comparisons of the language
studied and their own.
(in Comparison goal area)

Important concepts: creative problem solving, benefits and obstacles, reflection

Teacher Instructions:
Activity Time

Pair students with a partner to interview one another about their 5 min + 5 min =
waste issues from Lesson 9. One partner will present and the other 10 min
one will ask questions and then they will switch after 5 minutes.

Have students ask their partner to briefly describe the topic and
explain why they chose it.
Their partner can ask the following follow-up questions:
 ● Is this a problem in your culture? If so, how big has it been
a problem and for how long?
● What are people doing to rectify it?
Where is this problem most common? Why?
● Which people are trying to find creative solutions to the
problem?

Explain to students that they will be using their topic from Lesson 8 to 2 min
prepare a presentation in which they select a creative solution to a
waste problem and explain its benefits and potential obstacles.
(Using what they know about refuting, they will be able to explain
why the obstacles are worth the risk!)

Instruct students to find a minimum of three additional articles, 30 min

videos, or other appropriate sources that explore their waste problem.
They should apply their skills of skimming and scanning to process
the main ideas of the articles and complete the Problem - Solution
Mind Map Tool to record and/or brainstorm potential obstacles and
benefits to the articles’ solutions.

Have students work with a partner to go over and provide feedback 4min + 4min =
on their Problem - Solution Mind Map Tools. 8min
Encourage students to ask probing and follow-up questions to
facilitate conversation and identify the context:
● What solutions seems to be the most beneficial to society?
Why?
● Which solution would you not recommend? Why?
● Which solution might be the hardest for people to accept or
adjust to?
● Which solution seems the most dangerous? Expensive?
Worthless?

TOTAL 50 min

Student instructions:
● Work with a partner to share and learn about each others’ waste issues from Lesson 9
through interview. One partner will present and the other one will ask questions, and
then you will switch after 5 minutes.
Your partner will briefly describe the topic and explain why they chose it.
You can ask them the following follow-up questions or any others that come up to mind:
○ Is this a problem in your culture? If so, how big has it been a problem and for
how long?
○ What are people doing to rectify it?
 ○ Where is this problem most common? Why?
○ Which people are trying to find creative solutions to the problem?
● Using your topic from Lesson 8, you will begin preparing a presentation in which you will
select a creative solution to a waste problem and explain its benefits and potential
obstacles.
● Consult the Final Assignment Instructions handout and Presentation Guide. (Using what
you know about refuting, you will be able to explain why the obstacles are worth the risk!
(Using what you know about refuting, you will be able to explain why the obstacles are
worth the risk!)
● Find a minimum of three additional articles, videos, or other appropriate sources that
explore your waste problem.
● Apply your skills of skimming and scanning to process the main ideas of the articles
and complete the Problem - Solution Mind Map Tool to record and/or brainstorm
potential obstacles and benefits to the articles’ solutions.
● Compare your worksheet with a partner and identify the context of the article by asking
leading questions, such as:
○ What solutions seems to be the most beneficial to society? Why?
○ Which solution would you not recommend? Why?
○ Which solution might be the hardest for people to accept or adjust to?
○ Which solution seems the most dangerous? Expensive? Worthless?

Materials needed:
● Computer
● Lesson 8 materials
● Problem - Solution Mind Map Tool
● Final Assignment Instructions handout
● Presentation Guide

Collaboration:
Students will interview a classmate on their topic from Lesson 8, asking to follow up questions to
aid their partner in thinking more deeply about their solution. Students will also present their
Problem - Solution Mind Map Tool to their partner for which the partner is responsible for asking
leading questions to get their partner to think about their topic more broadly and also in different
contexts.

Assessment:
Although there is no formal assessment for this Lesson 9, students can submit their Problem -
Solution Mind Map Tool for credit, no credit, or partial credit depending on how complete the
work is. The summative assessment is the assignment and presentation due in Module 10.