Lesson Plan: Practicing Problem Solving

Suitable for ages 4-6, this story time activity is a good lesson paired with teaching children problem-solving steps. Becoming a peaceful problem solver requires practice. Help children practice their problem-solving skills using books about Llama Llama. 

Materials:

Book: Llama Llama Mad at Mama by Anna Dewdney. Llama Llama has to go shopping with his Mama. Llama Llama doesn’t like shopping. He starts to get bored and angry. What will happen next?

Teaching and Learning Activities (during story time):

1. ACTIVATE THINKING: Introduce the book, “Llama Llama Mad at Mama” to the children. Ask them what they think will happen in the story. Have they ever been mad at someone? What did they do? How did it feel in their bodies?

2. Talk about problem solving. Ask the children if they remember what they can do when they have a problem. Share the 5 steps verbally and visually:

• Step one: notice how you feel. Calm down with a deep breath.
• Step two: what is the problem?
• Step three: come up with some solutions.
• Step four: think about what would happen with different solutions.
• Step five: try out a solution

3. Begin reading the story.

4. Stop when Llama Llama gets really angry and talk about what is happening in the story. What is Llama Llama’s problem? How does he feel? What could Llama Llama and Mama do next?

5. Finish reading the story.

6. Remind the children about the 5 problem-solving steps. Talk about how Llama Llama and Mama solved their problem. Could they have solved it another way?

Adaptatons:

• Following this story time, children can act out the story and role play alternative endings.

Adaptations for home:

• Introduce the book “Llama Llama Mad at Mama”
• Ask your child if they have ever felt mad because of something someone else did or said. If your child mentions feeling mad at you, let them know it is okay to feel this way. Everyone feels mad sometimes.
• Talk about problem solving. Ask your child if they know what they can do when they have a problem.
• Begin reading the story.
• Stop when Llama Llama gets really angry and talk about what is happening in the story. What is Llama Llama’s problem? How does he feel? What could Llama Llama and Mama do next?
• Finish reading the story
• Talk about how Llama Llama and Mama solved their problem. Could they have solved it another way? How have you and your child solved problems in the past?

Follow up with other Llama Llama Books[1] such as:

- Llama Llama Home with Mama by Anna Dewdney
- Llama Llama and the Bully Goat by Anna Dewdney
- Llama Llama Time to Share by Anna Dewdney