Dear Friends: As of Fall 2004 the Greater Phoenix Area Writing Project has been discontinued. This website will be maintained for a time on a limited basis for informational purposes and so that you are able to access the resources provided. All the best to you in your teaching. Monday, June 9, 2003 GPAWP 2003 Summer Institute Web Diary "Problem/Solution Essay Introduction Activity with a Little Help from Kurt Cobain and Shel Silverstein" Available on Web Video by clicking here.

Fortino Gomez Mountain View High School Mesa, AZ Presentation Title "Problem/Solution Essay Introduction Activity with a Little Help from Kurt Cobain and Shel Silverstein" Grade Level(s) 12 Book(s) Used TBA Other Resources Cassette Tape/CD: MTV Unplugged in New York: Nirvana Poem "Cloony the Clown" by Shel Silverstein Handout: Problem/Solution Essay Outline An Open Mind Presentation Description "All we know is all we are." --Kurt Cobain The lesson is possibly taught to seniors in a fundamental writing class, after having studied and practiced the basic five-paragraph essay format. Objectives: 1. Students identify and discus what a problem is by reflecting on their own experiences, songs, and poetry. 2. Students devise three possible solutions for the problems discussed during the lesson. 3. Students are introduced to the problem/solution essay outline. Anticipatory Set: Students write about problems that they may have successfully overcome in life while I play music for about five (5) minutes. After five (5) minutes, I ask for volunteers to share their journal entries if they choose. Then, the class studies song lyrics to identify problems that a rock-and-roll celebrity suffered from. As a class, we will discuss the problems and possible solutions. Lesson: Instructor hands out the poem, "Cloony the Clown" and reads it aloud to the class. After the class has heard the poem once, the students will get into groups (no more than 5) and discuss problem(s) that may affect Cloony's life. After identifying Cloony's problem(s), students devise three (3) possible solutions to help him find happiness with his chosen career. In groups, the students log their responses individually in their writer's notebooks. Groups present their responses to the class by explaining Cloony's problem(s) and three (3) possible solutions to make his life happier. Students are introduced to the outline for a problem/solution essay and are expected to complete a rough draft of their introduction paragraph during class time the next day. Note: If you don't see a Navigation Bar on this page, please click here, then click on GPAWP Summer Diary to get back to this page. Back to Web Diary Updated: December 8, 2005