Unit 4: Problem Solving

March 13 - April 14

Click here to download a PDF of an overview of this unit. This handout includes what your child is learning and ways you can practice at home.

Lesson 16: How to Say the Problem

In this lesson, students will learn how to state a problem in a respectful way, without blame or name calling. They’ll practice identifying problems and then state the problem respectfully.

You Can Try This at Home

Children may be tempted to blame others when they’re upset about something. Encourage your child to avoid blame by describing what happened without focusing on who is at fault.

Lesson 17: Was it an Accident?

In this lesson, students will learn helpful ways to respond to a problem caused by accident. They’ll practice phrases for apologizing: "I’m sorry. It was an accident. Are you okay? How can I help?"

You Can Try This at Home

When accidents occur at home, take time to apologize and encourage your child to do the same, using the new phrases they learned at school this week.

Lesson 18: Ask for What You Need

In this lesson, students will learn the importance of asking for what they want or need in order to solve a problem. They’ll practice making polite requests with the phrases, “Can I, please . . . ?” and “Could you, please . . .?”

You Can Try This at Home

Ask your child to sing the problem-solving song they learned this week. Have your child teach you the tune and sing it together. Here are the lyrics:

Can I, can I, can I? Could I, could I, could?

When I have a problem, these words help me feel good.

Can I, can I, can I? Could I, could I, could?

I can ask for what I want to help me feel good.

I know what I want right now, I want to play with you.

Can I please, could I please, play that game too?

Can you, can you, can you? Could you, could you, could?

When I have a problem, these words help me feel good.

Can you, can you, can you? Could you, could you, could?

I can ask for what I need to help me feel good.

I know what I need right now, I’m feeling really sad.

Could you please talk with me about that fight we had?

Can I, can I, can I? Could I, could I, could?

I can ask for what I want to help me feel good.

Can you, can you, can you? Could you, could you, could?

I can ask for what I need to help me feel good.

When I have a problem, these words help me feel good.

Lesson 19: We Can Make It Better

In this lesson, students will learn and practice ways to make amends to start to solve a problem.

You Can Try This at Home

If disagreements or hurt feelings occur at home between siblings or family members, help your child think of a way to make amends, help others feel good, and start to solve the problem.

Lesson 20: Solving Problems

In this lesson, students will show what they’ve learned about solving problems and suggest ways characters in a comic can apologize, ask for what they need to solve the problem, and make amends.

You Can Try This at Home

Help your child practice their problem-solving skills at home. Reinforce the importance of apologizing, asking for what they want or need, and finding a way to make amends when they encounter a problem.

Bennington Public Schools

11620 N 156th Street, Bennington, NE 68007

Phone 402-238-3044| Fax

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