1. Problem Solution Essay

2. Before you begin, don’t forget…..
Identify the problem
Target your audience
Brainstorm a clever opening
Choose a quotation
Brainstorm at least two solutions
Brainstorm a counter argument

3. As you write, don’t forget to……
Indent each paragraph
Use transition words
Make sure each paragraph has at least 5 sentences
Write legibly and neatly

4. Paragraph 1 - Problem
Begin with a question to catch your audience’s attention.
State the problem and explain it thoroughly.
Use a quotation from the article “…..” .

5. Paragraph 1
S1 - There is a (big, substantial, terrible, annoying) problem of ______________ in (the world, our city, the United States, among teenagers, our schools) today.
S5 - This terrible problem must be solved, but the question is, how?

6. Paragraph 2 – Solution 1 State your first solution
Support your solution with at least 3 supporting detail sentences
Don’t forget your concluding sentence for paragraph 2

7. Paragraph 2
S1 – My first solution is…… or One solution to this problem is…….
S5 – But this is just one solution for this “______” problem.

8. Paragraph 3 – Solution 2
State your second solution or continue explaining your first solution
Support your solution with at least 3 supporting detail sentences
Don’t forget your concluding sentence for paragraph 3

9. Paragraph 3
S1 – Another solution to the problem of __________ is…….

10. Paragraph 4 – Counter Argument
Argue against your solution(s)
Give a reason why people may think each of your solutions won’t work

11. Paragraph 4 S1 – Some people may say that my solutions won’t work. OR
Many may complain that my solutions won’t work.

12. Paragraph 5 - Conclusion
Re-state the problem
Re-state the solution(s)
Have a convincing concluding sentence

13. Paragraph 5 S1 - All in all or In conclusion or
As you can see……..there is a terrible problem of ____________ in ______ today
S5- I am convinced that my solutions will work to help solve this “_______” problem.

14. Stealing Your Time
Have you ever checked the time at night and you were surprised to see it was eleven o’clock and bedtime? Did you wonder where the entire evening went? Had you wasted the whole night watching television? Most people have more than one television in their home. Some even have a TV in their bedrooms. Many people have a problem of watching too much TV. A Neilson study says, “ Teenagers watch an average of 5 hours of TV every day”. Watching TV takes attention away from your schoolwork, and you can easily forget about the tasks you promised to do. Also, it can keep you from communicating with your family and friends. Basically, watching too much TV is a waste of valuable time. This problem must be solved, but the question is, how?

15. My first solution to the problem of watching too much TV is for parents to set and enforce a limit on their children’s TV time. Maybe they could give them one hour credit to watch TV for every 30 minutes of homework they complete. They could let them earn bonus hours for good grades. Also, they could earn more TV time by completing their chores without being asked. Parents must learn to be responsible and to monitor their children. But this is just one solution for this growing problem.

16. Another solution to the problem of children watching too much TV is to install a timer on the TV set. When the children have had the TV set on for a certain number of hours each night, the TV would automatically go off. It could be set to not come on again until the next day. Some parents work two jobs, and children start watching TV even before their parents arrive at home. The timer would help monitor the amount of time even when the parents are not around.

17. Some will say that my solutions may not work
Some will say that my solutions may not work. They will argue that parents won’t enforce a time limit for their children. I say that parents should set rules and limits. Many persons might say that there are positive aspects to watching TV. However, there are many more disadvantages to spending most of your free time in front of “the tube.” The bottom line is, if you are watching too much TV, then you are wasting valuable time.

18. All in all, television steals your time
All in all, television steals your time. It takes away the chance for you to talk to your family members and form meaningful relationships. Watching too much TV robs you of time you could spend communicating with people around you. It keeps you from doing your best on school work. If parents would set and enforce limits for TV time and install a timer on the TV, the problem of watching too much TV can be solved. I am convinced that my solutions will work to help solve the problem of television stealing our time.

19. Smoking is a huge problem in the U. S. among our nations’ teens
Smoking is a huge problem in the U.S. among our nations’ teens. “According to the surgeon general’s 1994 report, the average age at which American smokers first try cigarettes is 14 ½ .” This ought not be. We need to take drastic measures to save our kids from a losing battle with smoking. If we put our mind to it, and address the problem correctly, we will win. We all agree that this is a problem, the question is, how can it be solved?

20. One way to address the problem starts in the school system
One way to address the problem starts in the school system. “Between 1991 and 1997, smoking rates among high school students jumped from 27.5 percent to 36.4 percent” an outrageous one-third increase! High schools lack in getting the message out to teen smokers. I feel that if teachers show pictures of what smoking can do to the human body, it will have a great impact on teen smoking. There may be some disturbing pictures, but if that’s what we have to do to get the message across, so be it. Smoking is not cool. But this is just one solution to this awful problem.

21. D. A. R. E. programs stop in the fifth grade
D.A.R.E. programs stop in the fifth grade. As my second solution, I think they should continue on to the high schools. Health classes are important. Only some schools have them, but all schools should. It is important that kids are taught young not to smoke. When they get older, they will have lots of training and experience on how to resist smoking. It would help a lot if the message on cigarette packs were more direct. Other than just to pregnant women. They should tell about other diseases you could catch.

22. Some people may say that my solutions won’t work
Some people may say that my solutions won’t work. Parents might disagree on teachers showing pictures to kids. They may not want their child exposed to it. What they don’t know is that their child might learn something, and it might change the child. Teachers may oppose the D.A.R.E. program in high school because it takes too much time. But I say we have to save our children.

23. All in all, countless millions of dollars have been wasted on cigarette smoking by teens. More and more teens are smoking everyday. With my solutions of teachers showing pictures and talking to students and the D.A.R.E. program in high schools, we will not lose the battle. We still have a chance to win. Let’s not lose our children! I am convinced that my solutions will work to help solve the problem of teen smoking.