Finding the Problem Lesson Plan Finding the Problem in Your Passion
Lesson Plan • 6th Grade Inquiry
Duration 30 Minutes
Why This Matters
This lesson helps students see how their passions can lead to meaningful investigations, making learning relevant and engaging, and empowering them to explore topics they care about deeply.
Objective
Students will be able to identify a problem related to their chosen interest and formulate an open-ended research question to guide their inquiry.
Preparation
Time Required
10 minutes
Review "Crafting Questions" Slides
Print Question Formulation Worksheet
Print Exit Ticket: My Research Question
Think of a personal passion example
Required Materials
Projector/Whiteboard
Crafting Questions Slides
Question Formulation Worksheet
Exit Ticket: Research Question
Lesson Procedure
1
Review & Connect: What Are You Passionate About?
5 MIN
Hook: Begin by asking students: "What's something you absolutely love doing, learning about, or thinking about?" (e.g., video games, animals, art, sports). Write a few ideas on the board.
Connect: Explain that today, they will learn how to turn those passions into interesting questions that can lead to cool discoveries. "We're going to find the problems hidden in our passions!"
2
Model & Define: From Passion to Problem to Question
10 MIN
Introduce Slides: Present the Slide Deck on Crafting Questions.
Define Problem: Explain that a 'problem' isn't always something terrible—it can be a challenge, a mystery, an inefficiency, or something that could be improved. Provide an example: "If I love nature, a 'problem' might be plastic pollution or how specific animals are affected by climate change."
Model Formulation: Demonstrate moving from a broad passion (e.g., sports) to a specific problem (e.g., athlete injuries) to an open-ended research question (e.g., "How can training methods be adapted to reduce common sports injuries in young athletes?"). Emphasize that good questions often start with How or Why .
3
Draft & Revise: Worksheet Time!
10 MIN
Independent Work: Distribute the Question Formulation Worksheet. Students work through Step 1 and Step 2 to identify their passion and a related problem.
Draft Questions: Guide them to draft their open-ended research question in Step 3. Remind them to use the list of open-ended question starters provided in the slides.
4
Peer Feedback & Finalize: Share Your Question
5 MIN
Partner Feedback: Students share their questions. Partners check: Is it open-ended? Is it clear? Is it specific? Students revise based on feedback.
Exit Ticket: Distribute the Exit Ticket. Students write their finalized question. Collect to check for understanding and provide individual guidance.
Crafting Questions Slides Your Passion,
Your Problem
Turning the things you love into powerful discoveries.
Teacher Notes: Welcome students. Ask a few students to share a passion (hobbies, games, animals) to get them thinking.
What's a 'Problem'?
In research, a 'problem' isn't always something bad. It can be:
A challenge to solve
A mystery to uncover
Something that could be improved
An inefficiency or difficulty
"It's just something we want to understand better or change."
Teacher Notes: Explain that a problem is a puzzle or mystery. Example: Video games. A problem might be "Why do some game updates cause glitches?"
The Path to Inquiry
Passion
What you care about or love.
Problem
A specific challenge within that passion.
Question
What you want to find out about the problem.
Teacher Notes: Walk through an example. Passion: Dogs -> Problem: Overcrowded shelters -> Question: How can we increase dog adoptions in our community?
Example: Sports
The Passion
Athletics and Competition
Potential Problems
Many young athletes get injured early in their careers.
Not everyone has access to safe sports equipment.
Research Question
"How can access to equipment be improved for students in low-income areas?"
Teacher Notes: Ask students to think of other problems in sports (e.g., unfair rules, fan behavior).
Example: Music
The Passion
Playing and Hearing Music
Potential Problems
Budget cuts reduce funding for school music programs.
Limited access to high-quality instruments for beginners.
Research Question
"How do limited resources affect the development of music education programs?"
Teacher Notes: Prompt students to consider different problems like "stage fright" or "streaming vs physical records".
Example: Cheetahs
The Passion
Wildlife and Big Cats
The Problem
Cheetahs face threats from habitat destruction and poaching.
Research Question
"What are the most impactful strategies to protect cheetah populations from habitat loss in their natural habitats?"
Teacher Notes: Guide students to brainstorm other problems related to cheetahs (e.g., speed vs endurance, genetic diversity).
Question Formulation Worksheet Inquiry Investigation Report
Case No. 001
Lead Researcher
Date of Discovery
Step 1: Identify Your Passion
What is something you are really interested in, love doing, or enjoy learning about? (e.g., video games, animals, art, space, cooking, a specific sport)
Step 2: Find the Hidden Problem
Look closer at your passion. What is a challenge, a mystery, an inefficiency, or something that could be improved within that passion?
Remember, a problem doesn't have to be "bad"—it's just a challenge to solve or a mystery to uncover!
Step 3: Craft Your Question
Draft an open-ended research question that will help you explore the problem you identified above.
How...?
Why...?
What impact...?
To what extent...?
Detective Peer Review
Share your question with a partner and have them evaluate it using the checklist below.
Is it Open-Ended?
It cannot be answered with a simple "Yes" or "No".
Is it Specific?
It focuses on a clear problem within the passion.
Is it Clear?
Someone else can understand exactly what you are asking.
Partner's Suggestions for Improvement
Exit Ticket Research Question Exit Ticket
Case Resolution Report
Lead Researcher
Inquiry Topic
My Finalized Research Question
Based on your passion and the problem you identified, what is your finalized open-ended research question? Make it clear, specific, and impactful.
Check: Does your question start with "How", "Why", "To what extent", or "What is the impact"?
Official Inquiry Documentation • Grade 6
