Problem Solving Skills Worksheet: Five Steps

Critical thinking lesson 19: Problem-solving steps · Set 100 · 40 questions

Thinking tip (Five calm steps): The steps in order: understand the problem → think of ideas → choose the best idea → try it out → check if it worked. Helps: staying calm, breaking it into parts, asking for help, drawing a diagram, trying again. Gets in the way: panicking, giving up at once, blaming others, repeating the same try, guessing wildly.

1. 1.True or false: “ignoring the problem” helps you solve a problem. (a) False (b) True
2. 2.🧩 A big problem feels scary. What helps? (a) ignore it (b) cry about it (c) split it into parts (d) wait for luck
3. 3.🛠️ When solving a problem, which comes first: see if it helped or choose the best idea? (a) see if it helped (b) choose the best idea
4. 4.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) staying calm (b) making a list (c) asking for help (d) repeating the same try
5. 5.True or false: “panicking” gets in the way of solving. (a) False (b) True
6. 6.🚲 Your cycle chain keeps slipping off. What is a good first step? (a) stop cycling (b) look at what is wrong (c) buy a new cycle (d) kick the cycle
7. 7.True or false: “trying again” helps you solve a problem. (a) False (b) True
8. 8.True or false: “asking for help” helps you solve a problem. (a) True (b) False
9. 9.🔁 Your fix did not work. What next? (a) give up (b) hide it (c) blame the tools (d) try another idea
10. 10.🛠️ Does this help solve a problem, or get in the way: trying again? (a) gets in the way (b) helps solve it
11. 11.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) breaking it into parts (b) blaming others (c) staying calm (d) asking for help
12. 12.🛠️ Which problem-solving step is this: understand the problem? (a) step 1 (b) step 3 (c) step 2 (d) step 5
13. 13.🛠️ Which problem-solving step is this: put the plan to work? (a) step 5 (b) step 2 (c) step 4 (d) step 3
14. 14.🛠️ When solving a problem, which comes first: understand the problem or list possible fixes? (a) understand the problem (b) list possible fixes
15. 15.True or false: “guessing wildly” gets in the way of solving. (a) True (b) False
16. 16.🛠️ When solving a problem, which comes first: list possible fixes or say what is wrong? (a) list possible fixes (b) say what is wrong
17. 17.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) giving up at once (b) breaking it into parts (c) staying calm (d) asking for help
18. 18.🤝 Who can help you solve a hard problem? (a) a rumour (b) nobody ever (c) only a stranger (d) a teacher or parent
19. 19.True or false: “panicking” helps you solve a problem. (a) True (b) False
20. 20.🛠️ Which problem-solving step is this: say what is wrong? (a) step 4 (b) step 5 (c) step 1 (d) step 3
21. 21.Which of these gets in the way of solving? (a) staying calm (b) asking for help (c) trying again (d) blaming others
22. 22.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) ignoring the problem (b) trying again (c) drawing a diagram (d) breaking it into parts
23. 23.Which of these helps you solve a problem? (a) ignoring the problem (b) guessing wildly (c) blaming others (d) asking for help
24. 24.🛠️ Which problem-solving step is this: list possible fixes? (a) step 2 (b) step 4 (c) step 3 (d) step 1
25. 25.True or false: “asking for help” gets in the way of solving. (a) True (b) False
26. 26.🛠️ Which problem-solving step is this: see if it helped? (a) step 2 (b) step 3 (c) step 5 (d) step 4
27. 27.Which of these gets in the way of solving? (a) repeating the same try (b) trying again (c) drawing a diagram (d) breaking it into parts
28. 28.🛠️ What is the first step in solving a problem? (a) give up (b) try any idea (c) blame someone (d) know what is wrong
29. 29.🛠️ Does this help solve a problem, or get in the way: blaming others? (a) helps solve it (b) gets in the way
30. 30.🛠️ Does this help solve a problem, or get in the way: ignoring the problem? (a) gets in the way (b) helps solve it
31. 31.True or false: “repeating the same try” gets in the way of solving. (a) False (b) True
32. 32.🛠️ Does this help solve a problem, or get in the way: guessing wildly? (a) gets in the way (b) helps solve it
33. 33.🛠️ Which problem-solving step is this: pick one plan? (a) step 2 (b) step 5 (c) step 1 (d) step 3
34. 34.Which of these helps you solve a problem? (a) giving up at once (b) repeating the same try (c) making a list (d) panicking
35. 35.Which of these gets in the way of solving? (a) breaking it into parts (b) staying calm (c) drawing a diagram (d) ignoring the problem
36. 36.🛠️ When solving a problem, which comes first: try it out or list possible fixes? (a) try it out (b) list possible fixes
37. 37.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) staying calm (b) asking for help (c) trying again (d) panicking
38. 38.True or false: “giving up at once” gets in the way of solving. (a) False (b) True
39. 39.🛠️ Which problem-solving step is this: choose the best idea? (a) step 2 (b) step 1 (c) step 3 (d) step 4
40. 40.💡 Why think of more than one idea? (a) to waste time (b) no reason (c) to find the best one (d) to confuse people

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