Problem Solving Skills Worksheet: Five Steps

Critical thinking lesson 19: Problem-solving steps · Set 200 · 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.🚲 Your cycle chain keeps slipping off. What is a good first step? (a) kick the cycle (b) stop cycling (c) buy a new cycle (d) look at what is wrong
2. 2.🛠️ When solving a problem, which comes first: say what is wrong or check if it worked? (a) say what is wrong (b) check if it worked
3. 3.🛠️ When solving a problem, which comes first: see if it helped or list possible fixes? (a) see if it helped (b) list possible fixes
4. 4.🧩 A big problem feels scary. What helps? (a) cry about it (b) split it into parts (c) wait for luck (d) ignore it
5. 5.🛠️ When solving a problem, which comes first: list possible fixes or check if it worked? (a) list possible fixes (b) check if it worked
6. 6.🛠️ When solving a problem, which comes first: check if it worked or put the plan to work? (a) check if it worked (b) put the plan to work
7. 7.Which of these helps you solve a problem? (a) asking for help (b) panicking (c) guessing wildly (d) repeating the same try
8. 8.True or false: “asking for help” gets in the way of solving. (a) True (b) False
9. 9.🛠️ When solving a problem, which comes first: understand the problem or pick one plan? (a) understand the problem (b) pick one plan
10. 10.Which of these gets in the way of solving? (a) making a list (b) asking for help (c) panicking (d) trying again
11. 11.Which of these helps you solve a problem? (a) giving up at once (b) staying calm (c) guessing wildly (d) panicking
12. 12.🛠️ When solving a problem, which comes first: choose the best idea or check if it worked? (a) choose the best idea (b) check if it worked
13. 13.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) blaming others (b) making a list (c) guessing wildly (d) panicking
14. 14.🛠️ Does this help solve a problem, or get in the way: panicking? (a) gets in the way (b) helps solve it
15. 15.🛠️ Which problem-solving step is this: understand the problem? (a) step 5 (b) step 3 (c) step 1 (d) step 2
16. 16.🛠️ Which problem-solving step is this: pick one plan? (a) step 4 (b) step 5 (c) step 1 (d) step 3
17. 17.🛠️ Does this help solve a problem, or get in the way: breaking it into parts? (a) gets in the way (b) helps solve it
18. 18.🛠️ Does this help solve a problem, or get in the way: guessing wildly? (a) helps solve it (b) gets in the way
19. 19.🤝 Who can help you solve a hard problem? (a) a rumour (b) nobody ever (c) a teacher or parent (d) only a stranger
20. 20.🛠️ When solving a problem, which comes first: list possible fixes or choose the best idea? (a) list possible fixes (b) choose the best idea
21. 21.🛠️ When solving a problem, which comes first: say what is wrong or choose the best idea? (a) say what is wrong (b) choose the best idea
22. 22.🛠️ Which problem-solving step is this: try it out? (a) step 1 (b) step 4 (c) step 5 (d) step 2
23. 23.True or false: “staying calm” helps you solve a problem. (a) True (b) False
24. 24.True or false: “trying again” gets in the way of solving. (a) True (b) False
25. 25.🔁 Your fix did not work. What next? (a) blame the tools (b) hide it (c) try another idea (d) give up
26. 26.🛠️ When solving a problem, which comes first: try it out or understand the problem? (a) try it out (b) understand the problem
27. 27.🛠️ When solving a problem, which comes first: think of ideas or understand the problem? (a) think of ideas (b) understand the problem
28. 28.Which of these gets in the way of solving? (a) asking for help (b) staying calm (c) making a list (d) blaming others
29. 29.🛠️ When solving a problem, which comes first: put the plan to work or understand the problem? (a) put the plan to work (b) understand the problem
30. 30.True or false: “drawing a diagram” helps you solve a problem. (a) False (b) True
31. 31.💡 Why think of more than one idea? (a) to confuse people (b) to waste time (c) no reason (d) to find the best one
32. 32.🛠️ When solving a problem, which comes first: understand the problem or choose the best idea? (a) understand the problem (b) choose the best idea
33. 33.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) making a list (b) drawing a diagram (c) guessing wildly (d) staying calm
34. 34.🛠️ Which problem-solving step is this: choose the best idea? (a) step 5 (b) step 3 (c) step 4 (d) step 1
35. 35.True or false: “blaming others” helps you solve a problem. (a) True (b) False
36. 36.🛠️ Does this help solve a problem, or get in the way: trying again? (a) gets in the way (b) helps solve it
37. 37.Which of these gets in the way of solving? (a) breaking it into parts (b) staying calm (c) asking for help (d) giving up at once
38. 38.🛠️ When solving a problem, which comes first: try it out or pick one plan? (a) try it out (b) pick one plan
39. 39.🛠️ When solving a problem, which comes first: put the plan to work or pick one plan? (a) put the plan to work (b) pick one plan
40. 40.Which of these gets in the way of solving? (a) asking for help (b) trying again (c) breaking it into parts (d) guessing wildly

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