Problem Solving Skills Worksheet: Five Steps

Critical thinking lesson 19: Problem-solving steps · Set 307 · 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” gets in the way of solving. (a) False (b) True
2. 2.🚲 Your cycle chain keeps slipping off. What is a good first step? (a) buy a new cycle (b) look at what is wrong (c) kick the cycle (d) stop cycling
3. 3.🛠️ When solving a problem, which comes first: try it out or say what is wrong? (a) try it out (b) say what is wrong
4. 4.🛠️ When solving a problem, which comes first: check if it worked or think of ideas? (a) check if it worked (b) think of ideas
5. 5.🛠️ 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
6. 6.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) ignoring the problem (b) giving up at once (c) panicking (d) breaking it into parts
7. 7.🧩 A big problem feels scary. What helps? (a) split it into parts (b) wait for luck (c) ignore it (d) cry about it
8. 8.🛠️ When solving a problem, which comes first: see if it helped or put the plan to work? (a) see if it helped (b) put the plan to work
9. 9.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) repeating the same try (b) making a list (c) asking for help (d) drawing a diagram
10. 10.Which of these gets in the way of solving? (a) drawing a diagram (b) asking for help (c) making a list (d) guessing wildly
11. 11.True or false: “asking for help” helps you solve a problem. (a) True (b) False
12. 12.True or false: “making a list” helps you solve a problem. (a) True (b) False
13. 13.🛠️ Does this help solve a problem, or get in the way: panicking? (a) gets in the way (b) helps solve it
14. 14.🛠️ When solving a problem, which comes first: pick one plan or think of ideas? (a) pick one plan (b) think of ideas
15. 15.🛠️ Which problem-solving step is this: say what is wrong? (a) step 4 (b) step 2 (c) step 5 (d) step 1
16. 16.True or false: “blaming others” gets in the way of solving. (a) True (b) False
17. 17.Which of these gets in the way of solving? (a) drawing a diagram (b) making a list (c) ignoring the problem (d) trying again
18. 18.🛠️ When solving a problem, which comes first: check if it worked or try it out? (a) check if it worked (b) try it out
19. 19.🛠️ When solving a problem, which comes first: put the plan to work or choose the best idea? (a) put the plan to work (b) choose the best idea
20. 20.Which of these helps you solve a problem? (a) staying calm (b) repeating the same try (c) blaming others (d) giving up at once
21. 21.🛠️ When solving a problem, which comes first: list possible fixes or choose the best idea? (a) list possible fixes (b) choose the best idea
22. 22.🛠️ 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
23. 23.Which of these gets in the way of solving? (a) making a list (b) breaking it into parts (c) blaming others (d) asking for help
24. 24.Which of these gets in the way of solving? (a) making a list (b) staying calm (c) trying again (d) panicking
25. 25.🛠️ Which problem-solving step is this: pick one plan? (a) step 1 (b) step 4 (c) step 2 (d) step 3
26. 26.🛠️ Which problem-solving step is this: see if it helped? (a) step 4 (b) step 1 (c) step 3 (d) step 5
27. 27.🛠️ Which problem-solving step is this: list possible fixes? (a) step 1 (b) step 5 (c) step 2 (d) step 3
28. 28.🛠️ When solving a problem, which comes first: pick one plan or understand the problem? (a) pick one plan (b) understand the problem
29. 29.💡 Why think of more than one idea? (a) to confuse people (b) no reason (c) to find the best one (d) to waste time
30. 30.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) asking for help (b) guessing wildly (c) staying calm (d) trying again
31. 31.🛠️ Which problem-solving step is this: think of ideas? (a) step 3 (b) step 4 (c) step 2 (d) step 1
32. 32.True or false: “breaking it into parts” gets in the way of solving. (a) False (b) True
33. 33.🛠️ Does this help solve a problem, or get in the way: ignoring the problem? (a) helps solve it (b) gets in the way
34. 34.🤝 Who can help you solve a hard problem? (a) nobody ever (b) only a stranger (c) a rumour (d) a teacher or parent
35. 35.True or false: “ignoring the problem” helps you solve a problem. (a) False (b) True
36. 36.🛠️ Does this help solve a problem, or get in the way: staying calm? (a) gets in the way (b) helps solve it
37. 37.🔁 Your fix did not work. What next? (a) try another idea (b) give up (c) blame the tools (d) hide it
38. 38.Which of these helps you solve a problem? (a) ignoring the problem (b) blaming others (c) giving up at once (d) drawing a diagram
39. 39.🛠️ Which problem-solving step is this: put the plan to work? (a) step 1 (b) step 4 (c) step 5 (d) step 3
40. 40.Which of these helps you solve a problem? (a) ignoring the problem (b) giving up at once (c) guessing wildly (d) making a list

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