Problem Solving Skills Worksheet: Five Steps

Critical thinking lesson 19: Problem-solving steps · Set 541 · 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.🧩 A big problem feels scary. What helps? (a) cry about it (b) wait for luck (c) ignore it (d) split it into parts
2. 2.🛠️ Does this help solve a problem, or get in the way: breaking it into parts? (a) helps solve it (b) gets in the way
3. 3.True or false: “giving up at once” gets in the way of solving. (a) True (b) False
4. 4.🔁 Your fix did not work. What next? (a) blame the tools (b) try another idea (c) hide it (d) give up
5. 5.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) making a list (b) giving up at once (c) blaming others (d) panicking
6. 6.True or false: “panicking” helps you solve a problem. (a) False (b) True
7. 7.Which of these gets in the way of solving? (a) drawing a diagram (b) trying again (c) breaking it into parts (d) guessing wildly
8. 8.🛠️ When solving a problem, which comes first: say what is wrong or list possible fixes? (a) say what is wrong (b) list possible fixes
9. 9.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) staying calm (b) guessing wildly (c) repeating the same try (d) ignoring the problem
10. 10.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) blaming others (b) giving up at once (c) repeating the same try (d) trying again
11. 11.🛠️ When solving a problem, which comes first: put the plan to work or check if it worked? (a) put the plan to work (b) check if it worked
12. 12.🤝 Who can help you solve a hard problem? (a) only a stranger (b) a teacher or parent (c) nobody ever (d) a rumour
13. 13.True or false: “guessing wildly” helps you solve a problem. (a) True (b) False
14. 14.🛠️ What is the first step in solving a problem? (a) try any idea (b) give up (c) blame someone (d) know what is wrong
15. 15.True or false: “panicking” gets in the way of solving. (a) False (b) True
16. 16.🚲 Your cycle chain keeps slipping off. What is a good first step? (a) kick the cycle (b) look at what is wrong (c) stop cycling (d) buy a new cycle
17. 17.Which of these helps you solve a problem? (a) guessing wildly (b) breaking it into parts (c) repeating the same try (d) ignoring the problem
18. 18.Which of these helps you solve a problem? (a) guessing wildly (b) panicking (c) drawing a diagram (d) blaming others
19. 19.True or false: “asking for help” helps you solve a problem. (a) True (b) False
20. 20.🛠️ Does this help solve a problem, or get in the way: guessing wildly? (a) gets in the way (b) helps solve it
21. 21.🛠️ When solving a problem, which comes first: think of ideas or see if it helped? (a) think of ideas (b) see if it helped
22. 22.True or false: “making a list” gets in the way of solving. (a) True (b) False
23. 23.🛠️ Which problem-solving step is this: pick one plan? (a) step 2 (b) step 1 (c) step 5 (d) step 3
24. 24.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) asking for help (b) blaming others (c) giving up at once (d) ignoring the problem
25. 25.🛠️ Which problem-solving step is this: check if it worked? (a) step 5 (b) step 3 (c) step 1 (d) step 4
26. 26.True or false: “breaking it into parts” gets in the way of solving. (a) True (b) False
27. 27.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) drawing a diagram (b) giving up at once (c) panicking (d) blaming others
28. 28.🛠️ Which problem-solving step is this: try it out? (a) step 2 (b) step 4 (c) step 5 (d) step 1
29. 29.🛠️ Which problem-solving step is this: think of ideas? (a) step 5 (b) step 3 (c) step 4 (d) step 2
30. 30.Which of these gets in the way of solving? (a) drawing a diagram (b) repeating the same try (c) breaking it into parts (d) trying again
31. 31.🛠️ Which problem-solving step is this: understand the problem? (a) step 2 (b) step 1 (c) step 3 (d) step 5
32. 32.True or false: “staying calm” helps you solve a problem. (a) False (b) True
33. 33.🛠️ 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
34. 34.🛠️ Does this help solve a problem, or get in the way: asking for help? (a) gets in the way (b) helps solve it
35. 35.True or false: “staying calm” gets in the way of solving. (a) False (b) True
36. 36.🛠️ Does this help solve a problem, or get in the way: ignoring the problem? (a) gets in the way (b) helps solve it
37. 37.True or false: “drawing a diagram” gets in the way of solving. (a) False (b) True
38. 38.🛠️ When solving a problem, which comes first: choose the best idea or put the plan to work? (a) choose the best idea (b) put the plan to work
39. 39.🛠️ When solving a problem, which comes first: pick one plan or think of ideas? (a) pick one plan (b) think of ideas
40. 40.🛠️ Which problem-solving step is this: see if it helped? (a) step 4 (b) step 5 (c) step 2 (d) step 1

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