Problem Solving Skills Worksheet: Five Steps

Critical thinking lesson 19: Problem-solving steps · Set 55 · 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.🛠️ What is the first step in solving a problem? (a) try any idea (b) give up (c) know what is wrong (d) blame someone
2. 2.🛠️ Which problem-solving step is this: say what is wrong? (a) step 4 (b) step 1 (c) step 2 (d) step 3
3. 3.🛠️ Which problem-solving step is this: think of ideas? (a) step 5 (b) step 3 (c) step 2 (d) step 4
4. 4.🚲 Your cycle chain keeps slipping off. What is a good first step? (a) buy a new cycle (b) stop cycling (c) kick the cycle (d) look at what is wrong
5. 5.💡 Why think of more than one idea? (a) no reason (b) to waste time (c) to find the best one (d) to confuse people
6. 6.🛠️ When solving a problem, which comes first: say what is wrong or put the plan to work? (a) say what is wrong (b) put the plan to work
7. 7.True or false: “making a list” gets in the way of solving. (a) True (b) False
8. 8.🛠️ Which problem-solving step is this: pick one plan? (a) step 2 (b) step 3 (c) step 4 (d) step 1
9. 9.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) panicking (b) blaming others (c) ignoring the problem (d) trying again
10. 10.True or false: “drawing a diagram” gets in the way of solving. (a) True (b) False
11. 11.🛠️ Does this help solve a problem, or get in the way: ignoring the problem? (a) gets in the way (b) helps solve it
12. 12.🧩 A big problem feels scary. What helps? (a) wait for luck (b) cry about it (c) split it into parts (d) ignore it
13. 13.True or false: “blaming others” helps you solve a problem. (a) True (b) False
14. 14.Which of these helps you solve a problem? (a) giving up at once (b) ignoring the problem (c) breaking it into parts (d) panicking
15. 15.True or false: “ignoring the problem” helps you solve a problem. (a) True (b) False
16. 16.🛠️ When solving a problem, which comes first: pick one plan or check if it worked? (a) pick one plan (b) check if it worked
17. 17.Which of these gets in the way of solving? (a) breaking it into parts (b) trying again (c) drawing a diagram (d) giving up at once
18. 18.🔁 Your fix did not work. What next? (a) try another idea (b) give up (c) blame the tools (d) hide it
19. 19.Which of these helps you solve a problem? (a) ignoring the problem (b) staying calm (c) panicking (d) repeating the same try
20. 20.🛠️ Which problem-solving step is this: check if it worked? (a) step 5 (b) step 2 (c) step 1 (d) step 3
21. 21.Which of these gets in the way of solving? (a) breaking it into parts (b) trying again (c) staying calm (d) blaming others
22. 22.🛠️ When solving a problem, which comes first: think of ideas or understand the problem? (a) think of ideas (b) understand the problem
23. 23.🛠️ When solving a problem, which comes first: list possible fixes or try it out? (a) list possible fixes (b) try it out
24. 24.🛠️ Which problem-solving step is this: list possible fixes? (a) step 3 (b) step 1 (c) step 4 (d) step 2
25. 25.True or false: “trying again” helps you solve a problem. (a) False (b) True
26. 26.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) trying again (b) panicking (c) staying calm (d) asking for help
27. 27.🛠️ Does this help solve a problem, or get in the way: drawing a diagram? (a) helps solve it (b) gets in the way
28. 28.Which of these gets in the way of solving? (a) breaking it into parts (b) making a list (c) ignoring the problem (d) drawing a diagram
29. 29.🤝 Who can help you solve a hard problem? (a) nobody ever (b) a rumour (c) a teacher or parent (d) only a stranger
30. 30.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) drawing a diagram (b) breaking it into parts (c) staying calm (d) repeating the same try
31. 31.🛠️ Does this help solve a problem, or get in the way: making a list? (a) gets in the way (b) helps solve it
32. 32.🛠️ When solving a problem, which comes first: think of ideas or see if it helped? (a) think of ideas (b) see if it helped
33. 33.🛠️ When solving a problem, which comes first: pick one plan or understand the problem? (a) pick one plan (b) understand the problem
34. 34.🛠️ Does this help solve a problem, or get in the way: staying calm? (a) helps solve it (b) gets in the way
35. 35.🛠️ Does this help solve a problem, or get in the way: trying again? (a) gets in the way (b) helps solve it
36. 36.Which of these helps you solve a problem? (a) trying again (b) blaming others (c) ignoring the problem (d) repeating the same try
37. 37.🛠️ Does this help solve a problem, or get in the way: blaming others? (a) gets in the way (b) helps solve it
38. 38.🛠️ When solving a problem, which comes first: put the plan to work or say what is wrong? (a) put the plan to work (b) say what is wrong
39. 39.Which of these helps you solve a problem? (a) making a list (b) ignoring the problem (c) blaming others (d) giving up at once
40. 40.🛠️ Which problem-solving step is this: understand the problem? (a) step 2 (b) step 1 (c) step 3 (d) step 4

Free critical thinking lessons, practice and worksheets at talentjr.in/critical-thinking-for-kids