Problem Solving and Critical Thinking Standards

Drew has a big school project due in two days, but he hasn’t started yet. He feels stressed and doesn’t know what to do. What is the best way for Drew to solve this problem?

• Stay up all night without a plan and rush to finish everything.

• Ignore the project and hope the teacher doesn’t ask for it.

• Make a list of what needs to be done and work on it step by step.

• Ask a friend to do the project for him.

Alex and Sam both want to play with the same basketball at recess. They start arguing and getting frustrated. What is the BEST way for them to solve this conflict?

• Yell at each other until one person gives up.

• Walk away and refuse to play together ever again.

• Grab the ball and run away with it.

• Talk calmly and compromise to take turns using the ball.

Sofia needs to clean her messy room before her friend comes over. She feels overwhelmed because there are clothes on the floor, books out of place, and toys everywhere. What is the BEST way for Sofia to make cleaning easier?

• Pick up everything all at once as quickly as possible.

• Break the task up and clean one part of the room at a time.

• Give up and hope her friend doesn’t mind the mess.

• Wait until the last minute and then rush to clean everything.

A big storm knocked over a tree, blocking the only road to Mia’s school. The city workers have a plan to remove it: • Inspect the tree and create a safety plan. • Cut the tree into smaller pieces. • Remove the pieces with trucks. • Clear any remaining debris. About how long will it take to implement this solution?

• One hour

• One day

• One week

• One year

Liam’s bike has a flat tire, and he needs to fix it so he can ride to his friend’s house. He is considering different solutions. Which solutions might work in the short term but not solve the problem permanently?

• Pumping air into the tire without patching the hole.

• Replacing the tire with a brand-new one.

• Taking the bike to a repair shop for a professional fix.

• Walking instead of riding his bike.

• Covering the hole with duct tape until he can get it properly fixed.

Sofia wants to start a school recycling program to reduce waste. Before she begins, she needs to figure out what resources she will need. Which of the following resources will be needed for starting the program?

• A. A brand-new trash can for every classroom.

• B. A poster with her name on it for the recycling bin.

• C. A group of students willing to help with the program.

• D. A trophy to give herself for coming up with the idea.

• E. Recycling bins and posters for what materials to collect.

David’s dog is super energetic and keeps digging holes in the backyard. He wants to find a way to stop this behavior. After researching, Liam finds that the best solution is to give his dog more exercise and reward good behavior.

• A) Tell the dog to stop digging and hope it listens.

• B) Take the dog on daily walks, set up a sandbox for digging, and reward the dog for using it.

• C) Keep the dog inside all the time so it never has a chance to dig.

• D) Wait a few weeks to see if the dog stops digging on its own before doing anything.

The school cafeteria is often messy after lunch because many students forget to clean up their trash. The student council wants to develop a solution to keep the cafeteria clean. Which of the following is the best solution with a clear plan to implement it?

• Put up reminder posters, assign student helpers, and reward clean tables.

• Remove all trash cans so students have to take their trash with them.

• Tell students to clean up, but don’t create a plan to enforce it.

• Ask the janitor to clean the cafeteria more often during lunch.

A group of students wants to create a classroom device that collects rainwater and uses it to water the school garden automatically. This would help conserve water and keep the plants healthy. Which of the following is a challenge they might face when developing their solution?

• Choosing a creative name and making a colorful sign for the project.

• Deciding what color to paint the water storage container for decoration.

• Making sure only their classmates are allowed to use the system in the garden.

• Designing a system that collects, stores, and releases the right amount of water at the right time.

A city decides to plant more trees along the sidewalks to make the area greener. What is one possible consequence of this decision?

• A. The trees will turn into forests overtime.

• B. People will stop walking on the sidewalks and only ride bikes.

• C. People will have more shade when they walk on hot days.

• D. The trees will block all internet signals in the city.