Lesson Plan
Problem Solving Adventure
Problem Solving
This lesson aims to develop students' problem-solving skills through a combination of collaborative, game-based, and experiential learning activities. It's essential to equip students with these skills as they are fundamental for academic success and everyday life.
Audience
7th Grade
Time
50 mins
Approach
Game-Based Learning, Experiential Learning, Collaborative Learning
Materials
Video: 5 Tips to Improve Your Critical Thinking, Discussion Questions, Problem-Solving Activity Sheets (English and Spanish), Exit Ticket (English and Spanish), and Answer Key
Step 1
Introduction
5 mins
- Greet the students and introduce the day's objective: improving problem-solving skills.
- Show the video 5 Tips to Improve Your Critical Thinking.
- Briefly discuss the key takeaways from the video.
Step 2
Group Activity
30 mins
- Divide the students into small groups of 4-5.
- Provide each group with the Problem-Solving Activity Sheets (English and Spanish).
- Explain the rules of the game and the objectives.
- Let the groups work together to solve the problems.
- Walk around the classroom to facilitate and provide hints if needed.
Step 3
Class Discussion
10 mins
- Reconvene the class and discuss the solutions each group came up with.
- Ask each group to share their problem-solving approach and what strategies worked best for them.
- Use the provided discussion questions to guide the conversation.
Step 4
Conclusion and Exit Ticket
5 mins
- Summarize the key points learned during the lesson.
- Hand out the Exit Ticket (English and Spanish) and ask students to complete it.
- Collect the Exit Tickets as they leave.
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Discussion
Problem-Solving Discussion
Guiding questions to facilitate a class discussion on the problem-solving strategies used during the group activity.
What was the most challenging part of the problem-solving activity?
Encourage students to reflect on specific challenges they faced and how they overcame them.
Which strategies did you find most effective? Why?
Discuss different strategies used by groups and their effectiveness.
How did working in a group help or hinder your problem-solving process?
Explore the dynamics of collaboration and its impact on problem-solving.
Worksheet
Problem-Solving Activity Sheets
A set of problems designed to enhance students' problem-solving skills through collaborative efforts. Includes translations in both English and Spanish.
Problem 1: A farmer needs to get a fox, a chicken, and a bag of grain across a river. He has a small boat that can only carry him and one other item.
Remember, the fox can't be left alone with the chicken, and the chicken can't be left alone with the grain.
Problema 1: Un agricultor necesita llevar un zorro, una gallina y un saco de grano a través de un río. Tiene una pequeña balsa que solo puede llevarlo a él y a otro objeto.
Recuerda, el zorro no puede quedarse solo con la gallina, y la gallina no puede quedarse sola con el grano.
Problem 2: There are three light switches outside a room, all in the 'off' position. Each switch controls one of three light bulbs inside the room. You can turn the switches on and off and go into the room only once. How can you determine which switch controls each bulb?
Think about the properties of light bulbs when switched on or off.
Problema 2: Hay tres interruptores de luz fuera de una habitación, todos en la posición 'apagado'. Cada interruptor controla una de las tres bombillas dentro de la habitación. Puedes encender y apagar los interruptores y entrar a la habitación solo una vez. ¿Cómo puedes determinar qué interruptor controla cada bombilla?
Piensa en las propiedades de las bombillas cuando se encienden o apagan.
Quiz
Problem Solving Exit Ticket
Answer Key
Problem Solving Answer Key
Solutions and explanations for the Problem-Solving Activity Sheets, provided in both English and Spanish.
Problem 1: A farmer needs to get a fox, a chicken, and a bag of grain across a river. He has a small boat that can only carry him and one other item.
Take the chicken across.
2
The key is to minimize leaving the chicken with either the fox or the grain. The farmer can take the chicken first, then return and take either the fox or the grain. When he brings the fox or grain over, he brings the chicken back. Then he can take the remaining item (grain or fox) and finally return to get the chicken.
Problema 1: Un agricultor necesita llevar un zorro, una gallina y un saco de grano a través de un río. Tiene una pequeña balsa que solo puede llevarlo a él y a otro objeto.
Lleva la gallina.
2
La clave es minimizar dejar la gallina sola con el zorro o el grano. El agricultor puede llevarse primero la gallina, luego regresar y llevarse el zorro o el grano. Cuando lleve el zorro o el grano, regresa con la gallina. Luego puede llevarse el objeto restante (grano o zorro) y finalmente regresar para llevarse la gallina.
Problem 2: There are three light switches outside a room, all in the 'off' position. Each switch controls one of three light bulbs inside the room. You can turn the switches on and off and go into the room only once. How can you determine which switch controls each bulb?
Turn on switch 1 and wait for a few minutes.
2
Turn on the first switch and leave it on for a few minutes. Then turn it off and turn on the second switch. Immediately go into the room. The bulb that is on corresponds to the second switch. The bulb that is off but warm corresponds to the first switch. The bulb that is off and cold corresponds to the third switch.
Problema 2: Hay tres interruptores de luz fuera de una habitación, todos en la posición 'apagado'. Cada interruptor controla una de las tres bombillas dentro de la habitación. Puedes encender y apagar los interruptores y entrar a la habitación solo una vez. ¿Cómo puedes determinar qué interruptor controla cada bombilla?
Enciende el interruptor 1 y espera unos minutos.
2
Enciende el primer interruptor y déjalo encendido por unos minutos. Luego apágalo y enciende el segundo interruptor. Entra inmediatamente a la habitación. La bombilla que está encendida corresponde al segundo interruptor. La bombilla que está apagada pero caliente corresponde al primer interruptor. La bombilla que está apagada y fría corresponde al tercer interruptor.