Lesson Plan
The 'What If' Adventure Game
Students will practice flexible thinking and problem-solving skills by brainstorming solutions to hypothetical social scenarios, enhancing their resilience, critical thinking, and social adaptability.
Learning to navigate unexpected social situations and consider diverse perspectives is crucial for building resilience and critical thinking in everyday life.
Audience
3rd and 4th Grade Students
Time
45-50 minutes
Approach
Interactive game-based learning
Materials
Whiteboard or Projector, Markers or Pens, What If Adventure Slide Deck, What If Adventure Game Cards, and What If Adventure Discussion Prompts
Prep
Prepare Materials
15 minutes
- Review the What If Adventure Slide Deck and familiarize yourself with the content.
- Print and cut out the What If Adventure Game Cards. Consider laminating them for future use.
- Ensure you have a whiteboard or projector ready for displaying slides and writing down ideas.
- Have markers or pens available for collaborative brainstorming.
Step 1
Introduction & Warm-Up (5 minutes)
5 minutes
- Greet students and introduce the lesson's theme: dealing with unexpected social situations.
- Ask students: "Have you ever been in a situation where something unexpected happened, and you had to think quickly?" Allow for a few brief responses.
- Introduce the "What If" Adventure Game and explain its purpose: to practice flexible thinking and problem-solving. Use the What If Adventure Slide Deck to guide this introduction.
Step 2
Explain the Game (10 minutes)
10 minutes
- Display the rules of the game using the What If Adventure Slide Deck.
- Explain that students will work in small groups. Each group will draw a "What If" card with a social dilemma.
- Their task is to collaboratively brainstorm as many solutions as possible for the scenario on the card.
- Emphasize that there are no wrong answers and to encourage creative and thoughtful ideas.
- Discuss the importance of considering different perspectives and the potential outcomes of each solution.
- Divide students into small groups (3-4 students per group).
Step 3
Play the Game (20 minutes)
20 minutes
- Distribute one set of What If Adventure Game Cards to each group.
- Instruct groups to draw one card at a time and begin brainstorming solutions.
- Circulate among the groups, listening to their discussions and offering guidance or prompting questions as needed (e.g., "What might happen next if you chose that solution?" or "How would that make others feel?").
- Encourage groups to record their top 2-3 solutions for each card.
- After about 15 minutes, have groups switch cards or draw new ones if time allows.
Step 4
Group Sharing & Discussion (10 minutes)
10 minutes
- Bring the class back together.
- Have each group share one or two of their
Step 5
Group Sharing & Discussion (10 minutes)
10 minutes
- Bring the class back together.
- Have each group share one or two of their "What If" scenarios and their brainstormed solutions.
- Facilitate a brief class discussion using the What If Adventure Discussion Prompts.
- Highlight themes of flexible thinking, empathy, and different approaches to problem-solving.
- Conclude by reiterating the value of thinking flexibly when faced with unexpected social situations.
Step 6
Conclusion (5 minutes)
5 minutes
- Summarize the key takeaways from the lesson: flexible thinking helps us in unexpected situations, and it's good to consider different perspectives.
- Thank students for their participation.
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Slide Deck
The 'What If' Adventure Game!
Ready to explore unexpected situations and become a problem-solving pro?
Welcome students and introduce the exciting 'What If' Adventure Game! Explain that today, they'll become super problem-solvers. Ask a warm-up question to get them thinking about unexpected situations.
Ever Had a 'What If' Moment?
What if...
...your friend accidentally spilled juice on your artwork?
...you saw someone struggling to carry their books?
...your plan for recess changed suddenly?
Engage students with a real-life connection. Ask them to share (briefly) if they've ever had something unexpected happen and how they felt or what they did. This builds empathy and context.
What is Flexible Thinking?
It's like having a super-brain that can think of many different ways to solve a problem or react to a situation!
Why is it important?
- Helps us find solutions!
- Helps us understand others!
- Helps us stay calm and adaptable!
Introduce the core concept: flexible thinking. Explain that it's like bending your brain to find new ideas. Emphasize why this skill is important in social situations – it helps them be kind, solve problems, and adapt.
How to Play: The 'What If' Adventure!
- Work in your small groups.
- Draw a 'What If' card.
- Read the scenario aloud.
- Brainstorm as many solutions as you can!
- Think: What would happen next? How would everyone feel?
- Choose your top 2-3 solutions to share.
Clearly lay out the game rules. Reiterate working in groups, drawing cards, brainstorming multiple solutions, and considering how others might feel. Walk them through an example if needed.
Let's Try One Together!
What if... you brought your favorite toy to school for show and tell, and another student accidentally broke it?
Brainstorm solutions:
- Talk to the student.
- Ask a teacher for help.
- Try to fix it together.
- Remember it was an accident.
Provide a simple example scenario and guide the whole class through brainstorming a few solutions. This models the expected behavior before they go into groups.
Time for Your Adventure!
Get ready to draw your 'What If' cards and become amazing problem-solvers!
Remember to:
- Listen to everyone's ideas.
- Be creative!
- Think about feelings.
Transition to the group activity. Remind them to be collaborative, respectful, and creative. Circulate to offer support and listen to their discussions.
Share Your Adventures!
Let's hear some of your amazing solutions!
- Which scenario was the trickiest? Why?
- Was it easy or hard to think of many solutions?
- How did thinking about others' feelings help you?
- What did you learn about solving problems together?
After the group activity, bring them back. Use these prompts to facilitate a rich discussion. Encourage different groups to share their scenarios and solutions, highlighting varied perspectives.
You Are Flexible Thinkers!
Today you learned to:
- Think of many solutions.
- Understand different feelings.
- Be ready for anything!
Keep practicing your 'What If' adventure skills every day!
Conclude by summarizing the main message: flexible thinking helps them in many situations and makes them great friends and problem-solvers. Reinforce the positive impact of their participation.
Game
What If Adventure Game Cards
Instructions: Cut out each card. In your groups, draw a card, read the scenario, and brainstorm as many solutions as you can! Think about how different choices might make people feel and what could happen next.
Card 1
What if... you saw a new student sitting alone at lunch, and you didn't know what to say?
Card 2
What if... you accidentally broke your friend's favorite crayon while borrowing it for a project?
Card 3
What if... your teacher asked you to work with someone you usually don't play with?
Card 4
What if... you were playing a game at recess, and someone changed the rules without asking everyone?
Card 5
What if... you brought your favorite snack to school, and another student didn't have anything to eat?
Card 6
What if... you made a mistake during a class presentation, and you felt embarrassed?
Card 7
What if... your friend wanted to play a different game than you did, and you both wanted to play your own game?
Card 8
What if... you found a dropped wallet on the playground? What should you do?
Card 9
What if... you promised to help a friend with something, but then you remembered you had another important thing to do?
Card 10
What if... you wanted to join a group of kids playing, but you felt too shy to ask?
Discussion
What If Adventure Discussion Prompts
Reflecting on Our Adventures
-
Which "What If" scenario was the most challenging for your group to solve? Why do you think it was tricky?
-
Was it easy or difficult to come up with many different solutions for a single scenario? What helped you think of new ideas?
-
How did thinking about how other people might feel (empathy) help your group brainstorm solutions? Can you give an example?
-
Did anyone in your group have a really different idea that ended up being a great solution? What does that teach us about listening to others?
-
How can practicing flexible thinking like this help you in real life, outside of our game?
-
What is one new thing you learned about solving problems today?
Discussion
What If Adventure Discussion Prompts
Reflecting on Our Adventures
- Which