Problem Solving in K-5 (NOT Mathematics)

[mathmarm]

I have been on the hunt for books, websites, or other sources of ideas and lessons for this but everything I find is superficially about teaching children to solve "word problems" in K-5 mathematics so I'm turning to The Hive for help.

 

What is really weird is that I can not think of good examples of what I am envisioning, but I know that I don't want "math problems" but I would like a selection of problems to work through or to choose from.

 

#01--Do you know of a resource that lists problems for the purpose of allowing children to solve them and to refine their thinking and problem solving skills as they go?

 

#02--IF you do such exercises at your own home, how do you incorporate problems into your elementary aged childs HS education?

 

#03--I'm brainstorming ways to do this for myself, if you have any suggestions that you would like to share please do!

[EKS]

You might be able to find what you're looking for at one of the gifted curriculum providers (Prufrock or Royal Fireworks Press, for example) or maybe at the Critical Thinking Company.

[nixpix5]

Have you looked at lollipop logic books or logic safari? They have some fun logic stuff.

 

Quite honestly, I prefer to do logic in the young years with games. We use mastermind, Catan, chess, 10 days in Africa/Europe/US etc,...those types of things. We also like clue Jr for the littles.

 

One thing I did when I worked in schools is to make a bag of tidbits/junk and give it to groups of 3 to 4 kids with a theme. They had to figure out how to use it to address the theme given. Super fun and I have done a version of that here at home.

[SoCal_Bear]

Perhaps look at Odyssey of the Mind or Destination Imagination challenges. Coaches post challenges all the time.

 

[Jackie]

I've found this comes up more in our science and engineering explorations. For example, the Lego Education kits we've used have a few projects to show how things work, then a challenge project where they present a problem and the kids have to make a contraption to solve the problem.

 

We also start our days with a single player game, most of which are logic-based: Pirate Hide and Seek, Rush Hour, Logic Links, Laser Maze, River Crossing, etc.

[73349]

I don't have this, but it might be interesting: http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0471176087.html

 

And here are some ideas: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-main-ingredient/201209/play-the-what-if-game

[Targhee]

there's a game called Obstacles that requires co-operative problem solving using limited resources (and your imagination) that is aimed at early elementary age.

 

I second looking at Destination Imagination, Odyssey of the Mind, and highly recommend First Lego League for problem solving!

 

On a smaller scale, look for practice DI, OM, and FLL problems on the Internet.

 

Also, search out curricula that are Problem-Based Learning (I know MCT has some middle school things but perhaps they have younger as well).

[Farrar]

Seconding most of the things mentioned above (and I'm happy to talk Destination Imagination if you're interested - we have done DI for many years now).

 

Adding to look at Tin Man Press, which has a ton of great outside the box materials about this for elementary.

[PeterPan]

Google SCAMPER. Someone was just telling me there are teaching materials for it too.

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

Here's a couple of things:

 

- I've begun using the Destination Imagination Instant Challenges.  You can google this and find lots and lots.  I also purchased the ebook from DI for this.  We've been doing this in a group setting with other homeschoolers once a week and I have to say it is a MAJOR WIN!!!  This week, the other moms and I actually participated too in some of the challenges and it is seriously fun.  

 

I also recently purchased the books Problem Based Learning in the Earth and Space Science Classroom K-12 and the same for the life sciences.  These are not bad. They offer a number of projects at several different levels of difficulty.  The introductory chapters offer some good teaching tips on how to coach problem based learning projects.  You can also google problem based learning for more info.  

 

You  might also be interested in Project based learning, you can read the homeschool book on it, Project Based Homeschooling by Lori Pickert, and her blog is also awesome.  

 

The primary difference between Problem-based and project-based is who is steering and who is determining the end product.  Problem based is teacher directed, project based is student directed.  The problem-solving process is relatively similar though.  I found problem-based to be a good compromise for me between direct teaching and project based learning because I can still choose the topics and end products, but the problem-solving process remains in the child's hands.  

 

 

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

To give an example of our most recent problem-based activity, I gave the kids a week to research owning a pet turtle.  I wanted to know start-up and maintenance costs, I wanted a sketch of a habitat, daily needs to keep the turtle happy and habitat in good shape, breed of turtle, possible problems, where to obtain food locally, etc.  The kids loved the project and improved their googling skills.  The end-product I asked for was an oral report from their notes plus a habitat sketch.  The project would have been 100x better if we actually were able to research a pet that we would then own, but my DH is a determined anti-pet-ite.  :-)  

 

A shorter challenge that we did for DI this week was to watch the a few clips from Apollo 13 ("Failure is not an option" and "Square Peg in round hole", in case you want to see them on youtube).  Then I had the kids go to each end of the table, with a barrier between them.  One kid constructed an object out of a given set of supplies, then had to explain how to construct it to his partner behind the barrier.  This was great fun and you learn how important detailed, descriptive language is.  

[fralala]

Some of my kids' favorite, favorite projects have been those I enlisted their help for. These can (should) be super simple to begin with. For instance, this week I asked my third grader to help me out with our school supplies-- I have markers, pens, pencils, paper clips, index cards, erasers, and so forth all thrown into a bin, and I described to her what I needed. (For them to be organized in pretty containers without spending any money.) I helped her through the brainstorming process of what she materials she could use, what properties they would need to have, sketching designs, and so forth. She then had a lot of fun with a bunch of cardboard, tape, yogurt containers, cans, glue, markers, scissors, construction paper, and ribbon (after presenting me with a list of materials she would need-- all on our shelf of supplies). She got to solve a real problem for me and she will get to see the fruit of her effort every time we pull out our school supply bin (and check on the efficacy of her design).

 

Underrated and free for helping kids develop problem skills is simply parenting by not solving kids problems for them, by the way, but helping guide them through them-- something it likely you already do but may not have considered significant. I find it helpful to have little notebooks scattered throughout the house because whenever my kids are having a dispute, struggling with something, feeling frustrated, I can pull out my little pen and notebook and quickly jot down the problem, read it aloud and ask if I've got it right, and then guide them through brainstorming ideas non-judgmentally. Fortunately (ha) we have plenty of opportunities to solve these kinds of problems throughout the day, both big and small. Although I am not always the perfect model of problem-solving-- when I'm in the middle of a lesson or lunch it's easier just to dole out judgment or offer a quick fix-- doing this regularly seems to have really developed my kids' ability to work out problems on their own, something I don't really notice until they have friends over who seem to lack confidence in their own ability to work out problems without an arbitrator. (Or don't yet know that bringing a problem to me means they're going to have to suffer through a Notebook Session instead of continuing their play!)

 

(Edited for morning fog.)

Edited July 13, 2017 by fralala

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

Some of my kids' favorite, favorite projects have been those I enlisted their help for. These can (should) be super simple to begin with. For instance, this week I asked my third grader to help me out with our school supplies-- I have markers, pens, pencils, paper clips, index cards, erasers, and so forth all thrown into a bin, and I described to her what I needed. (For them to be organized in pretty containers without spending any money.) I helped her through the brainstorming process of what she materials she could use, what properties they would need to have, sketching designs, and so forth. She then had a lot of fun with a bunch of cardboard, tape, yogurt containers, cans, glue, markers, scissors, construction paper, and ribbon (after presenting me with a list of materials she would need-- all on our shelf of supplies). She got to solve a real problem for me and she will get to see the fruit of her effort every time we pull out our school supply bin (and check on the efficacy of her design).

 

Underrated and free for helping kids develop problem skills is simply parenting by not solving kids problems for them, by the way, but helping guide them through them-- something it likely you already do but may not have considered significant. I find it helpful to have little notebooks scattered throughout the house because whenever my kids are having a dispute, struggling with something, feeling frustrated, I can pull out my little pen and notebook and quickly jot down the problem, read it aloud and ask if I've got it right, and then guide them through brainstorming ideas non-judgmentally. Fortunately (ha) we have plenty of opportunities to solve these kinds of problems throughout the day, both big and small. Although I am not always the perfect model of problem-solving-- when I'm in the middle of a lesson or lunch it's easier just to dole out judgment or offer a quick fix-- doing this regularly seems to have really developed my kids' ability to work out problems on their own, something I don't really notice until they have friends over who seem to lack confidence in their own ability to work out problems without an arbitrator. (Or don't yet know that bringing a problem to me means they're going to have to suffer through a Notebook Session instead of continuing their play!)

 

(Edited for morning fog.)

 

:iagree:  :hurray:   Fantastic schooling AND parenting advice!

 

 

[RenaInTexas]

We have used the Creative Problem Solving (What to Do) curriculum by Royal Fireworks Press. It starts out very simple and then steps up a lot in Level C. We have completed Level B. It teaches a Problem Solving Process and presents problems for the students to work through. I have seen this carry over into real life with my kiddos.

[Earthmerlin]

I find life itself offers teachable moments. For instance we use the word 'improvise' & the phrase 'flexible thinking' a lot in our house. As Fralala said, thinking aloud the problem-solving process is a great way to cultivate kids' budding abilities. Turning statments into questions is one way to do this. So, it's not a pre-packaged resource at all but it certainly can complement one & provide deep authentic learning.

Edited July 14, 2017 by Earthmerlin

[Earthmerlin]

Along this same vein, does anyne have a (preferably free) online lead regarding spatial rotation for this age group?

[EKS]

I agree with the others about DI instant challenges.  But keep in mind that they were made for a group to solve, so the time limit may be a bit tight when using them with just one child.