Volume 3, Number 2
1996 Indiana University -
The Center for Adolescent Studies
Problem Solving Skills Builder
Lesson Objectives:
Use students' increasing skill at problem solving to rethink real and
fictional historical problems.
Grade Level and Subject Area:
6-12. Any subject area.
Materials:
4x6 index cards
Activities and Strategies:
- Choose a historical event or person or literary character that
the students won't be very familiar with.
- Present the information about a decision that had to be made by
the person or as part of the event.
- Ask the students, working alone or in groups, to make a decision.
Have them write their solution on a notecard.
- Take up all the notecards.
- Discuss some of the solutions the students came up with. Look at
their strengths and weaknesses.
- After the discussion of the students' approaches, tell the students
about the real situation and the real decision that was made. Discuss how
the outcome would have been different if the students had solved the
problem.
Example: (Using Romeo and Juliet) Present to the students:
There are two teenagers who are in love with each other, but they cannot
date because their families have been angry with each other for a
really long time. What should the teens do?
By Kris Bosworth
This document was last updated 8/13/97 by Chandra Hawley.
Copyright 1996 Indiana University -
Center for Adolescent Studies, all rights reserved.
Kris Bosworth - Director