Primarily Problem Solving

Creative Problem Solving Activities (Grades 2-4)

Diane Draze, Sharon Eckert

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2021
• eBook ISBN: 9781000495300
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Education Theory & Practice

Creative Problem Solving (CPS) is a process that allows people to apply both creative and critical thinking to find solutions to everyday problems. It is a way to enhance creative behavior and also a systematic way to organize information and ideas in order to solve problems. The overall goal of CPS training is to improve creative behavior and problem-solving behavior. The skills involved are:

• ability to select relevant information
• ability to summarize information
• ability to analyze social situations,
• ability to think creatively to generate possible solutions,
• ability to evaluate options based on given criteria,
• ability to plan activities to accomplish a goal, and
• ability to make inferences.

Primarily Problem Solving allows you to give your younger students a head start on problem solving. This book presents creative problem solving in a step-by-step manner young children can understand and enjoy. Use the CPS process to solve the problems of the Three Little Pigs, Rapunzel, and the Frog Prince, as well as more common family problems. Each problem includes illustrated worksheets to take students through each step of the problem-solving process. Teaching notes give instructors additional ideas for using creative problem-solving techniques in the classroom.

Fun problems and step-by-step guides will take students successfully from the fuzzy beginning to an effective end. The end result is confidence in being able to think through a solution, rather than just latching on to the most obvious solution. Use these exercises as a part of your thinking skills class or creativity training, as supplementary reading assignments, or as a technique to solve conflicts in the classroom.

Expand your knowledge of CPS even more with Primarily Creativity.

Grades 2-4

Jason’s Paper Route

Fact Finding 1

Name ________________________

Jason is 8 years old. His older brother, Brad, is 12 years old. Jason is in the fourth grade. He likes to play baseball and build models. He belongs to Boy Scouts and sings in the church choir. He gets good grades in school. He would like to earn money so he can go to camp this summer. He wants to get a paper route. If he had 30 houses on his route, he could earn $90 per month. Brad has 50 houses on his paper route and makes $150 a month. The newspaper says that you have to be 9 years old to have a paper route. Jason will not be 9 for five more months. Many people tell Jason that he looks older than he really is. He didn’t go to camp last year, because he had the measles. He has to have $200 for summer camp in four months. He really wants to go to camp, so he has to find a way to solve his problem.

Underline all the important facts that tell about Jason’s problem and that answer these questions—who, what, where, when, why, and how.

Finding the Problem 1

Jason is 8 years old and cannot get a paper route until he is 9. He wants a paper route so he can earn the money he needs to go to camp. Read the important facts about Jason and his paper route problem. Then think about what the “real problem” might be. Write as many ideas as you can by completing this sentence in many different ways:

1. In what ways might Jason ______________________________
2. In what ways might Jason ______________________________
3. In what ways might Jason ______________________________
4. In what ways might Jason ______________________________
5. In what ways might Jason ______________________________
6. In what ways might Jason ______________________________
7. In what ways might Jason ______________________________
8. In what ways might Jason ______________________________
9. In what ways might Jason ______________________________
10. In what ways might Jason ______________________________

Choose the statement that you think best describes the problem.

The “real problem” is________________________________________________________________________________________________

Finding Ideas 1

Jason’s real problem is ________________________________________________________________________________________________

What are all the ways Jason could solve this problem? What are all the things he could do? Try to think of a lot of creative ideas. Write as many ideas as you can.

1. ______________________________
2. ______________________________
3. ______________________________
4. ______________________________
5. ______________________________
6. ______________________________
7. ______________________________
8. ______________________________
9. ______________________________
10. ______________________________
11. ______________________________
12. ______________________________
13. ______________________________
14. ______________________________
15. ______________________________

If you have more ideas, write them on the back of this sheet of paper.

➧ Put a * by the ideas you think are the best.

Judging Ideas 1

Now that you have made a long list of ideas for Jason, you need to choose the best idea. To do this, you must measure one idea against the others. This is a list of rules or tests that Jason might use to choose the best solution to his problem.

1. The solution gives him the money he needs for camp.
2. The solution should be okay with his parents.
3. The solution should take no more than one hour per day.
4. The solution should not cost any money.
5. The solution should be honest.

Now list your best ideas and rate how each one meets the tests. Use this way of rating the ideas:

+ = very good

0 = okay

− = not very good

Ideas	$200	parents	1 hour	cost	honest

Look at each idea and its ratings. Choose the best idea.

My choice for the best solution is_________________________________________________________________________________

Plan of Action 1

Now it is time for Jason to put his plan into action.

Help him get started by listing the things he has to do.

Plan of Action

Get help from__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Talk to________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Things to do now_________________________________________________________________________________...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• What Is Creative Problem Solving?
• Student Worksheets
• Just Problems