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Problem Solving Process Activity Guide

The document provides guidance for two activities - a word search and redesigning a classroom. It outlines the steps of the problem solving process: define, prepare, try, and reflect. For the word search, students search a grid to find 8 words. For redesigning the classroom, students work in groups to develop goals and design a new classroom layout that meets those goals. They then share and improve their designs based on feedback.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
112 views4 pages

Problem Solving Process Activity Guide

The document provides guidance for two activities - a word search and redesigning a classroom. It outlines the steps of the problem solving process: define, prepare, try, and reflect. For the word search, students search a grid to find 8 words. For redesigning the classroom, students work in groups to develop goals and design a new classroom layout that meets those goals. They then share and improve their designs based on feedback.

Uploaded by

Dogedong
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Unit 1 Lesson 3

Name(s)_______________________________________________ Period ______ Date ___________________

Activity Guide - Using the Problem Solving Process

Word Search
Overview
Working with a team, find the following words in the grid. They may be horizontal, vertical, or diagonal in any direction.
DEFINE, PREPARE, TRY, REFLECT, PROBLEM, SOLVE, COMPUTER, SCIENCE
Objective
Find and circle all 8 words as quickly as you can!

E S Q H J H R C F A X M G M U E B L N I
S R K E R E T U P M O C E C M Z T Y J C
D X A P N X Q L Y V K L S X X N C E H N
J M X P K W W O J Q B B O Q M H E A H T
B I U O E Y H K M O A R L F R D L P H A
N J H T Y R A E R C F L V M S C F A J M
T I R Y Q W P P H D X Q E Q U N E R G S
H Y R I M I X D Z K B M N G O J R B K U
P U B U E U J E G D T F B D T I M V V P
H V W S K F D G K V D M S O X Y O R S F
S C I E N C E W P Q T E O R I A S Q M U
H R G D Y V N H I J D C F G V H E M Z M
U O H H N A G X O Q K K B I G M T W O L
O P E I O Q G B A R V H P N N A Z E X V
Y I S W N R N U U W G H X H A E B O P N
L X D J X R P V Y J H U H X D Y F O I D
F U D J X V U K F C V D Q B P D Z I B D
F B R D S I W P K F K V T R D R G Y C R
Y E T Y O D M X H L L V P T J V I J C D
H E X K R O I P B W E T O Y X I B W V O

Once You’re Done


Head to the last page of the activity guide and fill in the row there for the “Word Search” in the table.

1
Redesign Your Classroom
Overview
You and your friends will be redesigning your classroom. You only have one school day to make it happen,
but otherwise how you plan it is up to you. Plan the best looking classroom that you can!

Develop Goals
Talk with your group for a few minutes. What are the most important things about the classroom? Can everyone see the
teacher? How will you move everything? Write down the goals you’ll use to decide what makes a good plan.

Goals How My Plan Helps Reach this Goal

Everyone can still see the teacher

Everyone should be able to ________.

Make a Layout
Every member of your group should separately start designing a layout. You should select what should go where
and make sure it all fits in the room. For each goal your group chose, list how your layout helps to reach it in the right
column. In the space below draw or describe your redesigned classroom.

New classroom design:

3
Share Your Layout and Get Feedback
Share the layout you developed with your teammates and explain why you think it is the best possible layout given
the goals you chose. Afterwards, record their feedback and reactions to your design in the space below. Is there
anything that needs to change? How could your layout improve?

Improve and Finalize


Using the feedback from your teammates update your layout. In the space below, write down the new design that
you and your group agreed on.

Redesign

Once You’re Done


Head to the last page of the activity guide and fill in the row there for the “Redesign Your Classroom” in the table.

4
Problem Solving Process Notes
Reflecting on Using the Process
How did you use each step of the problem solving process to solve this problem? Give examples of what each
step looked like as you were solving that problem.

Define Prepare Try Reflect

Word Search

Redesign
Your
Classroom

The Purpose of Each Step


For each step in the problem solving process, write one sentence explaining its purpose. Why is it included in
the problem solving process?

Define:_______________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Prepare: _____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Try:__________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Reflect:_______________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Defining Problems with Questions


Before starting to solve a problem it’s important that you have defined it well. What questions or strategies can you use
to better define or understand a problem? Record them in the space below.

Common questions

Powered by AI

Feedback and iterative improvement are crucial in refining a classroom layout because they provide critical insights into the functionality and effectiveness of a design. Feedback from peers can reveal overlooked aspects and suggest enhancements, leading to adjustments that improve alignment with the redesign goals. This iterative process ensures continuous enhancement and ultimately results in a more optimized and practical classroom setup .

Collaboration plays a vital role in redesigning a classroom as it combines diverse perspectives, encouraging a comprehensive evaluation of ideas. By discussing goals and sharing individual layouts, team members can provide feedback that leads to improvement of design proposals, ensuring the final layout meets the most critical objectives like visibility for all and effective use of space. This collective approach results in a more robust and suitable classroom configuration .

Distinguishing between different goals is essential in classroom redesign to ensure each objective is adequately addressed and the layout serves multiple purposes. For instance, goals such as visibility for all students and smooth traffic flow need specific considerations in the arrangement of desks and equipment. These goals influence the layout by dictating the positioning of furniture to avoid obstruction and optimize the use of available space, leading to a functional and efficient educational environment .

Student visibility is essential in classroom layout as it directly affects learning engagement and participation. Ensuring clear visibility of the teacher and instructional materials can influence seating arrangements and furniture placement, prioritizing unobstructed sightlines. This focus on visibility can dictate the spatial organization and necessitate compromises or innovations to balance this need with other design goals such as flexibility and accessibility .

The use of different layouts by team members introduces a variety of potential solutions and fosters creativity in the design process. This diversity in approaches can challenge assumptions and open up new possibilities. Effective communication and comparison of these layouts are crucial to synthesizing the best elements from each, thereby reaching a comprehensive solution that satisfies the needs of all stakeholders and enhances overall design effectiveness .

Asking targeted questions refines problem understanding by pinpointing specific challenges and requirements, helping to develop focused solutions. In classroom redesign, questions about student needs, environmental limitations, and functional objectives help create a clear problem statement, which serves as a guide for solution formulation. This approach ensures that the resulting strategy addresses core issues rather than peripheral concerns, leading to more efficient and effective outcomes .

The 'Define' step in the problem-solving process is crucial because it helps to clarify the problem at hand by identifying its specific characteristics and limits. This clarity prevents scope creep and ensures that subsequent steps focus on relevant aspects of the problem. In the context of a classroom redesign, defining the problem includes understanding spatial constraints, visibility for all students, and ease of movement, which forms a foundation for informed planning and decision-making .

Challenges in aligning individual designs with group objectives often include varied personal preferences, differing prioritizations of goals, and constraints in the physical environment. These can lead to conflicts in design features such as furniture arrangement or resource allocation. Effective communication, compromise, and a focus on shared priorities are necessary to reconcile these differences and produce a coherent and functional classroom design .

The 'Reflect' step involves reviewing the outcomes and processes of a problem-solving endeavor to identify successes and areas for improvement. This reflection helps consolidate learning by highlighting effective strategies and avoiding previous mistakes in future projects. It ensures continuous improvement in problem-solving skills by fostering self-assessment and adjustment of techniques, which is beneficial for repeated or similar future scenarios .

The 'Prepare' step sets the stage for experimentation and problem-solving by gathering necessary resources and outlining strategies. For classroom redesign, this involves collecting materials, understanding physical constraints, and developing mock-ups. A thorough preparation allows for a structured approach to implementing and testing solutions, increasing the likelihood of success as potential issues are anticipated and managed beforehand .

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