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Problem Solving Process Activities Guide

This document is an activity guide for a lesson on problem solving and computing, featuring a word search, a birthday guest arrangement task, and a classroom redesign project. Students are encouraged to work in teams to complete these activities while applying the problem-solving process. The guide also includes sections for reflecting on the process and defining problems with questions.

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taniacaca94
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
4 views5 pages

Problem Solving Process Activities Guide

This document is an activity guide for a lesson on problem solving and computing, featuring a word search, a birthday guest arrangement task, and a classroom redesign project. Students are encouraged to work in teams to complete these activities while applying the problem-solving process. The guide also includes sections for reflecting on the process and defining problems with questions.

Uploaded by

taniacaca94
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Problem Solving and Computing - 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

1
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.

Birthday Guests
Overview
A big group of 15 guests is getting together at a restaurant for a birthday. The restaurant has 3 tables that can each
seat only 5 people. Below you can find some information about the people who are attending the party.

Aysha, Ben, Carla, Damien, Eric, Fan, Genaro, Hannah, Isaias, Jessica, Kyla, Laila, Max, Nazek, Owen

Close Friends (Try to put them together) In a Fight (Try to keep them apart)
Aysha and Damien Aysha and Genaro
Max and Isaias Ben and Hannah
Nazek and Laila Fan and Max
Owen and Genaro Damien and Laila
Ben and Jessica Isaias and Owen
Genaro and Eric Kyla and Jessica

Objective
Find the best possible arrangement of guests at the party. Draw your solution in the space below. To help you can
cross out the letters of the names you’ve assigned in the row below.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O

Once You’re Done


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

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!

2
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

Birthday
Guests

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

The problem-solving process involves defining the problem, preparing a plan, trying the solution, and reflecting on the outcome, each of which contributes to redesigning a classroom layout. Defining the problem helps identify key objectives, such as ensuring all students can see the teacher. Preparing involves creating preliminary layouts and selecting arrangements that best fit the objectives. Trying involves implementing the design in a prototype or simulation. Reflecting allows for evaluation of feedback and improvements to the plan .

Keeping certain guests apart is crucial as it prevents potential conflicts that could arise due to existing disagreements. For example, separating Aysha and Genaro, Ben and Hannah, and Fan and Max helps maintain a harmonious environment during the event. Ignoring these factors could lead to uncomfortable situations, negatively impacting the overall experience of the party .

Strategies include arranging desks in a semicircle or U-shape around the teacher's space, ensuring that all sightlines point toward the teacher’s board or presentation area. Raising the back rows slightly can also help. These arrangements prevent obstructions and evenly distribute the students throughout the room, maximizing clear views for all .

Placing close friends together, like Aysha and Damien or Max and Isaias, enhances the enjoyment and comfort of attendees. These arrangements foster positive interactions and create a more pleasant atmosphere by allowing guests to enjoy the event with those they are familiar with and enjoy the company of .

Seating arrangements must account for relationship dynamics, such as keeping guests who are in a fight apart while grouping close friends together. Space limitations, such as tables seating only five people, add complexity as the host must distribute the group without breaking important social bonds or causing discomfort. Balancing these factors requires careful planning to ensure a harmonious gathering .

The goals provide criteria against which different design layouts can be evaluated. For instance, if a goal is to maximize student interaction, then circular or clustered seating might be preferred. Conversely, if minimizing distractions is a priority, rows facing the teacher might be better. Goals help align the physical layout with educational objectives and desired student behaviors .

Feedback helps identify weaknesses or issues in the initial design plan by providing different perspectives, often revealing practical problems not initially considered. It contributes to refining the plan by suggesting improvements or adjustments, ultimately leading to a more effective and cohesive classroom environment .

The "Reflect" step is crucial as it involves analyzing the effectiveness of the implemented solution. It allows for learning from what worked and what didn’t, offering opportunities for iterative improvements. In a classroom redesign, reflection can help determine if the layout meets all predefined goals, and if any adjustments are necessary to improve functionality and student engagement .

Precisely defining the problem sets clear parameters and objectives, ensuring all solutions are aligned with the desired outcome. It prevents misdirection and focuses efforts on relevant issues, avoiding wasted resources. A well-defined problem provides a framework for measuring success and facilitates a structured approach to finding viable solutions .

The Prepare step involves developing multiple potential solutions and selecting the most feasible and effective one. In a classroom redesign, preparation might include creating different layout drafts, considering various goals such as visibility and accessibility, and determining required resources. It lays the groundwork for successful implementation by preemptively addressing potential challenges and ensuring that the solution is both practical and aligned with goals .

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