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Problem Solving |
Apply problem solving strategies in purposeful ways, both in situations where the problem and desirable solutions are clearly evident and in situations requiring a creative approach to achieve an outcome.
The student conducts projects involving at least two of the following kinds of problem solving each year and, over the course of elementary school, conducts projects involving all three kinds of problem solving.
| • | Design a Product, Service, or System: Identify needs that could be met by new products, services, or systems and create solutions for meeting them. |
| • | Improve a System: Develop an understanding of the way systems of people, machines, and processes work; troubleshoot problems in their operation and devise strategies for improving their effectiveness. |
| • | Plan and Organize an Event or an Activity: Take responsibility for all aspects of planning and organizing an event or an activity from concept to completion, making good use of the resources of people, time, money, and materials and facilities. |
Each project should involve subject matter related to the standards for English Language Arts, and/or Mathematics, and/or Science, and/or other appropriate subject content.
Design a Product, Service, or System
a
The student designs and creates a product,
service, or system to meet an identified need; that is, the student:
| • | develops ideas for the design of the product, service, or system; |
| • | chooses among the design ideas and justifies the choice; |
| • | establishes criteria for judging the success of the design; |
| • | uses an appropriate format to represent the design; |
| • | plans and carries out the steps needed to turn the design into a reality; |
| • | evaluates the design in terms of the criteria
established for success. |
Examples of designing a product, service, or system include:
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Design a library system to manage classroom resources. 3a, 3b |
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Design a tree house, accounting for physical and financial constraints. 2d, M8c |
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Design a guide to the school library for younger children. 3b, 4a, 5c, E2d |
| Design and produce a weekly school news service for broadcast on the PA system or closed circuit video network. 4a, 5a, E3d | |
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Design a classroom work area for ongoing project work. |
| Design a weather station and provide a daily weather reporting service for the school. 2b, 2c, 4a, 5a, 5b, M1a, M1c, M1f, M6h, S3b, S3c | |
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Design a musical instrument. 3b, S1b |
Improve a System
b
The student
troubleshoots problems in the operation of a system in need of repair
or devises and tests ways of improving the effectiveness of a system in
operation; that is, the student:
| • | identifies the parts of the system and the way the parts connect with each other; |
| • | identifies parts or connections in the system that have broken down or that could be made to work better; |
| • | devises ways of making the system work again or making it work better; |
| • | evaluates the effectiveness of the strategies for improving the system and supports the evaluation with evidence. |
Examples of troubleshooting problems in the operation of a system or improving the effectiveness of a system in operation include:
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Repair a bicycle, skateboard, or other means of transportation. 5b |
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Improve the system for distributing sports equipment during recess and lunch times. 2b |
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Clean up an aquarium. 2a, 3b, S2a, S2c |
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Improve the system for collecting trash in the school. 2a, 5c, M7b, S4b, S6b, S7a |
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Investigate the food choices of students buying food from vending machines near the school and make recommendations for ways of improving the nutritional value of the food available. 3a, 3b, M8a, S4c |
Plan and Organize an Event or an Activity
c
The student plans and organizes an event or an activity; that
is, the student:
| • | develops a plan for the event or activity that: | |
| - | includes all the factors and variables that need to be considered; | |
| - | shows the order in which things need to be done; | |
| - | takes into account the resources available to put the plan into action, including people and time; | |
| • | implements the plan; | |
| • | evaluates the success of the event or activity by identifying the parts of the plan that worked best and the parts that could have been improved by better planning and organization; | |
| • | makes recommendations to others who might consider planning and organizing a similar event or activity. | |
Examples of planning and organizing an event or an activity include:
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Organize a storytelling conference. 2b, 2c, 3a, 5a, E2c, E5b |
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Plan a class excursion to the zoo or museum. |
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Organize a drive to raise money for a specific purpose. 2a, 2c, 3b, M1a, M4b |
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Plan a camping expedition, including all necessary supplies and a budget. 2a, M6h, M8d, S2a, S2c, S4b, S4c, S4d |
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Communication Tools and Techniques |
Communicate information and ideas in ways that are appropriate to the purpose and audience through spoken, written, and graphic means of expression.
a
The student makes an oral presentation of project plans or findings
to an appropriate audience; that is, the student:
| • | organizes the presentation in a logical way appropriate to its purpose; |
| • | speaks clearly and presents confidently; |
| • | responds to questions from the audience; |
| • | evaluates the effectiveness of the presentation. |
Examples of oral presentations include:
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A presentation to the custodian of proposals for improving the system of collecting trash in the school. 1b, 5c, E3c |
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A presentation to the principal of a proposal for an overnight camping trip. 1c, E3c |
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A presentation to a school assembly of the results of a fund raising drive. 1c, 3b, E3c |
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A presentation to the class of the results of a project to clean up an aquarium. 1b, 3b, E3c, S7c |
b
The student composes and sends correspondence,
such as thank-you letters and memoranda providing information; that is,
the student:
| • | expresses the information or request clearly; |
| • | writes in a style appropriate to the purpose of the correspondence. |
Examples of letters and memoranda include:
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A letter inviting students at another school to a storytelling conference. 1c, 2c, 3a, 5a |
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A letter of thanks to a visiting speaker. 1c, 2c, 4a, 5a, 5b |
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A memorandum asking teachers to explain to their classes new procedures for distributing sports equipment during recess and lunch times. 1b |
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The use of e-mail to send the daily weather reports to teachers, parents, and community members. 1a, 2c, 4a, 5a, 5b |
c
The student writes and formats information
for short publications, such as brochures or posters; that is, the student:
| • | organizes the information into an appropriate form for use in the publication; |
| • | checks the information for accuracy; |
| • | formats the publication so that it achieves its purpose. |
Examples of publishing information include:
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Design a format for publishing daily weather reports. 1a, 2b, 4a, 5b, 5c |
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Design a poster advertising a fund raising drive. 1c, 3b |
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Produce a program for a storytelling conference. 1c, 2b, 3a, 5a |
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Create and maintain a Web site for the duration of the fund raising drive. 1c, 3b |
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Information Tools and Techniques |
Use information gathering techniques, analyze and evaluate information and use information technology to assist in collecting, analyzing, organizing, and presenting information.
a
The student gathers information to assist in completing project
work; that is, the student:
| • | identifies potential sources of information to assist in completing the project; |
| • | uses appropriate techniques to collect the information, e.g., considers sampling issues in conducting a survey; |
| • | distinguishes relevant from irrelevant information; |
| • | shows evidence of research in the completed project. |
Examples of gathering information to assist in completing project work include:
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Investigate the systems used to manage library collections, e.g., through interviews with librarians and field visits to libraries, in order to inform a project to design a library. 1a, 3b |
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Research the nutritional value of foods available in the vending machines near the school to inform a project to make recommendations for improving the nutritional value of the food available. 1b |
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Conduct surveys to identify the reading interests and preferences of intended participants at a storytelling conference in order to inform the design of the conference program. 1c, 2b, 2c, 5a |
b
The student
uses information technology to assist in gathering, organizing, and presenting
information; that is, the student:
| • | acquires information for specific purposes from on-line sources, such as the Internet, and other electronic data bases, such as an electronic encyclopedia; |
| • | uses word-processing, drawing, and painting programs to produce project reports and related materials. |
Examples of using information technology to assist in gathering, organizing,
and presenting information include:
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Use word-processing and drawing programs to design a guide to the library for younger students. 1a, 4a, 5c |
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Use a drawing program to present daily results of a fund raising drive. 1c, 2a, 2c |
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Use an electronic card catalogue to research information on sound for the design of a musical instrument or to find out about the requirements of freshwater animals and plants for a project to clean up an aquarium. 1a, 1b, 2a |
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Use the Internet to obtain advice from professional librarians during a project to design a library. 1a, 3a |
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Learning and Self-management Tools and Techniques |
Manage and direct one’s own learning.
a
The student learns from models; that
is, the student:
| • | consults with or observes other students and adults at work, and identifies the main features of what they do and the way they go about their work; |
| • | examines models for the results of project work, such as professionally produced publications, and analyzes their qualities; |
| • | uses what he or she learns from models to assist in planning and conducting project activities. |
Examples of learning from models include:
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Examine published guides similar in design to the students’ proposed guide to the library. 1a, 3b, 5c |
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Study the way news reports are presented on radio and television to inform the development of the students’ own newscasts. 1a, 2c, 5a, 5c |
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Visit a meteorological station and observe the work of forecasters to inform a weather station project. 1a, 2b, 2c, 5a, 5b |
b
The student keeps records of work activities in an orderly manner;
that is, the student:
| • | sets up a system for storing records of work activities;-+ |
| • | maintains records of work activities in a way that makes it possible to find specific materials quickly and easily. |
Examples of tools and techniques for keeping records of work activities include:
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Maintain a project log book. |
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Create and use a table of contents. |
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Use dividers or colored tabs to categorize material. |
c
The student identifies strengths and weaknesses in his or
her own work; that is, the student:
| • | understands and establishes criteria for judging the quality of work processes and products; |
| • | assesses his or her own work processes and products. |
Examples of tools and techniques for identifying strengths and weaknesses in one’s own work include:
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Make a list of the desirable qualities of a piece of work before starting and use the list to review and revise the work at the end. |
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Use a review of previous project work to guide the planning of a new project. |
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Ask a friend to critique a piece of work in draft form. |
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Tools and Techniques for Working With Others |
Work with others to achieve a shared goal, help other people learn on-the-job, and respond effectively to the needs of a client.
a
The student works with others to complete a task; that is,
the student:
| • | reaches agreement with group members on what work needs to be done to complete the task and how the work will be tackled; |
| • | takes a share of the responsibility for the work; |
| • | consults with group members regularly during the task to check on progress in completing the task, to decide on any changes that are required, and to check that all parts have been completed at the end of the task. |
Examples of working with others to complete a task include:
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Work on the production of a weekly school news service. 1a, 4a, 5c |
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Share responsibility for collecting information from a weather station and preparing daily reports. 1a, 2b, 2c, 4a, 5b |
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Organize a storytelling conference. 1c, 2b, 2c, 3a |
b
The student shows or explains something clearly enough for someone
else to be able to do it.
Examples of showing or explaining something to someone else include:
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Show how to fix a specific breakdown in a bicycle. 1b |
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Explain how to figure out the average morning temperature recorded at school during the winter. 1a, 2b, 2c, 4a, M4c |
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Show how to operate a video camera. 1a, 4a, 5a |
c
The student responds to a request from a client; that is, the
student:
| • | interprets the client’s request; |
| • | asks questions to clarify the demands of a task. |
Examples of responding to a request from a client include:
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Talk with the custodian to determine problems to be solved in a system for trash collection in the school. 1b, 2a |
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Respond to a written request from a teacher to include some information in a weekly school news broadcast. 1a, 2c, 4a, 5a |
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Interview younger children to identify sections they use in the library and things they find confusing about accessing information and use the interview to inform the design of a guide to the library. 1a, 3b, 4a |