Problem Solving and Justification
THE THINKER’S KEYS
1. The REVERSE Place words such as cannot, never and not in sentences which are commonly displayed in a listing format. THE JUSTIFICATION: Students are too often required to regurgitate endless lists of facts. Moving in the opposite direction still requires a sound knowledge base, but it forces students to think. THE EXAMPLE: Name 10 things that you could not clean. List 5 sounds that you have never heard. Name 10 things that you could not photograph.
2. The WHAT IF You can ask virtually any What If question. They can be either serious or frivolous. One excellent means of displaying ideas from this key is to draw up an Ideas Wheel. THE JUSTIFICATION: Great for introducing an area of study, and for tapping into the students’ knowledge base. It also generates loads of innovative ideas. THE EXAMPLE: 1. What if the price of petrol was immediately doubled? 2. What if all cars turned into skateboards?
Now construct an Ideas Wheel. Place the base statement in the middle circle, and put 5 consequences of that event in the 5 outer circles.
Then deal with each of the 5 outer circles in turn. Put 3 consequences of each of these into the smaller circles.
3. The DISADVANTAGES Choose an object, eg an umbrella, or a practice, eg playground duty, and list a number of its disadvantages. Then list some ways of correcting, or eliminating these disadvantages. THE JUSTIFICATION: We often accept the inadequacies of many products, without really considering how they can be improved. Practice this key and you will be amazed at the number of everyday products which can be further developed.
THE EXAMPLE: An Umbrella: The Disadvantages The Improvements The sharp sections can poke you in the eye. Glue flat erasers onto the
1. The REVERSE Place words such as cannot, never and not in sentences which are commonly displayed in a listing format. THE JUSTIFICATION: Students are too often required to regurgitate endless lists of facts. Moving in the opposite direction still requires a sound knowledge base, but it forces students to think. THE EXAMPLE: Name 10 things that you could not clean. List 5 sounds that you have never heard. Name 10 things that you could not photograph.
2. The WHAT IF You can ask virtually any What If question. They can be either serious or frivolous. One excellent means of displaying ideas from this key is to draw up an Ideas Wheel. THE JUSTIFICATION: Great for introducing an area of study, and for tapping into the students’ knowledge base. It also generates loads of innovative ideas. THE EXAMPLE: 1. What if the price of petrol was immediately doubled? 2. What if all cars turned into skateboards?
Now construct an Ideas Wheel. Place the base statement in the middle circle, and put 5 consequences of that event in the 5 outer circles.
Then deal with each of the 5 outer circles in turn. Put 3 consequences of each of these into the smaller circles.
3. The DISADVANTAGES Choose an object, eg an umbrella, or a practice, eg playground duty, and list a number of its disadvantages. Then list some ways of correcting, or eliminating these disadvantages. THE JUSTIFICATION: We often accept the inadequacies of many products, without really considering how they can be improved. Practice this key and you will be amazed at the number of everyday products which can be further developed.
THE EXAMPLE: An Umbrella: The Disadvantages The Improvements The sharp sections can poke you in the eye. Glue flat erasers onto the