Problem Solving and Thinking Skills Sites
A Questioning Toolkit
http://www.fno.org/nov97/toolkit.html
This enlightening website provides an actual Toolkit for teachers to use when developing
the vital skill of questioning in their students. It examines 17 different types of
questions and gives examples. Here is one sample: "Essential Questions. These are
questions which touch our hearts and souls. They are central to our lives. They help to
define what it means to be human... What kind of friend shall I be?" There are
color-coded cluster diagrams to help teachers with the entire process of developing
strategies. This is an excellent resource to encourage higher order thinking and critical
evaluation of information.
Creativity Challenges for Young Learners
http://www.pbs.org/parents/creativity/challenge/plumbingpro.html
Find four creativity challenges for young learners from PBS. In one game, players assemble
pieces of pipe in order to move water from faucet to spigot without springing a leak. In
others, they assemble a series of gymnastic moves, play with shadows, and roll a marble
through unique combinations of tubes and shoots. Site provides a wonderful, playful
exploration that will expand problem-solving skills.
Don't Buy It (PBS Kids)
http://pbskids.org/dontbuyit/
By dissecting pop culture and advertisements, media literacy education can help students
build critical thinking and analytic skills, become more discriminating in the use of mass
media, distinguish between reality and fantasy and consider whether media values are their
values. Activities are intended for children ages 9-11 and are designed to touch on the
six levels of Bloom's Taxonomy: knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis
and evaluation. In addition, each lesson is aligned with the Mid-Continent Research for
Education and Learning (McREL) Standards. Sections for parents and for teachers.
Fin, Fur and Feather Bureau of Investigation (FFFBI) Headquarters
http://www.fffbi.com/
This site uses interactive stories and original thinking games to get kids to solve
mysteries and learn crucial problem solving skills such as using the Internet for research
and investigation, reading, and writing. The project encourages exploration of a wide
range of subjects from math and science to geography, genetics and history. There is a
section for teachers explaining the site.
How to Compromise
http://go.hrw.com/resources/go_sc/hlth/hh4ada_ch_99.pdf
Just a small part of the Holt, Rinehart, and Winston (go.HRW.com) site, this downloadable
PDF provids useful information regarding Conflict-Resolution through problem solving. The
page offers several scenarios and several win-win problem-solving strategies.
Junkbot Undercover
http://www.lego.com/build/junkbot2/junkbot2.asp?x=x&login=0
This is a great game from Lego in which students must use their problem solving skills to
play and complete the game. The nature of the problems presented are that you need to move
the blocks around to allow the Junkbot to maneuver through various levels to pick up
garbage. The trick is that you only have a certain number of moves to solve each level.
Kid’s Philosophy Slam
http://www.philosophyslam.org/
The Kids Philsophy Slam is a program designed to make philosophy accessible and fun for
students of all ages and abilities. This site encourages students to think for themselves
and allows them to express their ideas in a variety of formats, such as writing, drawing,
painting, or poetry. This contest is for grade levels K-12 and has a special division for
special education students.
KidsPsych
http://www.kidspsych.org/index1.html
This site has games and activities that will help students with cognitive thinking skills,
deductive reasoning, and to just have some fun! There are two sections: ages 1 - 5 and
ages 6 to 9. The site is designed for parents to work with their children, but it is also
a good place for students to work on these skills at school.
Moon Olympics
http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/explorations/space/level1/interactive.htm
Scholastic Space University offers the interactive "Moon Olympics," an amusing
activity that can teach critical thinking skills by asking students to predict what it
would be like to play sports like golf, diving, weightlifting, skateboarding, and sky
diving on the moon. The other component is a list of links to facts about the planets in
our solar system, including the recently demoted-from-planet-status Pluto.
Pattern Quest
http://pbskids.org/cyberchase/games/data/data.html
The computer picks a secret pattern. You have to decide what it is. A great way for
students to practice thinking and problem solving skills.
Serious Lego
http://www.jpbrown.i8.com/
As the title implies, a serious lego builder and programmer create this. But students can
learn a lot about the design process by reading the notes that go along with each
creation. Imagine building a robotic device that can solve a rubric's cube. Then learn the
challenges that are part of the creative process. This is a great website to get students
thinking and solving problems.
She's Not Just a Pretty Face
http://www.masters.ab.ca/bdyck/face/
"She's Not Just a Pretty Face" wants middle school girls from around the globe
to join in a collaborative venture that will help them learn about women who have made a
significant mark in history. From January 1st - December 31, 2005, participating
classrooms will work on the project activities and then share their work by posting it on
the project Web site. "She's Not Just a Pretty Face" will engage students in
purposeful activities that will hone their research and writing skills, their ability to
transfer information into a creative/artistic medium, and their ability to articulate how
their learning about strong female role models can be applied to their own lives. Students
will have the opportunity to work with classrooms from across the world and to enter into
a thought-provoking dialogue about how women can use their abilities and vision to make a
difference in their world.
Simon Says
http://www.mathsnet.net/cruncher/simon.html
Students can play this online version of the poplular game Simon. They must repeat the
flashing colors in order for as long as they can. Great for improving thinking skills!
Simple Four: An Information Problem-Solving Model
http://martha.alewine.googlepages.com/thesimplefour
From South Carolina's School Library Media Services, this site offers several easy-to-use
documents demonstrating the Simple Four method of doing research. The steps include
planning, acting, organizing and reflecting on information gathered. There is an overview
of the Simple Four system plus charts depicting how the Simple Four may be used in core
subject areas and how the process supports information literacy. Another chart correlates
the Simple Four with technology skills.
SuperKids Games of Logic and Reasoning
http://www.superkids.com/aweb/tools/logic/
This is a collection of fun games that will challenge students by focusing on reasoning
and strategy. They play against the computer.
Thinking Machine 4
http://turbulence.org/spotlight/thinking/chess.html
Thinking Machine 4 explores the invisible, elusive nature of thought. Play chess against a
transparent intelligence, its evolving thought process visible on the board before you.
Thinking Things From Snaith Primary School
http://home.freeuk.net/elloughton13/index.htm
There are many things to explore on this site. Click on Number Magnet to create number
sentences and Magnet Poems to create and unscramble sentences. Students can also write
about Characters or Settings, and meet Authors. There are a variety of things to explore
by clicking on the titled pictures.
You've Got to be Kidding
http://pbskids.org/arthur/games/yougottobekidding/index.html
Although this PBS site calls itself a 'game,' it is really a lot more. It offers users a
series of ethical dilemmas and three possible courses of action for each, and then
discusses the results of each course of action. The site can be an excellent motivator for
some inspired classroom discussions.
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