Solve the Problem (advanced classroom activity)
The basic idea o this activity is to give a number of interesting problems or dilemmas to the students and have them come up with creative solutions. This activity is for an advanced class where students feel relatively comfortable speaking out.
Before class you will need to prepare about 5-10 cards (depending on how big the class is) with a situation described on each. The situation should describe an imaginary problem that needs to be solved. All of the problems should lend themselves to open ended solutions with no “right” or “wrong” answers. Of course, your situations should deal with topics recently discussed in class.
At the beginning of class split the students into teams of 2-4. Explain that each team will be given an imaginary problem that they must provide a solution for. Just like with everything else, you will need to give students guidelines to follow when coming up with their solutions. Write guidelines on the card directly after the problem description. It helps to give them an example solution as well. I’ve written a sample problem card below.
Problem:
You live on a small island called Sandy in the middle of a huge ocean. Nobody has ever left this island. You work for a very rich man who lives on Sandy and he wants you to build him a new house. He does not want to house to be built any place on Sandy. He also wants the house to be different then any house on Sandy. How can you build this house?
• Where will you build the house?
• What kinds of materials will you need to build the house?
• What will the house look like?
• How will the house be different from other houses on Sandy?
• Why will the rich man be happy with the house you build him?
An example of a solution to this would be to build the house on the water. It is different in that there are no houseboats on Sandy. The house may need extra protection from the weather, sails, a boat engine, etc. The rich man would be happy because he can finally travel away from Sandy to see the outside world. The description of what the boat looks like can also be a fun part to this.
Another, more wild, solution might be to build the house in the air and somehow allow it to hover with magic.
A few wild example solutions will let them know it is OK to think of something different. I like to give two groups the same problem and compare the two solutions.