What's this?

Investigating a Problem

This support material is incorporated into critical challenges at grade 10, however, it can be adapted for use at all grade levels.

The following documents can be adapted and re-saved for your needs.

Analyzing the Problem 
This chart is intended to help students define a problem, identify its causes and examine the pros and cons of possible solutions. For example, students might decide that there is too little clear water available in a region and that the causes include pollution of water sources, evaporation because of the hot climate, use of lots of water by business and farms and a growing population in the area. Possible solutions might be listed and the costs, likely effects and other advantages and disadvantages listed.

Assessing the Problem Analysis 
You may want to use the rubric, Assessing the Problem Analysis, to assist in assessing students' responses to this activity.

Credits

Adapted from Critical Challenges Across the Curriculum series. Permission granted by The Critical Thinking Consortium for use by Alberta teachers.