free social problem solving scenarios for middle school students

71+ Free Social Problem-Solving Scenarios

Do you have kiddos who struggle with their social problem-solving skills? Teach your students the simple process of how to solve a problem along with having them review how well their solution worked or didn’t work.

Why Teach Problem Solving Skills?

Learning to problem solve is an essential skill that is used not only throughout childhood but also into adulthood. Social problem solving is the ability to change or adapt to undesirable situations that arise throughout our day.

On a daily basis, a child will encounter social problems that they will need to solve.

Anything from:

• arguing with another student
• to hurting a friend’s feelings
• to having a difficult conversation
• working with others

Start with Small Problems

Many of the “problems” children encounter are often small problems which the child may be over-reacting to, such as wanting a different coloring crayon or wanting to be first in line, however, these small problems are still very real to the child.

Practicing problem-solving with these small problems can be a great learning opportunity. Children can practice problem-solving with a small problem which can help them learn how to handle bigger problems in the future.

Problem Solving Importance

Social problem-solving skills are critical to a child’s social interactions, personal and professional relationships. A child’s ability to handle change, cope with stress, and handle challenges improves with a child’s ability to successfully solve social problems.

The ultimate goal is that the child will be able to solve social problems all on their own, but until they can independently solve a problem they will need to learn how to communicate and self-advocate to positively solve their problems.  

Steps to Problem Solving

Children can be taught how to problem solve through a guided process of breaking down the problem and using simple steps to solve the problem.

Learning specific steps to problem-solving can allow children to remember how to solve a problem when they become overwhelmed or stressed.

Although learning to solve a problem independently can take some time and practice it is well worth the investment to have a child who can eventually solve most social situations in a positive manner on their own.

What we learnt about solving problems is don't freak out, if one thing doesn't work , try something else out. And work together as a team. #melthammathsweek #MELTHAMPUPILVOICE @problemsolveit pic.twitter.com/iVm1Im4Aue — yr6melthamce (@yr6melthamce) February 4, 2019

Problem Solving Form

Teach your students the 4 steps to becoming a social problem-solver.

• Identify the problem. For instance, start by having your student identify the social problem.
• Create three solutions. Also, have your student come up with three different solutions that they could use to solve the problem that they identified.
• Identify the consequences. Then, identify the consequence for each individual solution.
• Pick the best solution.  Lastly, have your student identify which of their three solutions is the best choice Then have your student put into words why they think that solution is the best solution.

Problem Solving Review Form

After your students go through the social problem-solver have them use the social problem-solving review form.

• What happened.  For instance, after your student tried their solution have them explain what happened next.
• Review the results. Also, have your student identify whether or not their solution got them the results they wanted.
• Use this solution again. Furthermore, have your student identify whether or not they would use this solution again in the future to solve the same or similar problem.
• What would you do differently? Finally, have your student explain what they would do differently if they didn’t get the results they wanted or if they wouldn’t use that solution again in the future.

71+ Social Problem Scenarios + 6 Blank Scenarios

Use the 71 social problem-solving scenarios to have your students get great experience practicing how to solve a social problem.

Also, included are 6 blank scenarios. Then laminate them so you can use them over and over again. Therefore, create social problems that the student experiences and needs help solving.

Wordless Video teaching Problem Solving

Watch this super cute wordless animation with your students and have them discuss the problem they see and how to best solve the problem.

Use this as a fun practice example to get your students started towards learning how to problem-solve.

Demonstrate Through Modeling

Model and discuss empathy.

First and foremost, children need to understand how another person might be feeling in a given situation in order to become a good social problem solver. The student needs to learn how to “stand in someone else’s shoes” for a little bit.

One way you can work on this skill is during the reading time you can focus on how a particular character in the story might be feeling.

Ask questions, such as:

• “How do they feel right now?”
• “How would you feel in that same situation?”
• “Why do you think they feel that way?”

Model Problem-Solving Skills as the Teacher

When you are faced with a problem you can solve the problem by thinking aloud for the students to hear how you solve a problem.

You can state the problem, then come up with possible solutions, then identify the possible consequences to each solution, then pick and explain why a solution is the best option.

For example, you could say, “I was hoping to take the class outside for a stress walk around the track before the reading test, but the problem is that it is raining outside. I could still take you outside, but then you will get wet, or we could walk the halls, but then we’d have to be really quiet because there are other classes learning, or we could just skip the walk and take the reading test, but then you might not do as well on the test. I think based on all of those solutions the best solution will be to walk the hallway, but you guys will have to promise to be quiet so that we don’t disrupt other classes.

Modeling the problem-solving process can be very helpful for the students to watch, observe, and later implement themselves.

Teach Communication

Have students communicate how they are feeling.

Teaching your students to share their emotions in a respectful way can improve their ability to problem-solve.

Have students use an “I” sentence frame, such as, “I feel _____ (insert feeling word) when _____ (identify what made you feel that way).”

For example, “I felt sad when Jackson broke my favorite pencil” or “I was mad when I wasn’t picked to be first in line.”

This way students can communicate how they are feeling using honest and open communication. Teaching students to appropriately communicate their emotions can help solve some social problems from the beginning.

Encourage Independency

Encourage your student to problem solve.

If your student is struggling to problem solve independently encourage them to do so using open-ended questions.

• “How could you fix this problem?”
• “What would be a fair solution?”
• “What would happen if you used that solution?”

Let the Student try to Problem Solve Independently

Give your students the space to try and solve their own problems using the guided strategies. Try not to come running to their rescue for every little problem.

Some problems are small and a great opportunity for the student to learn and practice. If an adult does all of the problem solving for a student then what are they really learning?

Give your students the time and space they need to practice solving small problems on their own. Of course, if it is a bigger or more serious problem then have an adult help guide the problem-solving process.

Tell an Adult

Remind your students that there are still some problems that are too big for them to solve on their own and that it is okay to get help from an adult to solve big problems.

For example, if the student doesn’t feel safe, someone is being hurt physically or emotionally, or if they tried to solve a problem independently but it didn’t work and they need help. Let them know that it’s okay to tell an adult.

Teach How to Disagree and How to Make Up

Discuss how to disagree respectfully.

Remind your student that they won’t always agree with their teacher, friends, classmate, or parents and that’s okay. Even the people we like might have different opinions, interests, and likes than we do.

However, even if we disagree with someone we should still treat them with respect. Treating someone with respect means to not call them names, ignore them, yell or hit them. It means that you do try to create solutions that both parties can agree with and to apologize when we hurt others’ feelings.

Role-Play How to Make Up

Practice in everyday life how to make up after a social problem .

Students are really having to stretch their brains today. It's @NSPCC #NumberDay and @problemsolveit are challenging Y9 and 10 to solve the escape room boxes. It's not as easy as it looks! The promise of a few sweet treats for the winners seems to be helping though! pic.twitter.com/AxRRJnJIv2 — CongletonHS (@CongletonHS) February 2, 2018

Be sure to get your free social problem solver today below! I hope you and your students love this freebie.

Have your students use task card scenarios to help them identify how they and others might feel in different social scenarios. Be sure to discuss the problem, identify possible solutions, identify the consequences of those possible solutions, and then based on those consequences pick the best solution.

Make social problem-solving a game by telling the students that they are social detectives and that it is their job to use what they know about social rules to help them identify the possible and best solutions.

Start practicing today with 71+ free social problem social task cards! Do your students need more practice?

Be sure to check out my other freebie for 31 wordless animated videos to teach problem-solving and so much more.

Make Problem Solving Easier with this Freebie!

Download yours today to get started.

Get More Problem Solving Time Saving Materials

Next, be sure to check out the following time-saving materials to continue to teach your students how to solve their social problems in addition to this freebie.

Weekly Social Pragmatics Homework

• Weekly problem-solving.   Send home a  weekly homework page  that includes a problem-solving scenario plus an idiom and a conversational practice scenario.

Restorative Justice Problem Solving Flip Book

• Restorative justice graphic visual.  Use this graphic visual to help your student  restore a social relationship  after a social problem.

Self-Advocating Role-Play Scenarios

• Self-advocating in high school.  Teach your high schoolers the process to  self-advocate  for what they need.

5th-12th Grade Life Skills Problem Solving

• Life skills problem-solving.  In addition, this  life skills differentiated bundle  includes a problem-solving lesson plan.

I recommend you read Problem Solving Wheel: Help Kids Solve Their Own Problems , 61+ Free Fillable SLP Planner Pages 2020-2021 , 430+ Free Multisyllabic Words List Activity Bundle , or 432+ Free IEP Goal Bank to Save You Time posts because they include freebies as well and who doesn’t want more freebies!

Got questions? Leave a comment. Let’s chat!

Monday 30th of January 2023

Hello! I have entered my name and email twice (yesterday & today) to receive to 71+ Free Social Problem-Solving Senarios, but I have not received anything yet. Not even an email back to mine in order to subcribe. Thanks for your help! Tracy

Melissa Berg

Tuesday 31st of January 2023

Hi Tracy, Thanks so much for reaching out! Sorry about that. We went ahead and sent you an email with the PDF attached. Wishing you all my best, Melissa

Problem Solving Skills

Tuesday 30th of August 2022

I truly love your site. Excellent colors, theme and writing. Thanks for sharing.

Laura Ricca

Monday 11th of April 2022

Tuesday 12th of April 2022

Hi Laura, I'm glad you found this resource helpful. Melissa

Modified Mental Health and Suicide Prevention - Speech Therapy Store

Monday 11th of May 2020

[…] 71+ FREE SOCIAL PROBLEM-SOLVING SCENARIOS […]

Problem Solving Wheel: Help Kids Solve Their Own Problems - Speech Therapy Store

Monday 4th of May 2020

[…] 71+ Free Social Problem Solving Task Cards Scenarios […]

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11 Scenarios to Help Teens Work Through Sticky Social Situations

Tweens and teens increasing encounter social situations that they must have skills to navigate independently. In this article, you’ll read through scenarios that teens might experience as they spend time with friends. For each scenario, prompts are provided for consideration and discussion. These prompts can be used as talking points with the teens at your home or school. You’ll also have the opportunity to download a free Classroom Etiquette Do’s and Don’ts Resource for both teachers and students.

Why Manners Matter

As tweens and teens spend a lot more time with their friends, they may encounter new situations that they need to navigate with skill and polite manners. Etiquette and manners are important—because people who know how to handle themselves in social situations come out on top, get what they want, feel good about themselves, and enjoy life to the fullest.

Why Scenarios Can Be Powerful Teen Learning Experiences

Preparing to manage experiences before they occur will allow kids to better manage them in real time.

Hypothetical scenarios can be a great tool for learning on this topic. They present real-life examples that students may not anticipate. They allow students to remove heightened emotions that they may experience in social settings so that they can think clearly on the issues presented. They also allow students to work together, collaboratively, to tackle these challenges with peers.

11 Manners Challenges for Teens

In group discussions, use these eleven relatable manners challenges to get teens talking about how they can politely deal with problems, before they occur, at home or school.

Too-Hot Soup

You’re eating dinner at a friend’s house. You take a mouthful of soup and discover it’s burning hot. Other than spitting it out, burning your tongue, and suing your hostess for $4 million, how could you deal (politely) with this situation?

Text Troubles

Your best friend spends half the time you’re together texting other friends. You think of sending your friend a text saying, “PUT DOWN YOUR STUPID PHONE AND BE WITH ME!” Maybe there’s a better solution. What is it?

You brought a great present for your friend to his Bar Mitzvah party. Three months later you’ve heard nothing from him, and you’re wondering why. You could send a “Thanks for nothing” note, or… What’s a better way to handle this?

Your friends are great one-on-one. But when they get together, they’re like boorish marauders. It really bothers you when they make fun of people with disabilities. How can you address this without being drawn and quartered yourself?

Chew on View

One of your friends always chews with his mouth open. It’s gross—all those saliva-slimed, maggoty, masticated morsels of chopper-chomped chow. (Told you it was gross.) How could you address this delicate subject with your friend?

Embarrassed Online

A friend posted a photo on social media of you drooling in your sleep. You’re angry and humiliated. Think of a rude way to respond and then a polite way. Which is better and why?

Your friend is chronically late and always shrugs it off with lame excuses. You could give him some of his own medicine by standing him up, but that just brings more rudeness into the world. What’s a better way to resolve this?

Your friend always invites herself over to your house and then never leaves. Short of screaming, “INCOMING MISSILE!” and locking the doors after she dives out the window, what would be a polite way to deal with this?

Too Much Texting

A friend floods you with hundreds of unwanted texts a day. Think of a rude way to respond and a polite way. Which do you think would work better and why?

Tips Needed

You’re at a restaurant with friends. You all chip in, but as you leave, you notice the kid who paid the bill didn’t leave a tip. How can you handle this so the server isn’t stiffed and your friend isn’t miffed?

Your friend bailed on going to the movies with you by saying she was sick. Later you learn she went out with someone else. Instead of getting even by giving her measles, how could you handle this politely?

Manners matter. Good etiquette helps us all get what we want, feel good about ourselves, and enjoy life to the fullest. Giving tweens and teens resources—like the 11 scenarios and the Do’s and Don’ts of Classroom Etiquette Resource for students included in this article—gives them the opportunity to prepare for sticky social situations both out in the world and at school. For more relevant etiquette challenges, check out How Rude! The Teen Guide to Good Manners, Proper Behavior, and Not Grossing People Out by Alex J. Packer, Ph.D.

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Author bio:, alex j.packer, ph.d..

'Etiquette Guru to the Youth of America', Alex J. Packer, Ph.D., is an educator, psychologist, and award-winning author of numerous books for parents and teenagers including How Rude! The Teen Guide to Good Manners, Proper Behavior, and Not Grossing People Out. Alex's books have been translated into many languages including Spanish, German, Korean, Japanese, Thai, Mandarin, Greek, Romanian, and Serbian. Alex is sought after by the media for his provocative commentary on manners, child-rearing,...

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20 Problem-Solving Activities For Middle School: Discussions, Games, Strategies, And Resources

November 20, 2023 //  by  Lesa M.K. Bullins, EdS

Problem-solving skills are important to the building of critical thinking, which in turn strengthens student executive function. Good problem solvers can build stronger cognitive flexibility, a critical component of executive functioning.

The teenage years are a crucial time for neuroplasticity, so it is a prime time for learning and developing important cognitive skills along with critical information. Bring problem-solving to life in your middle school classroom with these 20 activities.

1. Feelings Expression Scenarios

A huge part of problem-solving is properly expressing your own feelings. Students often struggle to state how they feel without combative, aggressive, or accusatory language; therefore opportunities to practice with realistic situations is a key problem-solving component. You can create scenario task cards to support students in realistic applications for relatable situations, or use pre-made cards.

Learn More:  Pinterest

2. Empathy Empowered Discussions

In addition to being able to calmly and kindly express one's feelings, empathy is a key problem-solving component. Teens can often struggle to express empathy as they have difficulty recognizing and interpreting due to the teenage brain functioning.

Teenage brains are still developing, so different areas of the brain are controlling different functions than we see in adult brains; furthermore, since teens are still figuring out what they think and feel about a variety of things, it can be difficult for them to recognize and consider the feelings and thoughts of others. You can instigate empathy discussions through relatable content like this short video.

Learn More:  Austin Wideman

3. Model, Model, Model...and then Model Some More!

Students learn more from what they see you do than what they hear you say! This means you have to be an active and purposeful model of what you expect. So make sure you are aware of your actions and words in front of your students!

Learn More:  Education World

4. Get Out of the Way

We need to allow students the time and space to solve problems. We cannot intervene every time they struggle to find the answer right away. Constant intervention hinders critical thinking and decision-making skills.

Make sure to leave some room for students to figure out solutions. Keep safe proximity so students have the comfort to know you are there if they cannot find a solution, but resist the urge to jump in as soon as you see them struggling.

Learn More:  Brookings

5. Plan a Road Trip

Engage problem-solving skills within context while reinforcing math, research, geography, and communication skills, too! Students can plan a road trip from start to finish in small groups. As an added bonus, you can let students travel virtually to the places they planned for their trip using Google Earth.

If time allows, they can even take screenshots and stage selfies for a presentation to share their trip with the class! This is a really great cross-curricular activity for the digital classroom, too!

6. Escape the Room

Escape rooms were made for problem-solving, so what better way to build these skills for students in an exciting way! Create different challenge activities surrounding a variety of subjects and skills to reinforce while lettings students put problem-solving to use finding practical solutions to escape the room!

Divide kids into teams and get on this engaging problem-solving activity!

7. Teach Explicit Strategies for Reflection

Students can build analytical skills by reflecting on their problem-solving process. Teach explicit skills to help students recognize and reflect on how they solve problems to reinforce future use and strengthen overall critical thinking abilities. Check out how Ellie from Cognitive Cardio made it work even in the time constraints of middle school schedules!

Learn More:  Cognitive Cardio With MSMM

8. Daily Practice

Give students short, interesting, and challenging problems to solve during the morning and afternoon transition times. Daily practice solving challenges is important for cognitive development and reinforces academic skills! You can find tons of daily challenges online or create your own.

9. Build Something

Let students work together in teams to build something from simple building materials. Increase the challenge by limiting resources or requiring students to pick their own resources for building blocks from a variety of random items. You can check out the marshmallow toothpick tower-building activity!

Learn more: Wow Sci

10. Blind Drawing Partners

Students can work in partner pairs or small groups to develop a vast array of abilities through this problem-solving activity. Blind team-building activities are excellent, low-prep ways to engage students' critical thinking and communication!

There are different ways you can implement this, but check out this video for an example of one application of the blind drawing game.

Learn more: Philip Barry

11. Laser Maze

Create a laser maze for students to get active in problem-solving. Create and implement different time durations to increase the challenge. Do not have lasers? No budget for lasers? Don't worry, red painter's tape will do the job!

Learn More:  That Phillips Family

12. Shared Story Puzzles

Creating story puzzles that force students to work in groups together to put together, add on, and create a cohesive story that is meaningful is another challenging task to engage in collaborative problem-solving.

Learn More:  Secondary English Coffee Shop

13. Yarn Webs

This social-skill-building collaborative problem-solving activity is fun for any age. Organize students into teams then let them choose a color of yarn, build a team web, and see who can navigate. There are so many ways this activity can be adapted, but you can watch a video of one interpretation here .

Learn More:  KEYSAmeriCorps

14. Scavenger Hunt

Create a series of clues that students must solve to progress through the game. Working in groups can help build conflict resolution and social skills as well. Check out how to create scavenger hunts for the classroom in this video by Learning Life.

Learn more: Learning Life

15. Boom! Math!

An excellent way to build advanced problem-solving skills, as well as mathematical analysis, is to create math Boom Cards with word problems like these from Math in the Middle. Boom cards are a great activity for students to practice and build skills!

Learn more: Boom Learning

16. Wheel of Solutions

Give students practice in exercising a number of different kinds of problem-solving skills by spinning and communicating a solution using the skills on which they land. You can make one in the classroom with a posterboard or create a digital wheel. Such a fun interactive resource! Use this great pre-made digital activity from Resource Haven on Boom Learning or create your own!

Learn More:  Boom Learning

17. Collaborative Math

Another activity for team building that supports mathematical concept reinforcement is students working together to collaboratively solve math problems. Check out how Runde's Room made sure everyone is engaged in working on solving parts of the problem through the sticky-note collaborative math activity.

18. Get Mysterious

Math Mysteries are a fun activity that builds out-of-the-box thinking and creates an inquisitive environment. Problem-solving develops through the process of inquisition! You can create your own or use Lee and Miller's 40 Fabulous Math Mysteries Kid's Can't Resist Scholastic book found here.

19. Logic Puzzles and Games

In addition to logic-building games like Chess, you can provide logic puzzles for morning and afternoon transitions, during downtime, or for early finishers. Logic puzzles help students think critically. You can make your own or get some prefabricated resources like the ones found in this book by Chris King .

Learn More:  Brainzilla

20. Lead Number Talks

Number talks are important to building problem-solving. Number talks allow students to build on one another in a collaborative way, discuss how they have solved problems before, consider how those solutions may be applicable to new skills they are about to learn, and build depth in math concepts.

So instead of getting quiet, get them talking!

Learn More:  North Dakota Teaching Kayla Durkin

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22 Social Scenarios for Speech Therapy Practice

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Social Scenarios

• You were at school and you were running in the hallway. You ran past a teacher and she gave you a look. What kind of look do you think was on her face and why? What do you think you should do?
• You are playing cards with some kids and one of them burps out loud. His face turns red and everyone looks at him. Why did his face turn red? Why did everyone look at him? How do you think he felt? What could you say or do?
• You got home from school really late because you stopped by the river on the way home and threw rocks. When you walked in the door your mom had a worried look on her face. What does a worried face look like? Why was she worried? What do you think you should say or do?
• After soccer practice you hand out birthday invitations to everyone except a little boy you didn’t know. As you were leaving you saw him crying and talking to his mom. Why was the boy crying? What could you do or say?
• After dinner on Friday night you wanted to go to the movies, but your mom said no because she didn’t have enough time to wash the dishes, pick up your sister, and get you to the movie theater on time. How do you feel about this? What could you do or say so that you could still go to the movies?
• Your sister was out riding her new bike. She suddenly came running in the house crying. Why do you think she was crying and what could you do about it?
• Your teacher asked what kind of cupcake everyone wanted and you said you didn’t care, but the girl next to you said she wanted chocolate. Your teacher passed the cupcakes out and you got chocolate. You were about to eat it when you noticed the girl next to you had a sad face and had not touched her cupcake yet. What did her face look like? Why do you think she felt sad? What could you do about it?
• You were at school having quiet free time. Everyone could choose something they wanted to do, so you chose to draw. You got out your favorite clicking pen that turned different colors every time you clicked. You were playing with your pen and you looked over at the girl next to you who was reading. She looked at you with a different look on her face that wasn’t very nice. What kind of face do you think she gave you? Why do you think she looked at you that way? What could you do about it?
• You are watching a movie with your little sister about the coolest monster ever. You look over at you sister and she has a scared look on her face. Why do you think she looks scared? What could you do or say?
• A girl in your class is bossy and not very nice. One day she brought cookies for her birthday and handed them out to everyone one by one. When she got to you, she set the cookie on your desk, and then looked at you with her eyebrows raised and her mouth pursed. Why did she do that? What did her face mean? What should you do?
• Someone in your class teased you because you got so many wrong on your spelling test. How did you feel? What did you do?
• Your friends finished their work, but you weren't finished yet. They were playing a game. How would you feel? What would you do?
• The teacher asked you a question in class, but you didn't know the answer. How do you feel? What do you do?
• Your schedule changed.  You will have an assembly instead of your favorite art class. How do you feel and what do you do about it?
• You were working on a test and the bell rang.  You were not done. How do you feel? What would you do?
• Some students in class are telling lies about your friend. How does that make you feel and what would you do?
• You noticed the new girl in class didn't have anyone to play with during recess. How would you feel if you were her? What would you do?
• Your friend got a new haircut.  You really liked it. What could you do?
• You and a friend were playing a game. Another classmate asked to join your game. What would you say?
• Your friend was shooting baskets in PE class and missed every shot. How do you think he felt and what would you do?
• In the lunch room, your friend dropped his tray and his food went all over the floor. What do you think he is feeling and what would you do?
• While you were walking in the hall, a girl tripped you and started laughing. How does that make you feel and what would you do about it?

SEE ALSO:   The Best Free App for Speech Therapy

This list of functional words was professionally selected to be the most useful for a child or adult who has difficulty with social scenarios.

We encourage you to use this list when practicing social scenarios at home.

Home practice will make progress toward meeting individual language goals much faster.

Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) are only able to see students/clients 30-60 mins (or less) per week. This is not enough time or practice for someone to strengthen their understanding of and responses to different social scenarios.

Every day that your loved one goes without social scenarios practice it becomes more difficult to help them. 

SEE ALSO:   The Best Books for Speech Therapy Practice

We know life is busy , but if you're reading this you're probably someone who cares about helping their loved one as much as you can.

Practice 5-10 minutes whenever you can, but try to do it on a consistent basis (daily).

Please, please, please use this list to practice.

It will be a great benefit to you and your loved one's progress.

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Home » Blog » General » Solve It: A Problem-Solving Game for Middle School Students

Solve It: A Problem-Solving Game for Middle School Students

Welcome to Solve It, a game where we solve problems by going through them step by step. At each step, we’ll talk about the problem, and how we can solve it. The steps we’ll go through are: Identify the problem – what’s wrong? Figure out how big the problem is. Think of possible solutions to the problem. Pick a solution. Try that solution and then reassess it. How did it work? If our solution works, our problem is solved! If our solution doesn’t work, we can try again. Problem solving is a process. We won’t always go straight to the solution. This video is all about problems we might have in our day to day lives. Whenever we see this icon in the corner, we can stop and talk about how everyone is feeling. Let’s get started!

Introduction

Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) is a crucial aspect of education that helps students develop essential life skills, such as problem-solving, empathy, and effective communication. In this blog post, we introduce an engaging activity called “Solve It,” designed to help middle school students improve their problem-solving abilities. This game encourages students to think critically, collaborate with their peers, and reflect on their emotions while navigating everyday challenges.

No-Prep Activity

Here’s a simple, no-prep activity you can use in your classroom to help students practice problem-solving skills:

• Divide the class into small groups of 3-4 students.
• Present a common, age-appropriate problem to the class. For example: “Your group has a big project due next week, but one of your teammates is not contributing. How will you handle this situation?”
• Give each group a few minutes to discuss the problem and come up with a step-by-step solution using the Solve It process.
• Have each group present their solution to the class, explaining their reasoning for each step.
• Encourage the class to provide feedback and alternative solutions to the presented problem.

This activity not only helps students practice problem-solving skills but also promotes teamwork, communication, and critical thinking.

Discussion Questions

Use these questions to encourage further discussion and reflection on problem-solving skills:

• Why is it important to identify the problem before trying to solve it?
• How can understanding the size of a problem help you find the best solution?
• Why is it important to consider multiple solutions before choosing one?
• How can working with others help improve your problem-solving abilities?
• What is an example of a problem you faced recently, and how did you solve it using the Solve It process?

Related Skills

Problem-solving is just one of the many skills that students can develop through Social-Emotional Learning. Other related skills include:

• Empathy: Understanding and sharing the feelings of others.
• Active listening: Paying full attention to the speaker, understanding their message, and responding thoughtfully.
• Conflict resolution: Addressing disagreements and finding solutions that satisfy all parties involved.
• Resilience: Bouncing back from setbacks and adversity.

If you’re interested in exploring more activities and resources to help your students develop valuable Social-Emotional Learning skills, consider signing up for free sample materials at Everyday Speech. These resources can provide you with additional tools to support your students’ growth and success in and outside the classroom.

Related Blog Posts:

Implementing Effective SEL Programs for Schools: Best Practices and Strategies

Understanding Teacher Burnout: Key Causes and Statistics Behind Teachers Quitting

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