PITCH-IN CANADA
Resource Centre

Re-Think Activities
An educational Unit for children up to Grade 4
Written by Valerie Thom, B.Ed. and edited by Allard W. van Veen, APR, Fellow, CPRS

This unit has six chapters, each filled with information, ideas and projects. Words in bold and in italics are featured in the glossary which you can reach by clicking here

Skills: problem solving

Time: one class period

Learning Objective: students will apply problem-solving skills to analyze selected solid waste disposal problems to decide an appropriate course of action; students will realize that individual action is important in solving problems.

Materials and Equipment: none.

Activity:

1. Discuss the following situations with the students OR make up similar situations to suit your community:

• You and your family are enjoying a picnic in the local park, and your mother asks you to put the (non-compostable, non-recyclable) leftovers in the garbage. You can’t find a garbage can. What can you do with the garbage? What action could your family take to help solve this problem?
• As above, but you find that the garbage cans are over-flowing. What can you do with your family’s garbage? What do you think the park authorities need to do about the problem? What could your family do to help solve the problem?

2. Select one situation and help the students to apply problem-solving steps* to find a solution.

3. Have students role-play the situations, including the solutions.

4. Using the problem-solving steps as an outline, have the students draw on of the above situations, or one they suggest themselves, in comic-strip form.

*Problem Solving Steps:

1. Define the problem
2. Get the facts
3. Identify causes (of the facts)
4. Identify possible solutions
5. Evaluate solutions
6. Select best course of action
7. Follow course of action
8. Evaluate success of chosen action

RE…Think

If the students know of a local problem situation, such as inadequate or overflowing garbage cans, have them decide on and then follow an appropriate course of action, using the problem-solving steps, to have the problem corrected.

Discuss with the students:

• In the imaginary situation, how did one person, or one family, help to solve the problem?
• Who are some of the people in our community who could help us to solve a similar problem?

You may wish to invite a representative of the local Parks Department, Solid Waste Management Department, or similar authority, to discuss their responsibilities, and how concerned citizens can help them to do their job properly. 

Click here to return to the Index for Chapter 4 and more activities

Click here to return to the Index for Re-Think