Problem Solving
Story:
Liam forgot to charge his tablet before school and it died during reading group.
Question:
What should Liam do next?
A. Yell at the teacher
B. Ask to borrow a classmate’s tablet
C. Ask the teacher for paper instead
D. Go home
Answer:
C. Ask the teacher for paper instead
Clues: Yelling or leaving is inappropriate. Borrowing may not be allowed. Asking for an alternative is calm and flexible problem-solving.
Story:
Emma slipped on the wet floor and dropped her books. A classmate helped her pick them up.
Question:
What caused Emma to drop her books? (Look for a cause-effect clue)
A. She was running
B. The floor was wet
C. She tripped over her classmate
D. She forgot her homework
Answer: B. The floor was wet
Story:
The word “cautious” means being very careful.
Peter was cautious when he crossed the icy sidewalk so he wouldn’t slip.
Question:
What does “cautious” mean?
A. Being wild
B. Being careful
C. Being funny
D. Being loud
Answer: B. Being careful
Story:
Emma raised her hand during reading group. She had practiced the paragraph at home and felt ready to read. But the teacher called on someone else. Emma lowered her hand and looked down at her desk.
Question:
What is Emma most likely thinking?
A. “I’m upset I didn’t get picked.”
B. “I hope it rains today.”
C. “This book is too easy.”
D. “I don’t like reading out loud.”
Answer:
A. “I’m upset I didn’t get picked.”
Clues: She practiced, wanted to read, and looked down after being skipped — classic signs of disappointment.
Question:
Which word best describes both a rabbit and a squirrel? (Think of category: type of animal)
A. Reptile
B. Insect
C. Mammal
D. Bird
Answer: C. Mammal
Story:
Amira spilled water on the table and her group’s math worksheets got wet.
Question:
What’s the best way to solve the problem?
A. Blame someone else
B. Ask the teacher for new copies and apologize
C. Walk away
D. Yell at her classmates
Answer:
B. Ask the teacher for new copies and apologize
Clues: Taking responsibility and fixing the damage is the expected response.
Story:
Marcus packed a sandwich, a water bottle, and his soccer cleats. Then he left for practice.
Question:
What is Marcus probably going to do? (Use item clues)
A. Go swimming
B. Go on a field trip
C. Go to soccer practice
D. Go to music class
Answer: C. Go to soccer practice
Story:
Choose the sentence that uses the word “fragile” correctly.
Options:
A. The fragile glass shattered when it fell off the table.
B. The fragile elephant stomped through the jungle.
C. The fragile truck carried heavy boxes across the country.
D. The fragile mountain grew taller each year.
Question:
Which sentence shows the correct meaning of “fragile”?
Answer: A. The fragile glass shattered when it fell off the table.
Story:
Jamal’s friend is sitting alone at lunch with his head down.
Question:
What might Jamal’s friend be thinking?
A. “I’m feeling left out.”
B. “I want to go swimming.”
C. “I’m so excited!”
D. “This is the best lunch ever.”
Answer:
A. “I’m feeling left out.”
Clues: Sitting alone with head down indicates sadness or exclusion.
Question:
Which item is used for measuring? (Think about function)
A. Ruler
B. Marker
C. Eraser
D. Glue stick
Answer: A. Ruler
Story:
During art class, Eli took the last red marker. Jada asked to use it, but he said no. Later, Jada told the teacher, and Eli was told to share.
Question:
What was the problem, and what could Eli have done differently?
Answer:
Problem: Eli didn’t share supplies fairly.
Solution: He could have taken turns or used a different marker and let Jada go next.
Clues: The teacher’s intervention and Jada’s request show that sharing was expected.
Story:
Jada forgot her lunch, so the teacher let her call home. Later, her dad dropped it off.
Question:
What happened after Jada called home? (Look at sequence of events)
A. She ate lunch from the cafeteria
B. Her dad brought her lunch
C. Her mom took her home
D. She skipped lunch
Answer: B. Her dad brought her lunch
Story:
The word “eager” means very excited and ready to do something.
Before the soccer game, James was eager to get on the field and start playing. He bounced on his toes and kept asking the coach when it would be his turn.
Question:
What does the word “eager” mean?
A. Nervous and worried
B. Calm and quiet
C. Excited and ready
D. Sad and tired
Answer: C. Excited and ready
Story:
During a group project, Olivia kept trying to share ideas, but everyone ignored her. She crossed her arms and stopped talking.
Question:
What do you think Olivia is thinking or feeling?
Answer:
She likely feels frustrated, ignored, or unimportant.
Clues: Being talked over, crossing arms, and going silent show withdrawal and emotional hurt.
Question:
Which sentence best compares a lion and a house cat? (Look for size or behavior comparison)
A. Lions live in cages, and cats live in trees.
B. Lions and cats both have fur, but lions are much bigger.
C. Cats are dangerous, but lions are not.
D. Cats bark, and lions roar.
Answer: B. Lions and cats both have fur, but lions are much bigger.
Story:
Maya and her friend were playing a game when Maya lost and threw the pieces. Her friend looked upset and walked away.
Question:
What was the problem, and how should Maya fix it?
Answer:
Problem: Maya overreacted when she lost and made her friend upset.
Solution: She should apologize, calm down, and say, “Can we try again?”
Clues: Friend walking away signals hurt feelings; throwing game pieces shows poor emotional regulation.
Story:
Omar stayed up too late watching TV. The next morning, he was tired and missed the bus.
Question:
Why did Omar miss the bus? (Think about cause and effect)
A. He forgot to set an alarm
B. He stayed up too late
C. The bus came early
D. He got sick overnight
Answer: B. He stayed up too late
Story:
The word “observe” means to watch carefully.
During science class, Clara had to observe a caterpillar’s behavior every day for a week. She noticed it moved slowly and liked to stay under leaves. Clara wrote down everything she saw. She also drew pictures of the caterpillar as it grew bigger. One morning, Clara was amazed to see it hanging upside down, starting to form a chrysalis. Because she observed so carefully, she was able to predict when it would become a butterfly.
Question:
Which action best shows someone “observing”?
A. Guessing what will happen without looking
B. Carefully watching and writing down notes
C. Talking loudly and distracting others
D. Running quickly past something
Answer: B. Carefully watching and writing down notes
Story:
Isaac studied all week for his presentation. When he got up to speak, two classmates in the front row started laughing and whispering. Isaac looked down and rushed through his slides.
Question:
What was Isaac probably thinking?
Answer:
He might be thinking, “They’re laughing at me,” or “I’m not doing well.”
Clues: His rushing, lowered gaze, and the timing of their behavior suggest embarrassment or anxiety.
Question:
Which sentence describes something by category, size, and color?
A. The ball is rolling.
B. It is on the floor.
C. The round object is a large red beach ball.
D. The toy is mine.
Answer: C. The round object is a large red beach ball.
Story:
Corey was asked to work in a group with two students he didn’t like. During the task, he ignored them and did the work alone. At the end, the group got a low grade, and the teacher asked what happened.
Question:
What is the social problem, and what could Corey have done differently?
Answer:
Problem: Corey didn’t collaborate, which affected group performance.
Solution: He could have used respectful teamwork, spoken to the teacher privately if needed, or found a way to divide the task fairly.
Clues: “Group grade,” “ignored them,” and “teacher asked what happened” all show that lack of cooperation caused a consequence.
Story:
After reading the story, Ava knew the girl was upset because her dog ran away. She noticed the girl had tears and wouldn’t speak.
Question:
How did Ava know the girl was upset? (Look for clues Ava used to infer feelings)
A. The girl was smiling
B. The girl had tears and was quiet
C. Ava heard someone say it
D. The dog barked at her
Answer: B. The girl had tears and was quiet
Story:
The word “fortunate” means lucky or having good fortune.
Last weekend, Elena planned a picnic for her family. Just as they spread out the blankets and unpacked the food, dark clouds rolled in. Everyone worried it would rain and ruin the day. But, by some miracle, the clouds moved away without a single drop falling. Elena felt fortunate that the weather stayed nice. They ended up having a wonderful afternoon eating sandwiches, playing games, and watching the sunset together.
Question:
Why did Elena feel fortunate?
A. Because the clouds made it rain
B. Because the weather stayed good for the picnic
C. Because they found a better picnic spot
D. Because she won a prize
Answer: B. Because the weather stayed good for the picnic
Story:
Taylor made a birthday card for her classmate Max. When she gave it to him, Max smiled politely but didn’t say much and tucked it into his desk.
Question:
What might Max be thinking, and how might Taylor feel in response?
Answer:
Max: Might be shy, unsure how to respond, or didn’t like the attention.
Taylor: Might feel confused, disappointed, or unsure if Max liked it.
Clues: Max’s quiet reaction and Taylor’s kind gesture create a mismatch — interpreting both sides builds empathy.
Question:
Which of the following is the best way to categorize these: fork, spoon, knife? (Think: what do they have in common?)
A. They’re all sharp.
B. They’re all silver.
C. They’re all used for cooking.
D. They’re all eating utensils.
Answer: D. They’re all eating utensils.