Problem-Solving
GRADE 6
LESSON 12
Time Required: 30-45 minutes
Content Standards:
AA.S.3 students will understand the relationship of academics to the
world and to life at home and in the community.
AA.S.8 students will make decisions, set goals, and take necessary
action to achieve goals.
Indicators:
AA.A.9.3.06 apply effective decision-making strategies
AA.PSD.6.8.01 use a decision-making and a problem-solving model
GOAL: Students will review and apply an effective decision-making
model.
Activity Statements: Students will learn to use the “decision-making model” by reviewing
the “decision making model”, working in groups to list decision they make on a daily basis and
seeing how those decisions work in the model. Students will then list good and bad decisions
they have made and discuss them.
Materials:
Handout 1- Decision-Making Model
Overhead Projector
Transparency of handout 1- Decision-Making Model
Handout 2- My Choices
Procedures:
1. Pass out copies of handout 1, “Decision-Making Model” and begin by saying, “We all
have to make decisions every day. What are some of the decisions you have already
made today?” (Allow students to answer out loud.). “Today, we are going to learn a
process to make a decision.” Go over handout 1, “Decision-Making Model” with the
students, step by step.
2. Distribute a copy of handout 2, “My Choices” to each student. Divide the students into
small groups of 3-4 students and ask each group to choose what they think are the five
Problem-Solving
GRADE 6 LESSON 12
most important decisions. Discuss with the class as a whole what the most common
answers were and why they were chosen.
3. Using the transparency of handout 1, “Decision-Making Model”, guide the students step
by step through the process using the top five most important decisions chosen from
handout 2, “My Choices”.
Discussion:
“Do you realize that you are constantly making decisions?”
“What are some decisions that you have made today?”
“What did you think is the single most important decision that you have make today so far?”
“Do you think that personal values enter into our decision-making process sometimes?”
Good or Poor Decisions
1. Ask students to come up with some examples of decisions that are common in the
sixth grade.
2. Give each student a piece of paper and ask them to fold it in half.
3. Ask students to write “Good Decisions” on the top half and “Poor Decisions” on the
bottom half.
4. Direct the students to think of some decisions that they have made in the past week
and write them on the paper in the appropriate section.
5. Ask the students to look at the “Good Decisions” section and ask themselves the
following questions:
“How did I happen to make this decision?”
“Who influenced me in making this decision?”
“How many of these decisions were the result of my having received advice from
others?”
“What was the consequence of this decision?”
6. Students may ask themselves the same questions as they look at the “Poor
Decisions” section.
Developed by: Julie Fulks, School Counselor, Johnson Elementary (2009)
Problem-Solving
GRADE 6 LESSON 12
Discussion:
“How responsible are we for determining our futures?”
“What can we learn from a poor decision?”
“What did you learn today?”
Additional Resources:
Study guides and strategies for problem-solving and decision-making.
http://www.studygs.net/problem/index.htm
Decision-making quiz for children and teens
www.rnli.org.uk/shorething/Youth/Games/
Five steps to Good Decision-Making Skills for Teens
http://parentingteens.about.com/od/behavioranddiscipline/a/decisionmaking.htm
Extension Activities:
Students may interview a parent or other adult on the choices that they have made in
life and the consequences of those choices. Students may use handout 1, “DecisionMaking Model” to practice working through some of these problems.
Activity:
a. To “try out” real-life decision making in jobs (and to show the importance of good
decision making), have the students go to the Explore Careers section in CFWV.com.
b. Then ask them to select a career cluster that appeals to them.
c. From the list of careers in that cluster, choose one that has “Insider Info Only”
d. From the tabs on the left side of the page, choose “Real Life Activity”
e. Have the student try out the “Real-Life Decision Making” question for that career
Developed by: Julie Fulks, School Counselor, Johnson Elementary (2009)
Problem-Solving
GRADE 6 LESSON 12
Resources:
The Roads to Success lessons have been correlated to the inventories and assessments
found in CFWV.com
Road to Success Lesson Plan – Decision Making
Resource or Adapted from:
Wittmer, Joe, (2000) “Large Group Guidance Activities, a k-12 Sourcebook”, Educational Media Corp. Minneapolis,
MN
Developed by: Julie Fulks, School Counselor, Johnson Elementary (2009)