10 – 12 years: Analytical thinking and problem solving

Imagine you are a detective and you receive an encrypted message without a key. How do you start to solve this problem? First, I will try to find some patterns or recurring signs.
I will immediately look for someone who could help me.
I will start trying different options and combinations randomly.
I'll leave it as it is; if I don't figure it out right away, it probably isn't important.
I will try to figure out who sent the message and what it could mean.

You need to come up with a way to make school a more fun place. How do you start? I will talk to my classmates and make a list of ideas.
I will come up with something creative and start implementing it right away.
I will ask myself what would be the most interesting and effective.
I will start exploring how it works in other schools and get inspired.
I'll leave it to someone else; I'm not sure what would work best.

During the trip, your group gets lost in the forest. What will you do first? I will stop and try to remember the way back.
I will start observing tracks or signs in nature that could help us.
I suggest that we move in some direction and see where we end up.
I will climb to a high place to get a better view of the surroundings.
I will stay calm and wait to see if someone in the group takes the lead.

When playing games, you often see someone cheating. How do you react to that? I'm trying to understand why he/she is doing it, and then I will decide what I will do.
I will immediately point out to him that it is not fair.
I will tell someone who can resolve the situation.
I won't say anything unless it affects my game.
I will try to see if it is possible to win the game without cheating, and I will do it the fair way.

When you encounter a complicated math problem in your homework, how do you solve it? I will divide it into smaller parts and solve it step by step.
I will look for a similar example and try to use it as a template.
I will ask someone who could help me.
I'll try different approaches, even though I'm not sure which one is correct.
If it’s too difficult, I will skip it and come back to it later.

You will have the opportunity to come up with a completely new invention. How would you start? I would think about what people miss the most or what complicates their lives.
I will come up with something that would be simply fun and different.
First, I would make a plan and then test it.
I would look at existing inventions and think about how to improve them.
I would try to imagine the future and what could work in it.

In history class, you will receive an assignment to solve a historical mystery. What will you do? First, I will try to understand the context and all available facts.
I will try different theories and see which one makes the most sense.
I will ask myself what I would do in the place of historical figures.
I am looking for relationships between events and I will try to uncover connections.
I will ask the teacher or my classmates if they have any ideas.

In science class, you are conducting an experiment and the result is not what you expected. How do you react? I will try to find out where I could have made a mistake.
I'm wondering if there could be another explanation than what I assumed.
I will ask my classmates if they have a similar result.
I will try to repeat the experiment with some small changes.
I take it as an opportunity to learn something new, even though it didn't go according to plan.

In school, you are assigned to create a team project, but everyone wants to do something different. How will you resolve this? I suggest that we each choose a part that we enjoy the most.
I will try to find a compromise that could satisfy everyone.
I will take my time to understand why everyone has a different opinion.
I will leave the decision to someone else to avoid conflict.
I will propose a vote to find out what the majority wants.

Imagine that an unknown sound has appeared in your city at night. How would you find out what it is? First, I would try to listen to it better and compare it with something familiar.
I would try to find other people who heard it and compare opinions.
I would go to the place where it is the loudest to analyze it better.
I would be searching for news or information about similar phenomena.
I would wait to see if the sound reappears to better understand its pattern.