Mental difficulty
Launch: Start by presenting a complex puzzle or problem-solving scenario, such as a mystery that requires connecting seemingly unrelated clues. Ask students to work in small groups to develop a strategy for solving the puzzle, emphasizing the need for critical thinking and collaboration.
Socratic Questions:
What strategies can we use to break down a complex problem into smaller, more manageable parts? How do we determine which piece of information is most important when solving a problem? What role does persistence play when facing a problem that seems unsolvable at first?
Mystery Puzzle: "The Case of the Missing Artifact"
Scenario: An ancient artifact has gone missing from a museum, and students must work together to solve the mystery. The artifact was last seen in a secure room with several locked doors, a complex security system, and various suspects, including staff, visitors, and even the museum’s automated systems. The students are provided with a set of clues that seem unrelated at first but can lead to the discovery of the culprit and the location of the artifact.
Clues to present:
Security footage shows a person wearing a red jacket entering the museum late at night but no one matching the description leaving. An anonymous tip suggests the artifact was moved but never left the building. The staff schedules reveal that two employees were working in the museum late at night, but neither remembers seeing anything suspicious. A set of fingerprints found near the artifact's display, but they don’t match anyone in the current database. A hidden compartment was found in a nearby bookshelf with a small piece of the artifact’s packaging, suggesting it was hidden briefly before being moved.
Task: Students must work in small groups to develop a theory for how the artifact went missing, who the suspect(s) might be, and where the artifact could be hidden. They will need to combine the clues in creative ways and present their findings to the class.
Strategy Emphasis:
Breaking down the clues logically and discussing potential connections. Considering multiple perspectives on the situation (e.g., motives of different suspects). Collaborating and assigning different roles (researcher, theorist, communicator) within each group to effectively analyze the information.
This scenario engages critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration, while encouraging students to consider how seemingly unrelated pieces of information can come together to form a solution.
