Taking action, step by step

Civics & Economics · Citizenship in Action · ages 8-11

Name ______________________ Date ____________

A good problem statement says exactly what is wrong and who it affects.
Circle one: True False
What is the first step when you want to fix a problem in your community?
- Name the problem clearly and see who it affects
- Ask an adult to choose a plan before naming the problem
- Post about it online right away
Why should you think of more than one way to solve a problem?
- Because only one idea is ever allowed
- Because comparing ideas helps you pick the one likely to help most
- Because collecting lots of ideas means you do not need to predict any results
A class wants fewer bike accidents at a busy crossing. Which pair of actions best fits 'more than one way to act, with a prediction for each'?
- Sign (might help a little); guard (would likely help more)
- Ignore it and hope it gets better; ignore it again next month
- Tell one friend to be careful; tell that same friend again
Jordan says, 'People are always leaving trash around.' Which sentence names the problem better?
- 'Some people are just messy.'
- 'The park needs more stuff.'
- 'Wrappers and cans pile up near the swings, so kids can get hurt or find it gross to play there.'
Once you take an action, like joining a clean-up day, the work is done and you do not need to check what changed.
Circle one: True False
After a neighborhood clean-up day, the park is spotless for a week, then litter returns. What is the best next step?
- Blame the same people and stop caring about the park
- Do nothing, since the clean-up already happened once
- Reflect, then try a longer-lasting fix
Priya names a missing crosswalk near her school as a problem for students walking there. She writes to the city without comparing ways to help or predicting their results. Which planning step did she skip?
- Naming the problem
- Weighing choices and predictions
- Finding out who the problem affects

Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

Taking action, step by step W1-mt_8tFS0k82bU-s1

True · Being specific, like 'litter in the park spoils it for everyone,' helps you know what to fix.
Name the problem clearly and see who it affects · Naming the problem and figuring out who it affects come first, before deciding what to do.
Because comparing ideas helps you pick the one likely to help most · Different actions change different amounts, so weighing your options helps you choose well.
Sign (might help a little); guard (would likely help more) · Good planning compares different actions and guesses how much each one might help.
'Wrappers and cans pile up near the swings, so kids can get hurt or find it gross to play there.' · A clear problem names exactly what is wrong and exactly who it affects.
False · Reflecting on what changed tells you if the action worked or if you need to try something else.
Reflect, then try a longer-lasting fix · Reflecting on results shows when one action is not enough, so you can try something that lasts longer.
Weighing choices and predictions · Priya named the problem and who it affects. She sent a letter without comparing possible actions or predicting their effects, so she skipped weighing choices and predictions.