Composite classes
Here you can choose from a number of primary composite classes. You can see a short video of a problem solving lesson, video clips of interviews with teachers and text about their approaches to teaching problem solving, their planning, resources used and their recording, reporting and assessment procedures.
Teaching critical thinking skills
Fiona Hislop discusses her problem solving teaching. Her P6/P7 pupils at Airlie Primary School take a critical thinking approach to solving a problem.
Combining colours to make flags
Lynne Milroy from Balfron Primary School talks about her problem solving teaching. Her P2/P3 pupils work in pairs to make as many flags as possible from different combinations of three colours.
Creating coloured football strips
Victoria Hendry talks about her problem solving teaching. Her P3/P4 pupils at Bishopmill Primary School follow a structured ‘traffic lights’ system for solving a problem concerning football strips.
Dividing sweets to learn about fractions
Barry Litherland discusses his investigative approach to the teaching of problem solving to a P4/P5/P6/P7 composite class at Borgue Primary School. His pupils begin an investigation based around fractions.
Programming to make different shapes
Janice McVicar from Howwood Primary School talks about her problem solving teaching. Her P4/P5/P6 pupils work on computers on a Terrapin Logo problem solving activity.
Purple cats: a classification challenge
Robyn Robertson from Urafirth Primary School discusses her problem solving and thinking skills teaching. The younger pupils in her composite P1/P2/P3/P4 class do a thinking skills exercise and solve a design problem in a technology lesson.
Problems solved by working in stages
Jon Posnett from Urafirth Primary School discusses his problem solving teaching. His P5/P6/P7 class follow structured steps for solving problems in a lesson about using the ‘Working backwards’ strategy.
Technology design challenge
Lynne Hair talks about teaching problem solving at Wemyss Bay Primary School. A group of her P6/P7 pupils are challenged to design a photograph frame with a particular specification in a technology lesson.