Help students think before they react, solve everyday problems, and make responsible choices with this interactive conflict resolution and problem-solving game!
In Decision Detective Lab, students become detectives investigating real-life classroom conflicts, friendship challenges, and everyday dilemmas. Through six interactive case files, students search for clues, explore different perspectives, identify problems, and decide how to respond using practical problem-solving strategies.
Designed for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade, this 78-slide Google Slides activity makes teaching conflict resolution, emotional regulation, social skills, and responsible decision-making engaging and meaningful.
What Makes This Activity Different?
Instead of simply reading social scenarios and choosing an answer, students become active problem-solvers.
They enter an interactive detective agency, investigate realistic situations, collect evidence, and evaluate possible solutions before making their final decision.
Along the way, students practice asking three important questions:
Is it safe?
Is it fair?
Is it helpful?
This easy-to-remember framework gives students a practical way to think through problems, manage reactions, and make thoughtful choices in everyday situations.
What's Included?
78 Interactive Google Slides Featuring:
Interactive Detective Agency: Explore a digital detective headquarters with clickable case files, training activities, and evidence boards.
4-Step Problem-Solving Training: Learn how to pause before reacting, identify the real problem, consider solutions, and reflect on outcomes.
6 Real-Life Problem-Solving Scenarios: Investigate common challenges involving friendships, classroom responsibilities, fairness, honesty, cooperation, and emotional regulation.
Interactive Evidence Boards: Search for clues, examine what happened, and consider different perspectives.
Detective Final Reports: Explain decisions, justify solutions, and reflect on possible consequences.
3 Personal Problem-Solving Templates: Apply the detective framework to students' own classroom and friendship challenges.
Meet the 6 Detective Cases
Case 1: The Missing Group PosterPractice teamwork, responsibility, communication, and handling group disagreements.
Case 2: The Damaged Library BookExplore honesty, accountability, handling mistakes, and making things right.
Case 3: The Recess Kickball ClashPractice conflict resolution, fairness, perspective-taking, and managing disagreements during play.
Case 4: The Rainy Day Room TakeoverLearn about compromise, sharing space, respecting others, and negotiating solutions.
Case 5: The Test-Day Brain FreezeExplore emotional regulation, handling frustration, managing test anxiety, and using calming strategies.
Case 6: The Pet Care StandoffPractice cooperation, problem-solving, responsibility, and working together.
Skills Students Will Practice
Conflict resolution and handling disagreements
Emotional regulation and self-control
Critical thinking and problem-solving
Perspective-taking and empathy
Responsible decision-making
Communication and cooperation
Recognizing consequences
Taking responsibility for actions
Perfect For
3rd–5th grade classroom lessons
Morning meetings and classroom community activities
Social-emotional learning (SEL)
Character education and life skills lessons
School counseling and small-group instruction
Friendship and conflict resolution lessons
Digital learning centers and independent activities
Easy to Use, No Prep Required!
This 78-slide interactive Google Slides resource is ready to use. Display it for whole-class instruction, guide students through cases in small groups, or assign it through Google Classroom for independent practice.
Give students more than advice about making good choices. Give them opportunities to practice solving problems before they happen in real life.