Abstract. We implemented a series of three guided controversies to provide experience in environmental problem solving to students in a science course designed for nonmajors. Students wrote essays in response to their experiences in each controversy; we analyzed these essays for five problem-solving criteria. A questionnaire administered at the end of the course supported an increased interest in civic engagement as a result of the integration of the controversies within the course. These teaching strategies and learning outcomes appear to be instrumental in equipping students as citizens with the skills needed to engage in decision making regarding environmental problems.