Which Level of Bloom's Am I Teaching?

Recently I have been developing a few new units based on Bloom's and came across a question as to which level of Bloom's a certain activity would fall into. I wanted to incorporate a photographic essay (here is a link to wikipedia's page on Photo-essays if you'd like to learn more about them) into my unit and thought that it would fall into Application, but I wasn't completely sure. Let me give you some background... I was a history major in college and no, not the "I'm going to be a teacher" history major. I was the "I'm taking history because I like it and it will be an easy degree to help get me into Law School." The point of that background info is... although I have experience with Bloom's, I am still learning and in no way an "expert."

I took the photo-essay question to our resident expert on Bloom's

Bloom's Taxonomy Sample Products and Activities Part 2

Below are some examples of products/activities for the last three levels of Bloom's Taxonomy. I posted examples for the first three levels in my last post. 

Analysis/Analyzing Products:

• cause/effect
• crossword puzzle
• family tree
• mobile display
• outlining
• sentence diagramming
• survey

Synthesis/Creating Products:

• advertisement
• comic strip
• poetry writing
• musical review
• journal narrative
• design of a process
• group mural
• creative writing

Evaluation/Evaluating Products:

• letter to the editor
• mock trial
• self evaluations
• grading papers
• music critiquing
• panel discussion
• item appraisal

Bloom's Taxonomy Sample Products and Activities Part 1

Below are some examples of products/activities for the first three levels of Bloom's Taxonomy. I will post examples for the next three levels next week. 

Knowledge/Remembering Products:

• fill-in-the-blank worksheet
• fact file
• multiple choice worksheets
• spelling list
• study cards
• matching worksheet
• discussions

 Comprehension/Understanding Products:

• book report
• blueprint
• collage
• English translation
• book summary
• music reading
• speech overview
• math computation

Application/Applying Products:

• board game
• collection
• diagram
• experiment
• interview
• model construction
• problem solving

Bloom's Taxonomy Question Examples Part 2

This is the second post on Bloom's Taxonomy questions/prompts. Please see my last post for questions and prompts from the first three levels of blooms.
 

Analysis/Analyzing Questions:

• Is this statement a fact or opinion? (distinguish)
• What do you read between the lines? (infer)
• Why is this information relevant? (analyze)
• How is this information arranged? (recognize structure)
• What caused this outcome? (identify technique)

Synthesis/Creating Questions:

• How will you express that idea in writing? (write)
• How do you propose to organize this project? (organize)
• What would happen if ...? (hypothesize)
• How would you turn this poem into a song? (modify)
• Can you design a tool that will make this job easier? (design)
• How will you combine these elements to make something new? (combine)

Evaluation/Evaluating Questions:

• Which one is the best? (compare)
• What is the most important? (value)
• What do you think about this issue? (appraise)
• Is this story well written? (judge)
• Why is this your favorite? (critique)

The next couple of posts will give examples of products to use at each level. Stay tuned. Please share this with all your colleagues on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, etc. As always, check out the Resources page on the right for great Bloom's Taxonomy resources.

Bloom's Taxonomy Question Examples Part 1

Below are some examples of questions and prompts for the first three levels of Bloom's Taxonomy. I will post examples for the next three levels next week. Please adapt these questions to use in your own lessons. Help your students learn at higher levels! (The Bloom's verb being used is in parentheses.)

Knowledge/Remembering Questions:

• What is a kudo? (define)
• How is Congress organized? (remember)
• Which state on the map is Indiana? (recognize)
• How many donuts are in a dozen? (recall)

 Comprehension/Understanding Questions:

• Which details support the topic sentence? (explain)
• Can you use this word in a sentence? (use)
• Can you retell the story in your own words? (summarize)
• What message is this infomercial communicating? (interpret)
• Can you estimate how many copies of this book have been sold? (estimate)
• Do you have enough information to answer the question? (conclude)

Application/Applying Questions:

• Why did you choose this answer? (support)
• Why won't this light come on? (solve)
• How are these two related? (relate)
• What do you think will happen? (predict)
• Can you draw a flow chart showing your problem solving steps? (calculate)

 

Evaluation: Judge It!

Bloom's Posters from Pieces of Learning

Definition: judging the value of ideas, works, solutions, methods, or materials for a purpose. A set of specific criteria as well as standards are used in the appraisal. While evaluation is the "last stage" of the Taxonomy, it is not necessarily the last step in thinking or problem solving. It is placed at level six because the process of Evaluation involves all the other types of thinking: Knowledge, Comprehension, Application, Analysis, and Synthesis.

• Assess for accuracy
• Evaluate based on a specific set of criteria
• Compare with the highest known standards

Highest Level: determining which essay best conveys the spirit of freedom and independence
Lowest Level: locating errors in content or logical thinking

Commonly used verbs at the Application level (Actual verbs from the original Taxonomy are in italic): 

• appraise
• assess
• compare
• conclude
• critique 
• defend 
• evaluate 
• give an opinion 
• judge 
• justify
• locate errors
• recommend

Synthesis: Create It!

Definition: the putting together of elementary and parts to form a whole. This unique arrangement must create a new pattern or structure that was clearly not there before. This level recognizes creative behavior, but does not imply free expression.

• Create something new by making connections with prior knowledge.
• Develop a hypothesis or prediction.
• Plan a procedure or a design.

Highest Level: designing a new chemical process based on what is know about chemistry, unit operations, and technology
Lowest Level: create a list of new ways to use this object

Commonly used verbs at the Application level (Actual verbs from the original Taxonomy are in italic):

• arrange
• combine
• compose
• create
• design
• develop
• generalize
• hypothesize
• invent
• modify
• plan
• write

Analysis: Take It Apart!

Definition: the breakdown of a communication for the purpose of clarification. This occurs when students are able to recognize how the information is organized as well as recognize the technique used to convey the message.

• Break down information into understandable parts.
• Recognize organizational structure.
• Identify relationships and connections.

Highest Level: identifying relationships and connections between pieces of information
Lowest Level: recognizing the organizational structure of the information

Commonly used verbs at the Application level (Actual verbs from the original Taxonomy are in italic):

• analyze
• break down
• classify
• compare
• connect
• contrast
• discriminate
• distinguish
• infer
• recognize structure
• relate
• separate

Application: Use It!

Definition: when given a problem new to the student, he/she will apply what he knows and use it in this situation without being prompted. The student might use general ideas, procedures, or methods that he has remembered and apply them to this new situation.

• Apply previously learned information in new situations.
• Choose the correct method for problem solving.
• Experiment to predict outcomes.

Highest level: setting up a procedure for solving a problem.
Lowest level: supporting a conclusion with evidence.

Commonly used verbs at the Application level (Actual verbs from the original Taxonomy are in italic):

• apply
• choose
• calculate
• demonstrate
• discover
• experiment
• predict
• solve
• relate
• support a conclusion
• transfer of training
• use  

Comprehension: Interpret It!

Definition:to know what is being communicated and to be able to make use of the information. Comprehension is the lowest level of understanding but is probably the most emphasized in classroom instruction.

• Understand the literal meaning of the information.
• Interpret for later use.
• Summarize in your own words.

Highest level: predicting continuation of trends based on information read.
Lowest level:  being able to summarize a story.

Commonly used verbs at the Comprehension level (Actual verbs from the original Taxonomy are in italic):

• conclude
• estimate
• explain
• extend
• extrapolate
• generalize
• use information
• infer
• interpret
• predict
• reorder
• rephrase
• summarize
• translate

Knowledge: Remember It

Definition: remembering an idea or fact in a form very close to that in which it was originally encountered. The first (lowest) level of thinking.

• Remember previously learned information.
• Define basic terms.
• Recall specific facts.

Highest level: remembering the theory of relativity or evolution.
Lowest level: naming the capital that matches a particular state.

Commonly used verbs at the Knowledge level (Actual verbs from the original Taxonomy are in italic):

• define
• recognize
• recall
• remember
• label
• describe
• list
• name
• state

Welcome!

Hi! Welcome to Bloomsintheclassroom.com, your resource for all things Bloom's Taxonomy! Please take a look at the links on the right giving insights into Bloom's Taxonomy and how to implement it in your classroom.

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