Bloom’s Taxonomy and Levels of Questioning

In 1956, an educational psychologist named Benjamin Bloom developed a taxonomy (system of classification) to categorize the goals of educators.

According to Bloom’s Taxonomy, human thinking can be broken into six hierarchical (ranked in order of importance) categories.

Knowledge

Comprehension

Application

Analysis

Synthesis

Evaluation

Always Reach For the Top!!

Knowledge – What color is an apple? Comprehension – What fruit leaves your

fingers sticky? Application – Can you think of a way to peel

an orange without getting your fingers sticky? Analysis – In what ways are apples and

oranges similar and different? Synthesis - If you were going to create a

new fruit combining the apple and orange, what would it look and taste like?

Evaluation – Which fruit is better for you and why?Each level builds on the levels before it, and prepares us for the levels after it. We can’t jump to one without climbing past the

others!

How does Bloom’s Taxonomy help us? Bloom’s Taxonomy helps us by showing us

what level we are thinking on when asking or answering questions.

When we know what level we are on, we can better develop appropriate answers and push ourselves to higher levels.

We can use Bloom’s Taxonomy to generate (make) questions to show comprehension and push ourselves to THINK.

If I know a question is a “knowledge” level question, I know the answer will be a fact I must recall.

If I know a question is a “synthesis” level question, I know the answer must give my opinion to be supported by facts.

Level One

Level Two

Level Three

Knowledge, Comprehension

Application, Analysis

Synthesis, Evaluation

Level One Who is Scout? What does Mrs. Dubose want to do before she dies? Who does the snowman look like?

Level Two How is Dill different from Jem and Scout? Why does Jem read to Mrs. Dubose? How would you describe the relationship between Scout and

Atticus? Level Three

Do you agree with the children’s treatment of Boo Radley? Why or why not?

What do you predict will happen to Atticus later on in the book? Why?

Is Scout a trustworthy narrator? Why or why not?

What else

can we come

up with?

As we readDuring class discussion (teacher asks

students, students ask students, students ask teacher)

On assessments

Ms. RS will stop and ask for a question at a certain level.

Raise your hand if you want to ask a critical thinking question – say what level it is before you ask it.

By the end, students should have a list of questions – at least THREE at each level.

INDEPENDENTLY complete the short answer questions on your guided notes

AS A GROUP (every member contributes!) Generate two new questions per level on the

events of chapter 12. Write your answers on ONE sheet of paper,

clearly labeled with the names of all group members.

Separate questions into levels so it is clear which level each question belongs with.

Both due at the end of the period!

Who is Zeebo? Why is Cal’s

church called First Purchase?

Why did Scout hit Jem?

Who is Alexandra?

Why do Jem and Scout dislike Alexandra?

Who is Lula?

Why can’t people at Cal’s church read?

How would you characterize Reverend Sykes?

Why is it important for the church to raise ten dollars?

How would you describe the relationship between Scout and Alexandra?

Why is Jem acting differently?

Do you agree with Calpurnia speaking in two different ways? Why?

Do you think learning can happen from books only?

Do you agree with Alexandra’s treatment of Calpurnia? Why?

Should Scout become a “lady”? Why or why not?

Answer in complete sentences! Eliminate one question from each category.