penthouse

A Three Story Intellect! ground floor

basement

BLOOMSTAXONOMYandCostasLevelsofQuestioning
The Student will
Knowledge Comprehension Application Analysis Synthesis Evaluation
(Remembering) (Understanding) (Applying) (Analyzing) (Creating) (Evaluating)
Learn specific facts, ideas, Ability to grasp the meaning of Ability to use learned material Ability to break down material Ability to put parts together to Ability to judge the value of
vocabulary; material; communicate in new and concrete situations; into its component parts and form a new whole; use material (statement, novel,
remembering/recalling knowledge; understanding use learned knowledge and perceive interrelationships. elements in new patterns and poem, report, etc.) for a given
information or specific facts. information without relating it to interpret previous situations. relationships. purpose; judgment is based
other material. on given criteria.

Introduction of knowledge Practice knowledge learned Demonstrates mastery of knowledge learned

Level Onethe basement Level Two the ground floor Level Threethe penthouse
By doing the following By doing the following By doing the following
collect, copy, alter, associate acquire, adopt, analyze, arrange, alter, build, appraise, argue, assess,
define, describe, calculate, categorize, apply, assemble, capitalize, break down, combine, compose, challenge, choose,
examine, change, communicate, construct, consume, categorize, classify, construct, create, develop, conclude, criticize,
find, convert, demonstrate, develop, compare, contrast, deduce, estimate, critique,
group, distinguish, discuss, determine, diagram, form a new, debate, decide, defend,
identify, indicate, expand, explain, experiment, differentiate, discuss generate, discriminate, discuss,
label, list, locate, inform, formulate, causes, hypothesize, document, draw
match, name alternatives, outline, manipulate, dissect, distinguish, imagine, improve, conclusions,
name, paraphrase, organize, give reasons, infer, invent, editorialize, evaluate,
omit, observe, rearrange, reconstruct, relate, report, order, modify, grade,
point, provide, relate, restate (own words), search, show, separate, sequence, plan, predict, interpret,
quote, summarize, solve novel problems, survey, produce, propose, judge, justify,
read, recall, recite, tell the meaning of, tell consequences, take apart, reorganize, rewrite, revise, prioritize,
recognize, repeat, translate, try, test for, simplify, synthesize rank, rate, recommend,
reproduce, understand, use, utilize why reject,
say, select, sort, spell, verbalize, support,
state, write validate,
tabulate, tell, touch, weigh
underline,
who, when, where, what
KnowledgeLevel 1A ComprehensionLevel ApplicationLevel 2A AnalysisLevel 2B SynthesisLevel 3A EvaluationLevel 3B
(Remembering) 1B (Applying) (Analyzing) (Creating) (Evaluating)
(Understanding)
Skills Demonstrated: Skills Demonstrated: Skills Demonstrated: Skills Demonstrated: Skills Demonstrated: Skills Demonstrated:
Observation and recall of Understanding Use information Seeing patterns Use old ideas to create Compare and
information information Use methods, concepts, Organization of parts new ones discriminate between
Knowledge of dates, Grasp meaning theories in new situations Recognition of hidden Generalize from given ideas
events, places Translate knowledge into Solve problems using meanings facts Assess value of
Knowledge of major ideas new context required skills or Identification of Relate knowledge from theories, presentations
Interpret facts, compare,
Master of subject matter knowledge components several areas Make choices based on
contrast
Predict, draw conclusions reasoned argument
Order, group, infer causes
Predict consequences
What is? How would you classify the How would you use? What are the parts of? Do you agree with the Do you agree with the
type of? actions? with the actions? With the
How is? What examples can you find How is_____related to?
outcomes.? outcomes?
How would you to?
Where is? Why do you think?
compare/contrast? What is your opinion of? What is your opinion of?
When did ____ happen? How would you What is the theme?
Will you state or interpret in solve_____using what you How would you prove? How would you prove?
How did _______? your own words? have learned? What motive is there? Disprove? Disprove?
Why did? How would you rephrase the How would you organize Can you list the parts? Can you assess the value or Can you assess the value or
How would you describe? meaning? ______to show? What inference can you importance of? importance of?
What facts or ideas show? How would you show your make? Would it be better if ? Would it be better if?
When did?
understanding? What conclusions can you
Can you recall? What is the main idea of? Why did they (the character) Why did they (the character)
What approach would you use draw? choose? choose?
How would you show? Which statements support?
to? How would you classify? What would you What would you
Can you select? Can you explain what is
happeningwhat is meant? How would you apply what you How would you categorize? recommend? recommend?
Who were the main...? learned to develop?
What can you say about? Can you identify the different How would you rate the ? How would you evaluate?
Can you list three? What other way would you parts? How could you determine?
Which is the best answer? What would you cite to defend
plan to?
Which one? What evidence can you find? the actions?
How would you summarize? What choice would you have
What would result if?
Who was? What is the relationship How would you evaluate? made?
Can you make use of the facts between? How could you determine? What would you select?
to?
Can you make a distinction What choice would you have? How would you prioritize?
What elements would you between?
choose to change? What judgment would you
What is the function of ? make about?
What facts would you select to
show? What ideas justify? Based on what you know,
How would you estimate the how would you explain?
What questions would you ask
in an interview with? results for? What information would you
What facts can you compile? use to support the view?

Can you construct a model that How would you justify?

would change? What data was used to make
Can you think of an original the conclusion?
way for the? Why was it better that?
How would you prioritize the
facts?
How would you compare the
ideas?
TITLE: Teaching Levels of Questioning
OBJECTIVES:
Students will learn the concept of Higher Order Thinking
Students will practice formulating questions of increasing complexity
Students will reflect on how questioning skills can help them learn

Time in minutes/
ACTIVITY
Materials

Group students with cut pictures

Start - 10
x Give each person a piece of a picture, instruct him or her to find the
Cut Pictures
people with the rest of the picture and form a new group.

Explain the Purpose of Improving Inquiry Skills

x Good questioning techniques are very important in learning.
Effective learners use questioning to help motivate themselves to pay
more attention in class and to remember information better.
x Questioning can be used to help us to reason through problems and
to put pieces of information together in new wayslike we just did
with our pictures..
x All levels of questions are important, necessary, and serve a purpose
depending on the situation. Sometimes, we need low levels of
questions to gain information, but, being able to define a word or
remember a fact isnt an end in itself. Its how we use that
information that helps us truly learn, and its how we apply that
11 15 information that is most important. All levels of questions work
together to helps us learnno one level is better than another
theyre all needed for learning, and our ultimate goal is to get to the
top levels.
x Levels of Questioning are part of the way we communicate with
each other. It helps you not only to read, but to understand and
relate to what you're reading. There's a difference between asking
and answering questions. It takes real understanding of a topic to
ask a good question...a question that really makes someone
consider and THINK.

Adapted from: www.scoe.org/docs/avid/inquiry_script.doc

TOTAL TIME: 55 minutes

Levels of Questions Instruction

x Distribute handout
x I like to begin with a metaphor of a building. Theres the basement,
the ground floors, and the penthouse. All are necessary. The
basement helps you store important things for later. You can enter
on the ground floor. And the penthouse, thats the icing on the
cakeyouve arrived!
x Review each of the different levels of questioning:
Level 1 is like the basementimportant information you need to
have. These would be definitions, numbers, formulas.
11 - 20 Level 2 is where you take those definitions, numbers and formulas
x Blooms/Costas Handout and put them to use. Its where you enter the building of thinking.
You use the formulas, you translate the words, you back up ideas,
you compare and contrast.
Level 3 is the big time. Youre moving on up to that deluxe
apartment in the sky, to quote the Jeffersons. This is where you
make the information your own. Here is where you synthesize, judge,
create,
x Be sure to give some examples of questions from each level. You
can use the handout. It combines Costas levels and Blooms
Taxonomy, it explains what each level means, skills used, and
provides question starters.

21- 40 Practice Generating Questions

x One picture for each x Have each group use a picture to create one question from each of
group (the one they put Costas three levels
together) x Read questions aloud and evaluate to level as a class

41-55 Reflection/Debrief

x Discuss as a group how this concept of levels of questions could be

used in all their other classes (i.e., they can identify which type of
tasks they are being assigned, they can create questions of their
own, they can evaluate benchmark or other exam questions for
complexity)

Alternative Ways to present this x Some teachers like to read a fairy tale to their class and have them
information make questions about the fairy tale rather than off a picture, as is
suggested in this lesson. This gets fun when you get questions such as
How is the first little pig different than the third little pig (level 2), or
What would happen if Hansel and Gretel did not push the witch into
the oven (Level 3)?
 Extensions Each day, have students practice identifying levels by finding where
on Blooms or Costas the tasks you assign them fall
x Teach one (Costa) or two (Bloom's) level(s) per day, review the
definitions of signal words, practice each level before moving to the
next by creating questions with homework and/or notes.
x When reading for information or watching a video for information,
have students create questions from each level and answer them.
This could be extended further into a Socratic seminar (this strategy
to come later!)
x When reviewing for a test, have students create their own test made
up of 5 level 1 questions, 3 level 2 questions, and one level 3
question. Have them discuss and defend why each question is of
that level. Then, they can use those questions as study guides.
x Make a poster of the handout to hang in your classroom.

Adapted from: www.scoe.org/docs/avid/inquiry_script.doc

 Mon. Tue. Wed. Thur. Fri. Sat./Sun.

Noelle Combs Site Coordinator East Bakersfield High School

Region 8 Kern County