Dolphins Sea Lab Seeking Excellence Through Advancement

Dolphins Sea Lab Seeking Excellence Through Advancementblooms Tax

Dolphins’ SEA Lab (Seeking Excellence through Advancement) Bloom’s Taxonomy and Critical Thinking Benjamin Bloom (1956) developed a classification of levels of intellectual behavior in learning. This taxonomy contained three overlapping domains: the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective. Within the cognitive domain, he identified six levels: knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. These domains and levels are still useful today as students develop their critical thinking skills. Critical thinking involves logical thinking and reasoning including skills such as comparison, classification, sequencing, cause/effect, patterning, webbing, analogies, deductive and inductive reasoning, forecasting, planning, hypothesizing, and critiquing.

Below you will find all six levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy. The first three levels (knowledge, comprehension, and application) fall into the lower-order thinking skills category. While the last three levels (analysis, synthesis, and evaluation) fall into the higher-order thinking skills category. In each level you will find a brief description, key words, and question stems you can use to develop questions that will help increase your child’s comprehension and critical thinking skills.

Level 1: Knowledge

– exhibits previously learned material by recalling facts, terms, basic concepts and answers.

Key Words: who, what, why, when, where, which, choose, find, how, define, label, show, spell, list, match, name, relate, tell, recall, select.

Questions: What is…? How is…? Where is…? When did _____ happen? How did _____ happen? How would you explain _____? Why did…? How would you describe…? When did…? Can you recall…? How would you show…? Can you select…? Who were the main…? Can you list three…? Which one…? Who was…?

Level 2: Comprehension

– demonstrating understanding of facts and ideas by organizing, comparing, translating, interpreting, giving descriptions and stating main ideas.

Key Words: compare, contrast, demonstrate, interpret, explain, extend, illustrate, infer, outline, relate, rephrase, translate, summarize, show, classify.

Questions: How would you classify the type of…? How would you compare…? contrast…? What facts or ideas show…? What is the main idea of…? Which statements support…? What is meant…? Can you explain what is happening…? Which is the best answer…? What can you say about…? How would you summarize…? Will you state in your own words…? How would you rephrase the meaning…?

Level 3: Application

– solving problems by applying acquired knowledge, facts, techniques and rules in a different way.

Key Words: apply, build, choose, construct, develop, interview, make use of, organize, experiment with, plan, select, solve, utilize, model, identify.

Questions: How would you organize ____ to show…? What would result if…? How would you show your understanding of…? What approach would you use to…? What facts would you select to show…? How would you use…? What elements would you choose to change…? What examples can you find to…? What other way would you plan to…? Can you make use of the facts to…? What questions would you ask in an interview with…? How would you apply what you learned to develop…? How would you solve ____ using what you have learned?

Level 4: Analysis

– examining and breaking information into parts by identifying motives or causes; making inferences and finding evidence to support generalizations.

Key Words: analyze, categorize, classify, compare, contrast, discover, dissect, divide, examine, inspect, simplify, survey, take part in, test for, distinguish, list, theme, relationships, function, motive, inference, assumption, conclusion.

Questions: What are the parts or features of…? How is _____ related to…? Why do you think…? What is the theme…? What motive is there…? Can you list the parts…? What inference can you make…? What conclusions can you draw…? How would you classify…? How would you categorize…? Can you identify the different parts…? What evidence can you find…? What is the relationship between…? What is the function of…? Can you make a distinction between…? What ideas justify…?

Level 5: Synthesis

– compiling information together in a different way by combining elements in a new pattern or proposing alternative solutions.

Key Words: build, choose, combine, compile, compose, construct, create, design, develop, estimate, formulate, imagine, invent, make up, originate, plan, predict, propose, solve, solution, suppose, discuss, modify, change, improve, adapt, minimize, maximize, delete, elaborate, test, improve, happen, change.

Questions: What changes would you make to solve…? How would you improve…? What would happen if…? Can you elaborate on the reason…? Can you propose an alternative…? Can you invent…? How could you change the plot…? How would you design…? Can you predict the outcome if…? How would you test…? Suppose you could ___; what would you do? What facts can you gather…? How would you adapt ___ to create a different…? How would you estimate the results for…?

Level 6: Evaluation

– presenting and defending opinions by making judgments about information, validity of ideas or quality of work based on a set of criteria.

Key Words: award, choose, conclude, criticize, decide, defend, determine, dispute, evaluate, judge, justify, measure, compare, mark, rate, recommend, rule on, select, agree, interpret, explain, appraise, prioritize, opinion, support, importance, criteria, prove, disprove, assess, influence, perceive, value, estimate, influence, deduct.

Questions: Do you agree with the actions…? Do you agree with the outcomes…? What is your opinion of…? Would it be better if…? What did the character choose…? How would you evaluate…? How would you prove…? disprove…? How would you prioritize…? What choice would you have made…? How could you determine…? How would you justify…? What would you select…? What judgment would you make about…? Why was it better that…? How would you compare the ideas…? Based on what you know, how would you explain…? What information would you use to support the view…?

Paper For Above instruction

Bloom’s Taxonomy, developed by Benjamin Bloom in 1956, remains a foundational framework for understanding and fostering cognitive development and critical thinking skills. This taxonomy categorizes intellectual behaviors into six hierarchical levels, which are grouped into lower and higher-order thinking skills. These levels serve as an essential tool for educators and parents to design questions and activities that promote learning at different depths of understanding. The taxonomy's focus on developing critical thinking abilities—such as comparison, classification, cause/effect analysis, inference, synthesis, and evaluation—are crucial for fostering independent and analytical learners.

The first three levels—knowledge, comprehension, and application—are considered lower-order thinking skills. They involve recalling facts, understanding their meaning, and applying knowledge to solve straightforward problems. For example, asking children to recall information or explain concepts helps solidify foundational understanding. These levels are essential for building the base upon which higher-order thinking skills develop.

Level 1, Knowledge, involves recalling previously learned information through questions like “What is…?” or “Who was…?”. This foundational level develops the learner’s ability to recognize facts, terms, and basic concepts. A typical question might be, “What is the definition of photosynthesis?” or “Who discovered gravity?” It emphasizes memory and recognition, which are necessary for more complex cognitive tasks later.

Level 2, Comprehension, involves demonstrating an understanding of facts by organizing, interpreting, and summarizing information. Key questions include “How would you compare…?” or “What is the main idea of…?”. At this stage, learners begin to connect ideas and explain concepts in their own words, which enhances their grasp of the material. For instance, students might be asked to summarize a chapter or compare two different scientific processes.

Level 3, Application, focuses on using information in new situations to solve problems. Questions such as “How would you organize…?” or “What approach would you use to…?” address how learners can implement their knowledge practically. For example, a student might be asked to design an experiment or apply mathematical formulas to a real-world scenario. This level encourages learners to transfer skills beyond rote memorization to active problem solving and real-world application.

Higher-order thinking skills—analysis, synthesis, and evaluation—are critical for developing complex reasoning abilities. These levels challenge learners to dissect information, create new ideas, and make judgments based on analysis. These skills cultivate critical thinkers capable of independent evaluation and innovative problem solving.

Level 4, Analysis, involves breaking down information into its constituent parts, examining relationships, and making inferences. Questions like “What are the parts of…?” or “How is _____ related to…?” foster skills necessary for understanding complex systems. For example, students might analyze a scientific experiment to identify variables or infer motives behind a character in a story.

Level 5, Synthesis, requires combining elements to form new patterns or proposing alternative ideas. Questions such as “What if…?” or “How would you improve…?” promote creative thinking and innovation. A typical activity might be designing an experiment to test a new hypothesis or developing a plan to solve an environmental problem.

Level 6, Evaluation, involves making judgments based on criteria, defending opinions, and assessing the validity of ideas. Questions like “Do you agree…?” or “How would you justify…?” encourage critical assessment and decision-making. For example, students might evaluate the effectiveness of a scientific method or defend a position on an ethical issue.

By systematically applying Bloom’s taxonomy, educators and parents can craft questions that stimulate higher-order thinking and foster independent critical thinkers. This structured approach ensures that learning progresses from basic recall to complex analysis and evaluation, promoting a comprehensive understanding and the ability to apply knowledge effectively in real-world contexts. As education increasingly emphasizes critical thinking skills for lifelong learning, Bloom’s taxonomy remains a vital pedagogical tool in nurturing capable, thoughtful individuals capable of making informed decisions and solving complex problems.

References

• Bloom, B. S. (1956). Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: The Classification of Educational Goals. Handbook I: Cognitive Domain. Longmans, Green & Co.
• Anderson, L. W., & Krathwohl, D. R. (2001). A Taxonomy for Learning, Teaching, and Assessing: A Revision of Bloom's Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. Allyn & Bacon.
• Krathwohl, D. R. (2002). A Revision of Bloom's Taxonomy: An Overview. Theory Into Practice, 41(4), 212-218.
• Marzano, R. J., & Kendall, J. S. (2007). The New Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. Thirteenth Edition. Sage Publications.
• Forehand, M. (2010). Bloom's Taxonomy: Original and Revised. In C. M. Clabough (Ed.), International Encyclopedia of Education (3rd ed., pp. 220-224). Elsevier.
• Hattie, J., & Timperley, H. (2007). The Power of Feedback. Review of Educational Research, 77(1), 81-112.
• Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by Design. ASCD.
• Anderson, L. W. (2010). Bloom's Taxonomy. In D. vantage (Ed.), International Dictionary of Education (p. 81). Blackwell Publishing.
• Krathwohl, D. R., & Anderson, L. W. (2009). A Taxonomy for Learning, Teaching, and Assessing: A Revision of Bloom's Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. Longman.
• Ramsey, G. (2000). Learning to Think: Cognitive Development in Learners. Educational Leadership, 58(5), 6-11.