Building Higher-Level Thinking Skills in

StudentsA look at how to use Bloom’s Taxonomy to assess

& build higher-level thinking skills in students.

Just Learning Conference 2014Leigh Anne Toler

KIS Jejutolerpd.weebly.com

Monday, May 19, 14

Connecting to Jeff Utecht

✦ Student technology use today:✦ 90% consumption✦ 9% curation ✦ 1% creation

http://www.jeffutecht.com/jeju/Monday, May 19, 14

How can we change that?✦ By giving students opportunities to

CREATE

SYNTHESIZE

EVALUATE

PREDICT

ORGANIZE

APPLY

in our classrooms.

Monday, May 19, 14

Enduring Understandings:✦ The use of clear Command Terms build consistency across a school/

division/department/grade level and helps students understand what is expected of them on assessments.

✦ Effective (and consistent) use of Command Terms are helpful for an ELL population.

✦ Higher-level thinking skills are critical for success in the 21st Century.✦ Command Terms and Standards-Based Assessment are a perfect

match! The use of Command Terms will help teachers more accurately determine student achievement levels related to pre-defined academic standards.

✦ Designing units in a “layered” curriculum allows students to see how learning “builds” upon itself.

Monday, May 19, 14

Goals for today:✦ Understand key terms and concepts.✦ Identify “proficiency” command terms.✦ Classify command terms into Bloom’s Taxonomy.✦ Discuss/Suggest ways to utilize command terms on assessments

and activities.✦ Evaluate the benefit (or not) of using a “layered curriculum”

approach to unit design for your course. ✦ Design assessments, either formative or summative, or other

activities that utilize command terms within your class OR Design units in a layered curriculum approach.

Monday, May 19, 14

Key Concepts:

✦ Bloom’s Taxonomy✦ Command Terms✦ Layered Curriculum

Monday, May 19, 14

Bloom’s Taxonomy

Monday, May 19, 14

Key Concepts:✦ Command Terms are action verbs given to students to instruct

them on the task required of them. ✦ Command Terms indicate to students the depth of knowledge they

are asked to demonstrate.✦ Command Terms build higher-level thinking skills in students.✦ Command Terms help teachers more accurately assess student

knowledge.✦ EXAMPLES - Define, Describe, Name, Explain, Justify,

Create, Analyze, Distinguish, Exemplify, Contrast, Design, Interpret, Suggest, etc.

Monday, May 19, 14

Key Concepts:✦ Layered Curriculum - a curriculum-design process

created by Dr. Kathie Nunley that divides curriculum units into 3 “layers”:

✦ 1st layer = “Proficiency” layer - basic understanding of material

✦ 2nd layer = “Exceeds” layer - application and analysis of material

✦ 3rd layer = “Exemplary” layer - creation, evaluation, synthesis of material

✦ The Layered Curriculum and Command Terms align perfectly - Relevant Command Terms should be used on assessments within the appropriate layer.

✦ The Layered Curriculum is a way of building higher-level thinking skills in students.

✦ The Layered Curriculum challenges all students to think critically about course content, by “building them up” the learning process.

Monday, May 19, 14

Command Terms Activity✦ Group yourselves into small groups of 3-5 teachers.✦ One teacher per group should open their computer/iPad and

complete the following steps:1. Go to --> tolerpd.weebly.com.2. From the Home page, click on the Just Learning tab.3. Click on the “Command Terms Activity” button to

download the Pages document. (open in either Pages or Word)

✦ Work as a group to complete the activity using the instructions on the document.

✦ Time - 5 to 7 minutes.

Monday, May 19, 14

Command TermsProficient Exceeds Exemplary

Remembering & UnderstandingKnowledge & Comprehension

Score up to a 3

Applying & AnalyzingApplication & Analysis

Score up to a 4

Creating & EvaluatingSynthesis & Evaluation

Score up to a 5

NameState Identify Describe Define Estimate Outline Use Demonstrate Determine LabelList Recognize Show Summarize Recall Tell Select Match Find Rephrase Choose

Arrange Analyze Comment Account for Construct Suggest Distinguish Explain ArgueAnnotate Exemplify Formulate Interpret Investigate Infer Reflect Apply Model UtilizeSimplify Dissect Illustrate Classify

Deduce Assess Compare Contrast Discuss Evaluate Examine Synthesize Design JustifyPredictCombineSolve DevelopImprove Compose Prove

Monday, May 19, 14

Assessment Objectives - the goal of student demonstration

Assessment Objective Depth (BLOOM’s)

Proficientearning up to a 3

Exceedsearning up to a 4

Exemplaryearning up to a 5

These terms require students to demonstrate knowledge and understanding.

These terms require students to apply (use) & analyze knowledge & understanding.

These terms require students to evaluate & synthesize information, & form arguments

based on evidence.

Monday, May 19, 14

Command Terms & Standards-Based Assessment

✦ How can we match the Command Terms & Bloom’s Taxonomy to assessment? (KIS Jeju Specific)

3’s

4’s

5’s

Monday, May 19, 14

Connecting to Rubrics (KIS Jeju Specific)

Score Knowledge & Understanding Application & Analysis Synthesis & Evaluation

5 ACCURATE, RELEVANT knowledge and/or understanding demonstrated

ACCURATE, DETAILED application/analysis of relevant information

CLEAR, DEVELOPED synthesis/evaluation demonstrated

4 ACCURATE, RELEVANT knowledge and/or understanding demonstrated

ACCURATE, DETAILED application/analysis of relevant information

BASIC or INSUFFICIENT ATTEMPT to synthesize/evaluate information

3 ACCURATE, RELEVANT knowledge and/or understanding demonstrated

BASIC or INSUFFICIENT application/analysis of information

NO/INACCURATE ATTEMPT to synthesize/evaluate information

2 LITTLE relevant knowledge and/or understanding demonstrated

NO/INACCURATE ATTEMPT to apply/analyze information

NO/INACCURATE ATTEMPT to synthesize/evaluate information

1 NO relevant knowledge and/or understanding demonstrated

NO/INACCURATE ATTEMPT to apply/analyze information

NO/INACCURATE ATTEMPT to synthesize/evaluate information

Monday, May 19, 14

Other benefits of Command Terms:✦ Assessment method can be student choice!

✦ Once you teach students the various levels of learning, provide assessment opportunities that allow students to CHOOSE the level they want to demonstrate. This, along with giving students choice in HOW they demonstrate that knowledge, is an excellent way to DIFFERENTIATE for individual learners.

Monday, May 19, 14

Other benefits of Command Terms:✦ Assessment method can be student choice!

✦ Once you teach students the various levels of learning, provide assessment opportunities that allow students to CHOOSE the level they want to demonstrate. This, along with giving students choice in HOW they demonstrate that knowledge, is an excellent way to DIFFERENTIATE for individual learners.

✦ A PERFECT way to incorporate technology!

✦ Students can choose to demonstrate their learning by utilizing technology.

Monday, May 19, 14

Sample Assessments that work well with Command Terms:

✦ Formative:✦ Brain Massages, Exit Tickets, Discussions, Question-Generating &

Peer Quizzing, Surveys/Polls, Journal Prompts, Vocabulary Quizzes, One-on-One conversations, etc.

✦ Summative:✦ Tests, Projects, Debates, Socratic Seminars, etc.

✦ Other examples??

Monday, May 19, 14

Questions/Comments?

✦ Any Questions? Comments?

Monday, May 19, 14

Application & Creation!✦ Take the remainder of the session to take an

already-made assessment or unit plan and see if you can revise it using the Command Terms and/or Layered Curriculum approach.

Thank you for participating and allowing me to share!

Monday, May 19, 14