Higher Level Thinking

I first learned about Bloom back in my undergrad work in the early and mid 90's. Everything we worked on tried to put our objectives into the upper levels of Analysis, Synthesis, and Evaluation. Even today when I create my own lessons and units, even though there is always a portion that must be at the initial Bloom's levels, I always look at what I'm doing on a continuum.

Students need Knowledge, Comprehension, and the skills to Apply what they know and understand. It's when we have practiced application of skills that I have the students make the next step. The step I really enjoy is when the students have learned how to do some basic research and note taking, then have had the opportunity to create presentations in several different formats, then I give them the option of taking their culminating project for the year or middle school into whichever they feel most comfortable. Each different choice has its own rubric and what must be included for that particular tool, but I have found that the kids really enjoy having the choice as to what path their project takes. And of course, right there is an Evaluation of tools and their own personal skills.

Here's my taxonomy table (minus the table):

Bloom Categories and an Activity to Meet It

• Knowledge

(recall, list, define, identify, collect, label)
Verb: Define
Activity: Define ethics, libel, and taste

• Comprehension

(summarize, describe interpret, predict, discuss)
Verb: Report
Activity: What was the Sullivan ruling and why is it important?

• Application

(apply, demonstrate, illustrate, classify, experiment, discover)
Verb: Research
Activity: Students will research and report on sensational news stories to assess the pressure of commercial interests and the lure of sensationalism to the detriment of newsworthy stories that are being ignored.

• Analysis

(analyze, classify, connect, explain, infer)
Verb: Analyze
Activity: Students work in small groups to analyze a scenario in regards to ethics and taste.

• Synthesis

(combine, integrate, plan, create, design, formulate)
Verb: Create
Activity: Students create their individual guidelines for questionable language, subject matter, and photographs.

• Evaluation

(assess, recommend, convince, compare, conclude, summarize)
Verb: Write
Activity: Students write a persuasive essay about whether they believe that commercialization of the Internet may make it a culprit in trivializing important and serious information and discourse in society.