Question stems for a lesson review

In 1956, American educational psychologist Benjamin Samuel Bloom strove to create a system for explaining the progression of steps for learning. His book, "Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: The Classification of Educational Goals" showed a way to categorize reasoning skills based on the amount of critical thinking involved. His work led to a still widely used educational concept known as Bloom's Taxonomy, which was revised slightly in 2001.

In Bloom's Taxonomy, there are six levels of skills ranked in order from the most basic to the most complex. Each level of skill is associated with a verb, as learning is an action. As a teacher, you should ensure that the questions you ask both in class and on written assignments and tests are pulled from all levels of the taxonomy pyramid.

Objective assessments (multiple-choice, matching, fill in the blank) tend to focus only on the two lowest levels of Bloom's Taxonomy: remembering and understanding. Subjective assessments (essay responses, experiments, portfolios, performances) tend to measure the higher levels of Bloom's Taxonomy: applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating.

To incorporate Bloom's Taxonomy into lessons, present different levels beginning with the most basic at the beginning of a unit. Once you reach the end of a unit, the lessons should incorporate the highest levels of Bloom's Taxonomy.

Remembering Verbs and Question Stems

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The remembering level forms the base of the Bloom's Taxonomy pyramid. Because it is of the lowest complexity, many of the verbs in this section are in the form of questions. You can use this level of questioning to ensure that students learned specific information from the lesson.

• What do you remember about _____?
• How would you define_____?
• How would you identify _____?
• How would you recognize _____?

Define Define mercantilism.

Who Who was the author of "Billy Budd?"

What What is the capital of England?

Name Name the inventor of the telephone.

List List the 13 original colonies.

Label Label the capitals on this map of the United States.

Locate Locate the glossary in your textbook.

Match Match the following inventors with their inventions.

Select Select the correct author of "War and Peace" from the following list.

Underline Underline the noun.

Understanding Verbs and Question Stems

At the understanding level, you want students to show that they can go beyond basic recall by understanding what the facts mean. The verbs at this level should allow you to see if your students understand the main idea and are able to interpret or summarize the ideas in their own words.

• How would you generalize_____?
• How would you express _____?
• What can you infer from _____?
• What did you observe_____?

Explain Explain the law of inertia using an example from an amusement park.

Interpret Interpret the information found in this pie chart.

Outline Outline the main arguments for and against year-round education.

Discuss Discuss what it means to use context to determine the meaning of a word.

Translate Translate this passage into English.

Restate Restate the steps for a bill to become a law in your own words.

Describe Describe what is happening in this Civil War picture.

Identify Identify the correct method for disposing of recyclable trash.

Which Which statements support implementing school uniforms?

Summarize Summarize the first chapter of "To Kill a Mockingbird."

Applying Verbs and Question Stems

At the applying level, students must show that they can apply the information they have learned. Students can demonstrate their grasp of the material at this level by solving problems and creating projects.

• How would you demonstrate ____?
• How would you present ____?
• How would you change ____?
• How would you modify ____?

Solve Using the information you have learned about mixed numbers, solve the following questions.

Use Use Newton's Laws of Motion to explain how a model rocket works.

Predict Predict whether items float better in fresh water or salt water.

Construct Using the information you have learned about aerodynamics, construct a paper airplane that minimizes drag.

Perform Create and perform a skit that dramatizes an event from the civil rights era.

Demonstrate Demonstrate how changing the location of the fulcrum affects a tabletop lever.

Classify Classify each observed mineral based on the criteria learned in class.

Apply Apply the rule of 70 to determine how quickly $1,000 would double if earning 5 percent interest.

Analyzying Verbs and Question Stems

The fourth level of Bloom's Taxonomy is analyzing. Here students find patterns in what they learn. Students move beyond simply remembering, understanding, and applying. At this level, they begin to take a more active role in their own learning.

• How can you sort the parts _____?
• What can you infer_____?
• What ideas validate _____?
• How would you explain _____?

What? What is the function of the liver in the body?

What is the main idea of the story "The Tell-Tale Heart"?

What assumptions do we have to make when discussing Einstein's Theory of Relativity?

Analyze Analyze President Lincoln's motives for delivering the Gettysburg Address.

Identify Identify any biases that might exist when reading an autobiography.

Examine Examine the results of your experiment and record your conclusions.

Investigate Investigate the propaganda techniques used in each of the following advertisements.

Evaluating Verbs and Question Stems

Evaluating means that students make judgments based on the information they have learned as well as their own insights. This is often a challenging question to evaluate, particularly for end-of-unit exams.

• What criteria would you use to assess _____?
• What data were used to evaluate _____?
• How could you verify _____?
• What information would you use to prioritize _____?

Evaluate Evaluate the accuracy of the movie "The Patriot."

Find Find the errors in the following math problem.

Select Select the most appropriate action that you should take against a school bully. Justify your answer.

Decide Decide on a meal plan for the next week that includes all the required servings according to the USDA ChooseMyPlate nutrition guide.

Justify Are the arts an important part of a school's curriculum? Justify your answer.

Debate Debate the pros and cons of charter schools.

Judge Judge the importance of students reading a play by William Shakespeare while in high school.

Creating Verbs and Question Stems

At the creating level, students move beyond relying on previously learned information and analyzing items that the teacher has given them. Instead, they create new products, ideas, and theories.

What are some question stems?

28 Critical Thinking Question Stems For Any Content Area.

What evidence can you present for/against…?.

How does … ... .

How could you outline or concept map…? ... .

Why is … ... .

What are the advantages and disadvantages of …?.

What is the point or 'big idea' of …?.

How could you judge the accuracy of …?.

What are the 5 critical thinking questions?

The questions are as follows:.

What are the issue and the conclusion?.

What are the reasons?.

What are the assumptions?.

Are there any fallacies in the reasoning?.

How good is the evidence?.

What are the six basic question stems?

Six Question Learning Strategies Who? - What? - Where? - When? - Why? - How?

What are the 5 levels of questioning?

There are five basic types of questions: factual, convergent, divergent, evaluative and combination.