Resources › For Educators Question Stems for Each Level of Bloom's Taxonomy Print Hero Images/Getty Images For Educators Teaching Teaching Resources An Introduction to Teaching Tips & Strategies Policies & Discipline Community Involvement School Administration Technology in the Classroom Teaching Adult Learners Issues In Education Becoming A Teacher Assessments & Tests Elementary Education Secondary Education Special Education Homeschooling By Melissa Kelly Melissa Kelly Education Expert M.Ed., Curriculum and Instruction, University of Florida B.A., History, University of Florida Melissa Kelly, M.Ed., is a secondary school teacher, instructional designer, and the author of "The Everything New Teacher Book: A Survival Guide for the First Year and Beyond." Learn about our Editorial Process Updated on April 04, 2020 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. 01 of 06 Remembering Verbs and Question Stems Andrea Hernandez/Flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0 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 _____? DefineDefine mercantilism. WhoWho was the author of "Billy Budd?" WhatWhat is the capital of England? NameName the inventor of the telephone. ListList the 13 original colonies. LabelLabel the capitals on this map of the United States. LocateLocate the glossary in your textbook. MatchMatch the following inventors with their inventions. SelectSelect the correct author of "War and Peace" from the following list. UnderlineUnderline the noun. 02 of 06 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_____? ExplainExplain the law of inertia using an example from an amusement park. InterpretInterpret the information found in this pie chart. OutlineOutline the main arguments for and against year-round education. DiscussDiscuss what it means to use context to determine the meaning of a word. TranslateTranslate this passage into English. RestateRestate the steps for a bill to become a law in your own words. DescribeDescribe what is happening in this Civil War picture. IdentifyIdentify the correct method for disposing of recyclable trash. WhichWhich statements support implementing school uniforms? SummarizeSummarize the first chapter of "To Kill a Mockingbird." Read More Bloom's Taxonomy in the Classroom By Melissa Kelly 03 of 06 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 ____? SolveUsing the information you have learned about mixed numbers, solve the following questions. UseUse Newton's Laws of Motion to explain how a model rocket works. PredictPredict whether items float better in fresh water or salt water. ConstructUsing the information you have learned about aerodynamics, construct a paper airplane that minimizes drag. PerformCreate and perform a skit that dramatizes an event from the civil rights era. DemonstrateDemonstrate how changing the location of the fulcrum affects a tabletop lever. ClassifyClassify each observed mineral based on the criteria learned in class. ApplyApply the rule of 70 to determine how quickly $1,000 would double if earning 5 percent interest. 04 of 06 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? AnalyzeAnalyze President Lincoln's motives for delivering the Gettysburg Address. IdentifyIdentify any biases that might exist when reading an autobiography. ExamineExamine the results of your experiment and record your conclusions. InvestigateInvestigate the propaganda techniques used in each of the following advertisements. 05 of 06 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 _____? EvaluateEvaluate the accuracy of the movie "The Patriot." FindFind the errors in the following math problem. SelectSelect the most appropriate action that you should take against a school bully. Justify your answer. DecideDecide on a meal plan for the next week that includes all the required servings according to the USDA ChooseMyPlate nutrition guide. JustifyAre the arts an important part of a school's curriculum? Justify your answer. DebateDebate the pros and cons of charter schools. JudgeJudge the importance of students reading a play by William Shakespeare while in high school. 06 of 06 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 alternative would you suggest for ___?What changes would you make to revise___? How would you generate a plan to ___? What could you invent___? CreateCreate a haiku about a desert animal. InventInvent a new board game about Industrial Revolution inventors. ComposeCompose a new piece of music that includes chords in the key of C major. ProposePropose an alternative way to get students to clean up after themselves in the lunchroom. PlanPlan an alternative meal to serve vegetarians during Thanksgiving. DesignDesign a campaign to help stop teenage smoking. FormulateFormulate a bill that you would like to see passed in Congress. DevelopDevelop an idea for a science fair project that focuses on the effects of pollution on plant life. Source Armstrong, Patricia. “Blooms Taxonomy.” Vanderbilt University, 25 Mar. 2020, cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/blooms-taxonomy/. Cite this Article Format mla apa chicago Your Citation Kelly, Melissa. "Question Stems for Each Level of Bloom's Taxonomy." ThoughtCo, Apr. 5, 2023, thoughtco.com/blooms-taxonomy-questions-7598. Kelly, Melissa. (2023, April 5). Question Stems for Each Level of Bloom's Taxonomy. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/blooms-taxonomy-questions-7598 Kelly, Melissa. "Question Stems for Each Level of Bloom's Taxonomy." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/blooms-taxonomy-questions-7598 (accessed March 29, 2024). copy citation