How do you know that you are asking high level thinking questions? Give an example of questions you have asked in the last 2 weeks that are higher level.
I use the Bloom's taxonomy questioning to monitor the level of the questions I ask. In math, I have been asking the kids questions about the liklihood of needing to regroup. We have been discussing treasures and asking many why questions. Another way to know if your questions are higher level is if there is not an immediate response.
Yesterday we were doing regrouping with subtraction and I posed the question, "Why would you need to solve this problem and should you have the correct answer?" This led to a lot of higher level thinking at a second grade level. Next I had the students prove their response using the white boards. It was very interesting to see their responses.
In first grade we use Bloom's and also feel that a quick way to know if we are aksing higher level questions is by the answers. Are they having to take time and think about it, is the answer more than one word, and could there be many "correct" answers? "Why do you think that?" is a question I ask a lot. "How do you know?" is another. "Which landform provides the best natural resources to live on?" is a question that sparked discussion last week as we were introducing our Native American unit. The kids still have a hard time with the concept of there being no "right" answer, so I know I need to keep asking more higher-level thinking questions more often!
I agree with Kellie that you are truly asking a higher level question when there is more than one correct answer. This concept is very difficult for first graders. After reading the story Bat's Big Game to my class, we talked about was it fair that the animals didn't let the cheating bat play anymore? This created a great discussion about character traits and how it might have been fair but wasn't necessarily kind. Last week, after a particularly messy day of making snowflakes, my floor was a complete mess. I asked my kids for suggestions for what we could do to fix the problem (both the immediate one and ongoing) and then we decided if the ideas were feasible or not. Again we had a very good discussion with good divergent thinking. These types of discussions definitely don't have just one correct answer!
I have been asking kids to solve their problem. They look at me very perplexed and then they say I don't know what to do. Or sometimes they say should I do this? I respond with - will that solve your problem.
I have also tried to ask kids to identify the similarities and differences between two words (this is for when they are struggling to add the two words to their sight word fluency - e.g. what and want). Usually they can identify what is the same, but when they have to contrast the two words it takes longer to come up with an answer. This is how I know they are "thinking" - it takes longer to get an answer.
I use analysis, synthesis, and evaluation for higher level questions. Last week my 5th graders compared the personality traits of the man and his wife in our book. Then they talked about what might have happened if these traits had been reversed and eventually what each of kids would have done if they were faced with the dilema.
I have been using Bloom's Taxonomy the past few weeks and the questions have generated a lot of great discussions. Is there a better solution to...? Do you think...is a good or a bad thing? Can you tell me why...? Who was the key character...? Could this have happened in...?
A high level thinking question is one that requires analysis, synthesis, a judgment or evaluation, or innovative thought related to a content area.
ReplyDeleteQuestion example: What makes an architectural structure timeless/historic?
Question example: What types of questions can you write as a defense/prosecuting attorney to elicit supportive responses for your client?
I use the Bloom's taxonomy questioning to monitor the level of the questions I ask. In math, I have been asking the kids questions about the liklihood of needing to regroup. We have been discussing treasures and asking many why questions. Another way to know if your questions are higher level is if there is not an immediate response.
ReplyDeleteI can tell that teachers are asking high level questions when the answers are more than one word and there are multiple correct answers.
ReplyDeleteYesterday we were doing regrouping with subtraction and I posed the question, "Why would you need to solve this problem and should you have the correct answer?" This led to a lot of higher level thinking at a second grade level. Next I had the students prove their response using the white boards. It was very interesting to see their responses.
ReplyDeleteIn first grade we use Bloom's and also feel that a quick way to know if we are aksing higher level questions is by the answers. Are they having to take time and think about it, is the answer more than one word, and could there be many "correct" answers? "Why do you think that?" is a question I ask a lot. "How do you know?" is another. "Which landform provides the best natural resources to live on?" is a question that sparked discussion last week as we were introducing our Native American unit. The kids still have a hard time with the concept of there being no "right" answer, so I know I need to keep asking more higher-level thinking questions more often!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Kellie that you are truly asking a higher level question when there is more than one correct answer. This concept is very difficult for first graders. After reading the story Bat's Big Game to my class, we talked about was it fair that the animals didn't let the cheating bat play anymore? This created a great discussion about character traits and how it might have been fair but wasn't necessarily kind. Last week, after a particularly messy day of making snowflakes, my floor was a complete mess. I asked my kids for suggestions for what we could do to fix the problem (both the immediate one and ongoing) and then we decided if the ideas were feasible or not. Again we had a very good discussion with good divergent thinking. These types of discussions definitely don't have just one correct answer!
ReplyDeleteI have been asking kids to solve their problem. They look at me very perplexed and then they say I don't know what to do. Or sometimes they say should I do this? I respond with - will that solve your problem.
ReplyDeleteI have also tried to ask kids to identify the similarities and differences between two words (this is for when they are struggling to add the two words to their sight word fluency - e.g. what and want). Usually they can identify what is the same, but when they have to contrast the two words it takes longer to come up with an answer. This is how I know they are "thinking" - it takes longer to get an answer.
I use analysis, synthesis, and evaluation for higher level questions. Last week my 5th graders compared the personality traits of the man and his wife in our book. Then they talked about what might have happened if these traits had been reversed and eventually what each of kids would have done if they were faced with the dilema.
ReplyDeleteI have been using Bloom's Taxonomy the past few weeks and the questions have generated a lot of great discussions.
ReplyDeleteIs there a better solution to...?
Do you think...is a good or a bad thing?
Can you tell me why...?
Who was the key character...?
Could this have happened in...?