Understanding

Understanding is defined as the ability to grasp the meaning of material. This may be shown by translating material from one form to another (words to numbers), by interpreting material (explaining or summarizing), and by estimating future trends (predicting consequences or effects). Can the student explain ideas or concepts? These learning outcomes go one step beyond the simple remembering of material, and represent the lowest level of understanding.

Verbs: classify, describe, discuss, explain, express, identify, indicate, locate, recognize, report, restate, review, select, translate.

This level shows that the student has understood the facts and can interpret them. With this level, ask students to compare, contrast, illustrate, and classify. This can be done with oral questions and graphic organizers such as Venn Diagrams and T-charts.This level shows that the student has understood the facts and can interpret them. With this level, ask students to compare, contrast, illustrate, and classify. This can be done with oral questions and graphic organizers such as Venn Diagrams and T-charts.

Applying

Applying refers to the ability to use learned material in new and concrete situations. This may include the application of such things as rules, methods, concepts, principles, laws, and theories. Learning outcomes
in this area require a higher level of understanding than those under comprehension. Can the student use the information in a new way?

Verbs: apply, choose, demonstrate, dramatize, employ, illustrate, interpret, operate, practice, schedule, sketch, solve, use, write.

Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Levels 4 & 5
Draw pictures comparing and contrasting _____. Solve the following problem using the example given. Look at the pictures and choose the one that correctly _____.	If you had to cook a meal for _____, what would you make? What would you do if you could go to the place where _____ lived? What examples can you find to support _____? What questions would you ask _____ if you had the opportunity? List the ways that you could _____. Tell me one reason that ________ did ______.	What questions would you ask if...? What would result if...? Think of a situation where ________ and tell what you would have done. How would you _____ if you _______? Write three reasons why ______.	Using what you know, how would you solve _____? Compare and contrast ____. Write a different ending to the story. Write a paragraph explaining why _____.

Remembering | Understanding | Applying | Analyzing | Evaluating | Creating | Top

Analyzing

Analyzing refers to the ability to break down material into its component parts so that its organizational structure may be understood. This may include the identification of the parts, analysis of the relationships between parts, and recognition of the organizational principles involved. Learning outcomes here represent a higher intellectual level than comprehension and application because they require an understanding of both the content and the structural form of the material. Can the student distinguish between the different parts?

Verbs: analyze, appraise, calculate, categorize, compare, contrast, criticize, differentiate, discriminate, distinguish, examine, experiment, question, test.

At this level lower levels of ELL students may not have enough vocabulary and language to express responses in English. The tasks at this level that English language learners will be able to complete with some teacher scaffolding are: classify, contrast, compare, categorize, sequence.

Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Levels 4 & 5
How would you categorize...? (picture responses) How would you classify...? (picture responses) Look at the words in the word bank that describe ________.  Write the words in your journal. Draw a picture depicting the theme of this story. How is ____ related to _____? (Draw response or act out the response) Sequence these pictures.  (This could be pictures of the story plot, the water cycle, processing steps in a math problem, etc.)	Re-title this story. How would you categorize...? (short answers or simple sentences) How would you classify...? (short answers or simple sentences) Look at the words in the word bank that describe ________.  Write the words in your journal. How do we know _______? Find examples in your textbook. What conclusions can you draw about _____? (Single word or short phrase responses) Tell me the theme of this story (short phrases) How is ____ related to _____? (short phrases) Place these sentences in sequential order.	How would you categorize...? (3-5 sentence explanation) How would you classify...? (short answers or simple sentences) Distinguish between two facts and two opinions. What was the funniest part of the selection? Most exciting? Saddest? What evidence can you find? What is the relationship between...? How would you categorize...? How would you classify...? Look at the words in the word bank that describe ________.  Write 3-5 sentences in your journal describing _____.  What conclusions can you draw about _____? (3-5 sentence response) Tell me the theme of this story.  (3-5 sentence response) How is ____ related to _____? (3-5 sentence response) Write sentences explaining the sequential order of _____. |	How would you categorize...? (detailed explanation) How would you classify...? (short answers or simple sentences) What inferences can you make about...? What ideas justify...? How would you categorize...? How would you classify...? Look at the words in the word bank that describe ________. Give a detailed description of _____. What conclusions can you draw about _____? (Detailed response) Tell me the theme of this story.  (Detailed response) How is ____ related to _____?  (Detailed response) Explain how to ________ in it’s order of sequence.

Remembering | Understanding | Applying | Analyzing | Evaluating | Creating | Top

Evaluating

Evaluating is concerned with the ability to judge the value of material (statement, novel, poem, research report) for a given purpose. The judgments are to be based on definite criteria. These may be internal criteria (organization) or external criteria (relevance to the purpose) and the student may determine the
criteria or be given them. Learning outcomes in this area are highest in the cognitive hierarchy because they contain elements of all the other categories, plus conscious value judgments based on clearly defined criteria. Can the student justify a stand or decision?

Verbs: argue, assess, attach, choose, compare, defend, estimate, judge, predict, rate, core, select, support, value, evaluate.

At this level students are compiling information together in a different way by combining elements in a new pattern or proposing alternative solutions. ELLs will need teacher support and scaffolding to answer questions at level 5. Synthesis is particularly difficult for ELLs. Students may be able to choose, combine, create, design, develop, imagine, make up, predict, solve, and change.

Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Levels 4 & 5
Would you recommend _____? (Yes or No response) Point to the ______ that you like better. If you had to ________ would you do this?  Or this?  (Show pictures) Rate from 1-5 the ______.	Would you recommend _____? (Simple sentence response) Would it be better if _____? What choice would you have made about _____? Do you agree with the actions of _____? What do you think will happen next? If you had to _____ would you do this?  Or this?  (Simple sentence response)	Would you recommend _____? Why or why not? (2-3 sentence response) What data was used to make the conclusion? How would you explain...? Why was it better that _____? How could you determine _____? Do you think ______ was correct?  Why or why not? What would you do if _____?  (Write 2-3 sentences.) Can you predict the outcome of...? What would happen if...? What changes would you make to...? How would you improve...? How would you rewrite the ending of the story? How would you rewrite the selection from _____’s point of view? Can you elaborate on the reason?  (3-5 sentence response) How would you change _____?  (3-5 sentence response)	Can you predict the outcome of _____? Suppose you could _____; what would you do? How could you change the plot? What would happen if _____? What changes would you make to _____? How would you improve _____? How would you rewrite the ending of the story? How would you rewrite the selection from _____’s point of view? Can you elaborate on the reason? Would you recommend _____? Why or why not? (paragraph response) What is your opinion of...? Compare two characters in the selection. Which was a better person? Why? Which character would you most like to spend the day with? What would you do if _____? Why?  (Paragraph length responses) Plan a party for the characters in the story (the historical figures we are studying, etc.).  Who would you invite to the party?  | Where would you seat each guest?  What do you think they would talk about?

Remembering | Understanding | Applying | Analyzing | Evaluating | Creating | Top

Creating

Creating refers to the ability to put parts together to form a new whole. This may involve the production of a unique communication (theme or speech), a plan of operations (research proposal), or a set of abstract relations (scheme for classifying information). Learning outcomes in this area stress creative behaviors, with major emphasis on the formulation of new patterns or structures. Can the student create new product or point of view?

Verbs: assemble, construct, create, design, develop, formulate, write.

Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Levels 4 & 5
Draw a picture showing how you think the story will end. Create a ______ that shows ______. Design a ______ that will _______. Draw a pattern that shows the relationship between ____ and _____. Build habitats for certain species for certain purposes.	Using your textbook, what facts could you compile about...? Can you predict the outcome of...? Suppose you could _____; what would you do? How could you change the plot? What would happen if...? What changes would you make to...? How would you improve...? Create a collage which shows the theme of the story. Build habitats for certain species for certain purposes	Suppose you could _____; what would you do? How could you change the plot? Create a different ending for the story. Students will be able to combine healthy ingredients into an entire meal.	Invent another character for the story.  What would that person look like?  How would she or he act?  How would he or she handle the problem?  How would he or she interact with the other characters? Create a PowerPoint that explains _____________. Plan a research paper on a given historical topic.