Uploaded as part of the PBL workshop at Jefferson West USD 340 on November 17, 2009

1. A Hierarchical Model of the Cognitive Domain
(Based on Bloom, et al, 1956 as revised by Anderson & Krathwohl et al, eds., 2001)
Bloom developed a similar model for the affective domain, and other researchers have
created psychomotor taxonomies (see Dave, R. H. [1975] and Harrow, A. [1972].)
1

2. References
Anderson, L., Krathwohl, D. R., Airasian, P. W., Cruikshank, K. A., Mayer, R. E.,
Pintrich, P. R., Raths, J., and Wittrock, M. C., Eds. (2001). A Taxonomy for Learning,
Teaching, and Assessing — A Revision of Bloom's Taxonomy of Educational Objectives;
Addison Wesley Longman, Inc.
Bloom B. S. (1956). Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, Handbook I: The Cognitive
Domain. David McKay Co Inc.
Dave, R. H. (1975). Developing and Writing Behavioural Objectives. (R J Armstrong,
ed.) Educational Innovators Press.
Harrow, A. (1972) A taxonomy of psychomotor domain: a guide for developing
behavioral objectives. New York: David McKay.
2

3. Remember (Knowledge)
Description Question/Statement Verbs
Remembering procedures, terms, methods, Arrange Pick
facts, concepts, specific items of Choose Point to
information Define Recall
Find Recite
Recalling information Group Repeat
Identify Say
Listing or reciting learned information Label Show
List Sort
Recognizing facts Locate Spell
Match Tell
Name Underline
Outline Write
Student Learning Examples Sample Questions/Activities
Remember an idea or fact in Label the parts of a plant
approximately the same form in which
it was learned Group together all of the four-syllable
words
Question and answer sessions in which
there are clear right/wrong answers List the Freedoms included in the Bill of
Rights
Programmed instruction
Identify the food group each of these
Information searches foods belong to
Drill and practice Match definitions to the following words
Finding definitions Locate different examples of
capitalization in the following story
Memory games
Standard quizzes
3

4. Understand (Comprehension)
Description Question/Statement Verbs
Understanding concepts and principles Account for
Calculate
Summarizing material Change
Contemplate
Explaining ideas Demonstrate
Describe
Interpreting material Explain
Offer
Understand the meaning of material Project
Propose
Seeing relationships among
ideas/concepts
Student Learning Examples Sample Questions/Activities
Communicating an idea in a new or Give reasons for the energy crisis
different form
Explain why we have bus safety rules
Forming relationships (analogies,
similes) Outline the steps necessary for an idea to
become a law
Giving examples
Restate the reasons for weather changes
Paraphrasing
Define the relationships you see between
Show and Tell politics today and in the early 1800s
Estimating Interpret the chart showing the rate of
inflation over the past ten years
Giving reasons
Summarize the story
4

5. Apply (Application)
Description Question/Statement Verbs
Making use of what is known Apply Operate
Collect Organize
Using concepts and principles in new Construct Put to use
situations Employ Relate
Exercise Sort
Solving problems using a learned Handle Solve
process Make use of Try
Manipulate Use
Demonstrating correct usage of a
method or procedure
Using rules, methods, concepts, laws,
principles, theories
Student Learning Examples Sample Questions/Activities
Using knowledge from various ideas to Collect examples of private citizens
find solutions to problems influencing government
Applying ideas to new or unusual Use the principle of estimation to decide
situations how much carpet this room needs
Simulation activities Properly clean and put away all lab
equipment.
Role playing/Role reversal
Build a birdhouse based on the
Group presentations suggested design for the bird you chose
during the nature hike.
Conducting experiments
If super-strong graphite material were
Classifying objects available cheaply to anyone, what would
you make with it?
Practical application of learned
knowledge
Suggest application of new ideas
5

6. Analyze (Analysis)
Description Question/Statement Verbs
Breaking concepts down into Breakdown Reason
component parts Check Screen
Compare Search
Understanding organizational structure Contrast Separate
Diagram Simplify
Analyzing relationship between parts Differentiate Study
Dissect Survey
Recognizing organizational principles Include Take apart
involved Inspect Test for
Look into Uncover
Student Learning Examples Sample Questions/Activities
Uncovering unique characteristics Simplify the ballet to its basic
movements
Distinguishing between facts and
inferences Inspect a house for poor workmanship
Evaluating the relevance of data Uncover as many principles of art as
possible in a collection
Recognizing logical fallacies in
reasoning Read a non-fiction book. Divide the
book into its parts. Describe a new
Recognizing unstated assumptions logical order for the parts. Explain why
the parts are in the order you have placed
Analyzing the organizational structure them.
of a work (art, music, writing)
Examine two presidential addresses.
Comparing and contrasting Compare and contrast them for specific
qualities
Outlining written material
Think of a major concern facing our
country. Identify several specific
problems that contribute to this concern
6

7. Evaluate (Evaluation)
Description Question/Statement Verbs
Using criteria to make a decision Argue Judge
Appraise Justify
Determining how closely an idea or Conclude Measure
work meets predefined standards Critique Predict
Debate Rank
Judging the outcome Decide Rate
Defend Recommend
Estimate Score
Evaluate Weigh
Student Learning Examples Sample Questions/Activities
Develop assessment criteria Critique an experiment
Determine relative value Compare Communism and Capitalism
Justify decisions Assess two books on the same topic
Compare alternatives Evaluate the efficiency of the school’s
fire drill procedure
Appraise data
Identify dangerous consumer products
Assess the correctness of conclusions
Debate school policy and its relationship
Evaluate strengths and weaknesses of to the First Amendment
various problem solutions
Write an editorial
Create a peer review rubric for a class
project
Participate in a mock trial
Conduct a self-evaluation
7

8. Create (Synthesis)
Description Question/Statement Verbs
Putting parts together in a new way Blend Invent
Build Make
Formulating new patterns and Cause Make up
structures Combine Modify
Compose Originate
Working with abstract relationships Create Plan
Design Produce
Communicating an idea in a unique Develop Reorganize
way Form Revise
Developing a set of operations
Creating new or original things
Patterning items, ideas or concepts in a
new way
Student Learning Examples Sample Questions/Activities
Developing an original plan Create a new song to the melody of
“Mary Had a Little Lamb”
Hypothesizing
Develop a plan for your class to earn
Creating an original story, poem, song money
Formulating a new schema for Create a new game that includes
classifying objects memory, luck, and teamwork
Finding new combinations Fine a new way to communicate the plot
of a book you have read
Showing how an idea or product might
be changed or improved Given the preferences of a species of
bird, design the optimum birdhouse for it
Write a new ending for one of the fairy
tales we read this month
8