Learning standards are concise, written descriptions of what students are expected to know and be able

to do at a specific stage of their education. Learning standards describe educational objectivesi.e., what
students should have learned by the end of a course, grade level, or grade spanbut they do not
describe any particular teaching practice, curriculum, or assessment method . Standards describe the
goals of schooling, the destinations at which students should arrive at the end of the unit or term.

Broad statements that describe specific content areas that groups of students should learn at each grade
level are called Content Standards. They define the knowledge within each discipline. For instance, a
content standard for 6th grade science students could be, in Earth Science: Students will understand the
effects of the relative positions of the earth, moon and sun. These standards are also called Curriculum
Standards or Subject Standards.

Expectations for instruction, assessment, and student work are called Performance Standards. These
incorporate Content Standards and define the level of work that demonstrates achievement of the
standards. Performance standards isolate and identify skills needed for problem-solving, reasoning,
communicating, and making connections with other information. They provide all constituents with the
evidences that students have met the content standards, helping teachers define what level of work is
satisfactory.

Competencies are the measurable or observable knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors.

Blooms Taxonomy divides the way people learn into three domains. One of these is the
cognitive domain, which emphasizes intellectual outcomes. This domain is further
divided into categories or levels. The key words used and the type of questions asked
may aid in the establishment and encouragement of critical thinking, especially in the
higher levels.

LEVEL

1: Knowledge

LEVEL
ATTRIBUTES

KEYWORDS

Exhibits previously who, what, why, when,

learned material by omit, where, which,
recalling facts, terms, choose, find, how, define,
basic concepts and label, show, spell, list,
answers.
match, name, relate, tell,

QUESTIONS

What is ...? How is ...?

Where is ...? When did
_______ happen? How did
______ happen? How
would you explain ...? Why

LEVEL

LEVEL
ATTRIBUTES

Demonstrating
understanding of
facts and ideas by
organizing,
comparing,
translating,
interpreting, giving
descriptions and
2: Comprehension
stating main ideas.

3: Application

Solving problems by
applying acquired
knowledge, facts,
techniques and rules
in a different way.

KEYWORDS

QUESTIONS

recall, select

did ...? How would you

describe ...? When did ...?
Can you recall ...? How
would you show ...? Can
you select ...? Who were
the main ...? Can you list
three ...? Which one ...?
Who was ...?

compare, contrast,
demonstrate, interpret,
explain, extend, illustrate,
infer, outline, relate,
rephrase, translate,
summarize, show,
classify

How would you classify the

type of ...? How would you
compare ...? contrast ...?
Will you state or interpret in
your own words ...? How
would you rephrase the
meaning ...? What facts or
ideas show ...? What is the
main idea of ...? Which
statements support ...?
Can you explain what is
happening . . . what is
meant . . .? What can you
say about ...? Which is the
best answer ...? How
would you summarize ...?

apply, build, choose,

construct, develop,
interview, make use of,
organize, experiment
with, plan, select, solve,
utilize, model, identify

How would you use ...?

What examples can you
find to ...? How would you
solve _______ using what
you have learned ...? How
would you organize
_______ to show ...? How
would you show your
understanding of ...? What

LEVEL

LEVEL
ATTRIBUTES

KEYWORDS

QUESTIONS

approach would you use to

...? How would you apply
what you learned to
develop ...? What other
way would you plan to ...?
What would result if ...?
Can you make use of the
facts to ...? What elements
would you choose to
change ...? What facts
would you select to
show ...? What questions
would you ask in an
interview with ...?
4: Analysis

Examining and
analyze, categorize,
breaking information classify, compare,
into parts by
contrast, discover,
identifying motives or dissect, divide, examine,
causes; making
inspect, simplify, survey,
inferences and
take part in, test for,
finding evidence to distinguish, list,
support
distinction, theme,
generalizations.
relationships, function,
motive, inference,
assumption, conclusion

What are the parts or

features of ...? How is
_______ related to ...?
Why do you think ...? What
is the theme ...? What
motive is there ...? Can you
list the parts ...? What
inference can you
make ...? What
conclusions can you
draw ...? How would you
classify ...? How would you
categorize ...? Can you
identify the difference parts
...? What evidence can you
find ...? What is the
relationship between ...?
Can you make a distinction
between ...? What is the
function of ...? What ideas

LEVEL

LEVEL
ATTRIBUTES

KEYWORDS

QUESTIONS

justify ...?
Compiling
information together
in a different way by
combining elements
in a new pattern or
proposing alternative
solutions.

build, choose, combine, What changes would you

compile, compose,
make to solve ...? How
construct, create, design, would you improve ...?
develop, estimate,
What would happen if ...?
formulate, imagine,
Can you elaborate on the
invent, make up,
reason ...? Can you
originate, plan, predict,
propose an alternative ...?
propose, solve, solution, Can you invent ...? How
suppose, discuss, modify, would you adapt ________
change, original, improve, to create a different ...?
adapt, minimize,
How could you change
maximize, delete,
(modify) the plot (plan) ...?
theorize, elaborate, test, What could be done to
improve, happen, change minimize (maximize) ...?
What way would you
design ...? What could be
combined to improve
(change) ...? Suppose you
could _______ what would
you do ...? How would you
test ...? Can you formulate
a theory for ...? Can you
predict the outcome if ...?
How would you estimate
the results for ...? What
facts can you compile ...?
Can you construct a model
that would change ...? Can
you think of an original way
for the ...?

Presenting and
defending opinions

award, choose, conclude, Do you agree with the

criticize, decide, defend, actions ...? with the

5: Synthesis

6: Evaluation

LEVEL

LEVEL
ATTRIBUTES

KEYWORDS

QUESTIONS

by making judgments determine, dispute,

outcomes ...? What is your
about information,
evaluate, judge, justify,
opinion of ...? How would
validity of ideas or
measure, compare, mark, you prove ...? disprove ...?
quality of work based rate, recommend, rule on, Can you assess the value
on a set of criteria. select, agree, interpret, or importance of ...? Would
explain, appraise,
it be better if ...? Why did
prioritize, opinion,
they (the character)
,support, importance,
choose ...? What would
criteria, prove, disprove, you recommend ...? How
assess, influence,
would you rate the ...?
perceive, value, estimate, What would you cite to
influence, deduct
defend the actions ...? How
would you evaluate ...?
How could you
determine ...? What choice
would you have made ...?
What would you select ...?
How would you
prioritize ...? What
judgment would you make
about ...? Based on what
you know, how would you
explain ...? What
information would you use
to support the view ...?
How would you justify ...?
What data was used to
make the conclusion ...?
Why was it better that ...?
How would you prioritize
the facts ...? How would
you compare the ideas ...?
people ...?

From: UMUC

Blooms Ranking of Thinking Skills

Knowledge

Comprehension

Application

Analysis

Synthesis

Analyze,
Summarize, Explain, Solve,
List, Name,
Organize,
Design,
Interpret, Describe, Illustrate,
Identify, Show,
Deduce,
Hypothesize,
Compare,
Calculate, Use,
Define,
Contrast,
Support,
Paraphrase,
Interpret,
Recognize,
Compare,
Schematize,
Differentiate,
Relate,
Recall, State,
Distinguish, Write, Report,
Demonstrate,
Manipulate,
Visualize
Discuss, Plan, Justify
Classify
Apply, Modify
Devise

Evaluation

Evaluate,
Choose,
Estimate,
Judge,
Defend,
Criticize

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