Differentiating Instruction with Bloom’s Taxonomy andDepth and Complexity

SMART Goal

All teachers should be able to recognize and implement 4 out of the 8 depth icons by the end of the workshop.

Overview of Depth & Complexity

“Depth & Complexity” – questioning strategies that can be used during lessons to prompt students during discussions, to probe for understanding, and to initiate certain types of cognitive thinking (Kaplan, 2007)

There are 11 terms, each is represented by an “Icon”

Purpose: to provide students with the opportunity for Higher Level Thinking and Learning

Overview (Cont’d)

8 Depth Icons – taking a single topic and delving deeper into it

Big Ideas Details Language of the

Discipline Rules Patterns Trends Ethics Unanswered Questions

3 Complexity Icons – making relationships between two or more concepts or ideas

Changes Over Time Relationships Across

Disciplines Multiple Perspectives

Depth Icons

Big Ideas

Principles, Generalizations

This refers to the generalizations, principles, and theories that distinguish themselves from the facts and concepts

Ask students what the big ideas are

Language of the Discipline

Vocabulary This refers to

learning the specific, specialized, and technological terms associated with the topic

Ask students what specialized vocabulary they need to learn this discipline

Details

Parts, Variables This refers to the

learning of specific attributes, traits, and characteristics that describe a concept, theory, principle, or even a fact

Ask students to identify the attributes, parts, and variables of a discipline

Unanswered Questions

Missing, Unclear Parts This refers to ambiguities and gaps of information

recognized within the topic Ask students to label the discrepancies and

incomplete ideas they have relating to this topic

Patterns

Repetition, Predictability This refers to the

reoccurring events represented by details

Ask students to describe the patterns and repetitions associated with the topic

Rules

Order, Structure This refers to the

human or natural made structure or order of things that explain the phenomena within the topic

Ask what hierarchy or explanation is implicit in the discipline

Trends

Courses of Actions, Directions

This refers to the factors that influence events

Ask students to find the influences and forces of this discipline

Ethics

Judging, Opinions This refers to the

dilemmas or controversial issues that plague the topic

Ask students to find other points of view and/or controversies that relate to this discipline

Complexity Icons

Across the Disciplines

Relationships Between and Across Disciplines

Interdisciplinary connections can be made within, between, and among various areas of study or disciplines

Have students locate the relationships between and across this discipline

Changes over Time

Relationships Between Past, Present, and Future

This refers to the understanding of time as an agent of change and recognition that the passage of time changes our knowledge of things

Ask students to identify some relationships between past, present, and future

Point of View

Multiple Perspectives, Opposing Viewpoints

This refers to the concept that there are different perspectives and that these perspectives alter the way ideas and objects are viewed and valued

Ask students to find the differing roles, knowledge, and opposing viewpoints relating to the topic

Introducing the icons

I. Define the iconII.Relate to previous knowledgeIII.Apply to new knowledgeIV.Integrate into the real world

Reflection

Think about a lesson you have taught within the past 2 weeks… Where have you used any of the Depth &

Complexity icon strategies? Can you give some examples?

(Think-Pair-Share)

Questions

Just a few activities

Math Lessons McCall Crabbs and

Harby Reading Passages

Quality Literature

Use the Icons Within Your Lessons

“Look for (appropriate icon) in our lesson today on (content area).”

Use the Big Idea to summarize or end lessons.

Label your daily agenda and lesson plans with the icons.

Have students label all work with the appropriate icons.

Label all classroom work and charts with the icons.

Classroom examples using

depth and complexity

How would you use the following icons?

Post a set of the icons clearly in your room

This prompts integration into discussions, and shows students you value the icons as intellectual tools.

But remember,

we are not teaching the icons, we are teaching concepts to new levels of

depth and complexity using pictures to stand for the thinking strategies.

Your turn!

Look at your lesson plans and label the areas where you could use the D & C icons. Try to use at least 3 icons.

Questions / Comments?

Thank You for attending!!

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