Levels of Thinking and

Reasoning
The Bloom-Marzano Hierarchy
Scott King-Owen, Instructional
Services

Welcome!
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Pick up your workshop materials.

Scott King-Owen, gkingowe@nhcs.net

Objectives
1. Define the levels of thinking and reasoning used
in the Standard Course of Study and testing in
North Carolina.
2. Generate content-specific examples of the levels
of thinking and reasoning.
3. Apply the levels of thinking and reasoning to
classroom practice.
4. Evaluate effective use of the levels of thinking
and reasoning in classroom practice.

Pre-Assessment
On your own paper,
construct a circle map.
Within your circle write
down all you know
about Blooms
Taxonomy.

Blooms
Taxonom
y

Blooms Taxonomy
1956: Benjamin Bloom publishes a small
volume called Taxonomy of Educational
Objectives, The Classification of
Educational Goals, Handbook I: Cognitive
Domain.

Blooms Taxonomy
Educators use
the taxonomy
to write
instructional
objectives.

Benjamin Bloom
wanted a way to
classify educational
goals.

Bloom publishes
his Taxonomy of
Educational
Objectives.

Assessments
are designed
according to
the taxonomy.

State curricula
were written
according to
the taxonomy.

Blooms Taxonomy
Blooms Taxonomy was updated in 2001 by
Anderson and Krathwol.

So, why do we still not use Blooms

Taxonomy in North Carolina?

Taxonomy Redefined
Problems with Blooms taxonomy:
Oversimplifies the nature of thought and
its relationship to learning (Furst, 1994).
The taxonomy implied a hierarchy of
thought processes running from lower to
higher which did not hold up in research
studies (Marzano, 2001).

Learning: What We Now Know

Learning must take

into account the
types of knowledge
as well as the
thinking processes
required for
manipulating that
knowledge.

Learning must take

into account the
learners control of
his or her own
thinking as well as
the role of emotion
and interest in
acquiring
knowledge.

The Birth of Marzanos Hierarchy

Robert Marzano set out to repair the
deficiencies of Blooms Taxonomy in the
1990s.
The result was Designing a New Taxonomy
of Educational Objectives (2001).
Revised as The New Taxonomy of
Educational Objectives (2006)

Marzano and North Carolina

North Carolinas ABCs program required
testing, and the test designers needed a
taxonomy for aligning the goals and
objectives to test questions so that we
would teach what we test and test what we
teach.
The resulting Understanding North
Carolina Tests: Thinking Skill Level was
published in 1999.

NC Thinking Skills

Marzano and North Carolina

Misconception
Alert:
North Carolina did
not fully adopt
Marzanos
hierarchy.

Instead, state officials

hybridized Marzanos
work with the original
Blooms Taxonomy.

So What?
Why does the hierarchy matter?
The goals and objectives of the Standard
Course of Study are written with the
levels of thinking and reasoning based on
Marzanos work.
So, to effectively teach the SCOS, teachers must
be intimate with the hierarchy in order to know
how to really teach the cognitive demands in the
objectives.

So What?
Why does the hierarchy matter?
All North Carolina EOGs and EOCs are
written with the hierarchy.
So, in order to effectively prepare students for
state assessments, teachers must be able to
transform objectives into measurable test items.

Reflection
What is the most important big idea
uncovered in the previous slides? What
would be different about the way we teach
and assess if we all knew this big idea?
In groups, come to consensus about one
big idea from the material.

A Closer Look at Bloom and

Marzano
Who can name the levels of Blooms
Taxonomy?

Blooms
Taxonomy

Knowledge
Comprehension
Application
Analysis
Synthesis
Evaluation

Bloom-Marzano Hybrid

Hybrid
Taxonomy

Knowing
Organizing
Applying
Analyzing
Generating
Integrating
Evaluating

Similarities and Differences

In groups, construct a Double-Bubble map
comparing the Bloom Hierarchy to the hybrid
Marzano-Bloom hierarchy.

Bloom Marzano Hybrid:

Definitions
LEVEL
Knowing

DEFINITION
Gathering, storing, and recalling
information

Organizing Arranging and classifying information

Applying

Using information in a new situation

Analyzing

Examining relationships among parts

Generating Producing new meaning or ideas

Integrating Combining information
Evaluating Judging the quality of information

Bloom-Marzano Hybrid:
Definitions
LEVEL
Knowing

DEFINITION
Gathering, storing, and recalling
information

Organizing

Arranging and classifying

information

Applying

Using information in a new

situation

Analyzing

Examining relationships among

parts

Generating

Producing new meaning or ideas

Integrating

Combining information

Evaluating

Judging the quality of information

Low-Level
Cognitive
Tasks

High-Level
Cognitive
Tasks

Part 1: Low-Level
Cognitive Tasks
LEVEL

DEFINITION

Knowing

Gathering, storing, and recalling

information

Organizing

Arranging and classifying

information

Applying

Using information in a new

situation

What does Knowing mean?

describe
label

identify
use the
senses to
observe

Knowing
recall
information
store
information
in memory

list

Knowing Objectives
ESL 3, NL 3.02 Recognize some high
frequency words in simple or patterned text.
Science 2, 1.03 Observe the different
stages of an insect life cycle.
Social Studies 5, 4.03 Describe the
contributions of people of diverse cultures
throughout the history of the United States.

Knowing Questions
What is federalism?
A. a form of government with elected
representatives
B. a division of power between the
national and state governments
C. a belief in the idea of national
sovereignty
D. a form of government in which
elected officials make all economic
decisions

Knowing Questions
What led to the decline of soapstone
mining?
A. Dwindling supplies
B. Discovery of mica
C. Preference for pottery
D. Interest in gold mining

What does Organizing mean?

comparing
arrange
information
in an
ordered
way

sequencing
in order or by
a criteria

Organizing

contrasting

classifying

changing
the format
of
information

Organizing Objectives
Social Studies 6, 9.01 Trace the historical
development of governments . . .
ELA 8, 3.03 Evaluate and create
arguments by arranging details, examples,
and reasons effectively.
Advanced Functions, 1.02 Compare
distributions of univariate data.

Organizing Questions
Why are parallel circuits, rather than series
circuits, commonly used in wiring houses?
A. They allow appliances to operate
separately.
B. They are cheaper.
C. They have a higher total resistance.
D. The voltage drop varies with each
resistor.

Organizing Questions

What does Applying mean?

knowing
when to
use
knowledge
using prior
knowledge
in a new
situation

Applying

bringing
together
information
to solve
problems

transferring
knowledge
from one
field to
another
recognizing
similarities
and
differences
between
situations

Applying Objectives
Healthy Living K, 2.06 Demonstrate how to get
help in an emergency.
Theatre Arts 6, 3.02 -- Plan and create a simple set
for formal or informal dramatic presentations.
Spanish for Native Speakers 1, 3.07 -- Apply
understanding of conventional written and spoken
expressions in a variety of settings by using
appropriate and exact words to influence
reactions, perceptions, and beliefs.

Applying Questions
Which propaganda technique is
represented by the quote My opponent is
soft on crime!?
A. Name calling
B. Bandwagon
C. Glittering generality
D. Stacked cards

Applying Questions
A boulder falls from a cliff. What is the
boulders acceleration during the fifth
second of the fall?
A. 2.0 m/s2
B. 9.8 m/s2
C. 20.0 m/s2
D. 98 m/s2

Review and Application

In your groups, you will be given some
sample objectives and test questions.
Identify the thinking skill level for the
objectives and test questions.
Be prepared to defend your thoughts to the
whole group.

Categorizing Objectives and

Questions - A Caveat
OFTEN, categorizing a question or an objective
requires that you understand the amount of prior
knowledge needed to process the objective at a
particular level.
Objectives in higher grades often assume prior
knowledge, so what may be knowing to you is
categorized as applying by the state.

Strange Verbs in the SCOS

To what levels do you assign the following
verbs?
Acquire...
Verbs that often call for
the student to do
Interact...
something imply
Share knowledge... procedural
knowledge.
Investigate...
Procedural knowledge
requires the use of
Develop...
information to complete a
Explore...
task. Many times this is
nothing more than
Compose...
application.
Observe...

Part 2: High-Level
Cognitive Tasks
LEVEL

DEFINITION

Analyzing

Examining relationships among

parts

Generating

Producing new meaning or ideas

Integrating

Combining information

Evaluating

Judging the quality of information

What does Analyzing mean?

cause and
effect

identifying
logical
errors

identifying
the
attributes
of things
identifying
parts of
objects

Analyzing

identifying
the main
idea

identifying
relationships
and patterns

Analyzing Objectives
Physics, 8.01 Analyze the nature of
electrical charges.
US History, 6.01 Examine the factors that
led to the United States taking an
increasingly active role in world affairs.
Visual Arts 7, 3.04 -- Explore and discuss
the value of intuitive perceptions in the
problem-solving process.

Analyzing Questions
A cell with 5% solute concentration is
placed in a beaker with a 1% solute
concentration. What will happen to the
cell over time?

A.
B.
C.
D.

The cell will gain H2O and expand.

The cell will lose H2O and shrink.
The cell will both gain and lose equal amounts of
H2O; thus, it will remain the same size.
The cell will undergo no exchange of H2O with its
surroundings.

Analyzing Questions
Why did the horse in The Runaway
Stallion most likely run through the water
to the opposite bank?
A. He was afraid that Jeff was trying to
capture him.
B. He wanted the oats in the bucket.
C. He needed to cool down in the water
before eating.
D. He was frightened by a noise that
Hank made.

What does Generating mean?

exploring
hypothetical
situations
drawing a
conclusion

producing
new
meaning or
ideas
inferring new
meaning

Generating

elaborating
by adding
examples
or details

predicting
outcomes

Generating Objectives
Theatre Arts 6, 5.04 -- Infer meaning from a script
to create characters.
Science 8, 5.05 -- Use maps, ground truthing and
remote sensing to make predictions regarding
changes over time, land use, urban sprawl, and
resource management.
Civics, 2.02 Explain how the United States
Constitution grants and limits the authority of
public officials and government agencies.

Generating Questions
Which best explains why the author includes this
line in the play?
HANNAH: There are tougher questions we have
to deal with than baseball movies . . . or
which river is the longest . . . or . . .
A. To create sympathy for Jay
B. To reveal Hannahs wisdom
C. To foreshadow the choice Jay will have
to make
D. To reduce the tension building between
Jay and Hannah

Generating Questions
While cleaning a saltwater aquarium,
students placed the aquarium plants in a
container of distilled water. What effect
will this have on the plants?
A. The plant cells will separate.
B. The plant cells will shrink.
C. The plant cells will swell.
D. The plant cells will remain the same.

What does Integrating mean?

connecting
and
combining
information

summarizing

Integrating

restructuring
ideas to
include new
information

generalizing
from
examples or
details

Integrating Objectives
ESL 9-12, IH 4.05 -- Write an organized and
focused composition with supporting
details on familiar and previously studied
topics.
US History, 12.01 Summarize significant
events in foreign policy since the Vietnam
War.
Science 7, 5.05 -- Summarize the genetic
transmittance of disease.

Integrating Questions
Which of the following statements
concerning diffusion and active transport
is correct?
A. Both diffusion and active transport
require cell energy.
B. Neither diffusion nor active transport
require cell energy.
C. Diffusion requires cell energy while
active transport does not.
D. Active transport requires cell energy
while diffusion does not.

Integrating Questions
A house plant is wilting; however, it is still
green. What vital resource is it most likely
lacking?
A. Plant food
B. Water
C. Sunlight
D. Air

What does Evaluating mean?

judging the
reasonableness
of information

establishing
criteria for
judging

Evaluating

rating ideas
by quality

checking the
accuracy of
claims

Evaluating Objectives
Civics, 6.08 Evaluate methods used by society to
address criminal and anti-social behaviors.
Algebra II, -- 2.05 Use rational equations to model
and solve problems; justify results.
ELA 7, 4.03 -- Develop the stance of a critic by
considering and presenting alternative points of
view or reasons, remaining fair-minded and open
to other interpretations, and creating a critical
response/review of a work/topic.

Evaluating Questions

The scatterplot shows the number of absences

in a week for classes of different sizes. Trevor
concluded that there is a positive correlation
between class size and the number of
absences.
Which statement best describes why Trevors
conclusion was incorrect?
A. The largest class does not have the
most absences.
B. The smallest class does not have the
least number of absences.
C. The data show no relationship between
class size and number of absences.
D. The data show a negative relationship
between class size and number of
absences.

Evaluating Questions
Which of the following pieces of
information is most helpful in supporting
the writers request for a replacement?
A. The writer knew she had the perfect
gift for her mother.
B. The writer gave the hand vacuum to
her mother for her fortieth birthday.
C. The vacuum had no suction.
D. The writer and her father read the
owners manual together.

Review and Application

In your groups, will you be given some
sample objectives and test questions.
Identify the thinking skill level for the
objectives and test questions.
Be prepared to defend your thoughts to the
whole group.

Thoughts for the Classroom

Should teachers start at the bottom of the
hierarchy and work their way up to more
complex levels of thinking?

In other words, should we always start with

knowing and end up at evaluating?

Some Thoughts for the

Classroom

[The] view [that learners must start at the

bottom and work toward the top] may be
characterized as the climbing the ladder
model of cognition.
This model is at odds with
contemporary views of the learning
process and may confine students to a
boring regimen of low-level, skill-drill
activities, rote memorization of discrete
facts, and mind-numbing test prep
worksheets.

Some Thoughts for the

Classroom

Teachers should incorporate Marzanos

vocabulary into questioning:
Use a variety of questions at
different cognitive levels.
Ask different students questions.
Vary the questions asked for each
student.
Challenge all students to answer
complex questions.

Some Thoughts for the

Classroom

Use the Marzano structure for developing

assessment items:
Write or re-write multiple
choice items to match the
hierarchy.
Construct open-ended items
according to the cognitive
demands of the objective.

Some Thoughts for the

Classroom

Embed using the vocabulary of the

hierarchy in everyday work without
focusing on the structure itself:
Students do not need to know
the levels of thinking and
reasoning.
Students do need to know
what common terms like
verify, assess, analyze,
and infer mean.

Some Thoughts for the

Classroom

Does posting the objective daily mean that the

teachers or the students actually understand it?
NO! NO! NO! NO!
The evidence of understanding of the
objective comes from how it is
unpacked in the classroom.
Teachers should work at making
objectives student friendly and
encouraging students to personalize
objectives.

Marzano and CITW

How does this hierarchy connect to
Marzanos Classroom Instruction that
Works?
Similarities and
Differences

Comparing & Classifying =

Organizing
Metaphors & Analogies = Analyzing
and Generating

Nonlinguistic
Representation

All forms of NR can be used at each

level of the hierarchy.

Setting Objectives and Objectives (NC SCOS)

Providing Feedback
Feedback = Analyzing and
Evaluating

North Carolina Thinking Skills Levels: Thinking Maps

Knowing

Organizing

Applying

Analyzing

Generating Integrating Evaluating

A Few Big Ideas

Categorizing an
Since the Bloomobjective or a question
Marzano hierarchy is
often depends on the
the language of the
interpretation of that
SCOS of testing, it is
item as well as the
essential that it be
background knowledge
understood and
of the student.
applied to classroom
practice.

A Few Big Ideas

Objectives must be
unpacked to get at
what is implied for
students to know,
understand, and be
able to do in the
classroom.

The NC SCOS did not

adopt the full Marzano
hierarchy, so teachers
must pay attention to
other critical issues
such as metacognition,
emotion, and interest
and the roles they play
in learning.

Conclusion -- Administration
As a result of this information,
How will my administrative practice
change?
What will I look for in lesson plans and
observations?
How has my understanding of the
curriculum and testing changed?

Conclusion -- Teachers
As a result of this information,
What will I do differently in my classroom
assessments?
What will I do with my lesson planning?
How will I unpack my curriculum to get
at what students should know,
understand, and be able to do?

Conclusion
Questions?
Comments?
Next Steps?

For more information, contact Scott KingOwen, gkingowe@nhcs.net