HOTSUsing Higher Order Thinking

Skills to Write Essential Questions

By: Schlenia LynnJune 2, 2014

Essential Question for Today

How do we use questions to guide instruction and

challenge our students?

The griney grollers grandled in the granchy gak.

• What kind of grollers were they?• What did the grollers do?• Where did they do it?• What kind of gak did they grandle?

The griney grollers grandled in the granchy gak.

• Place one line under the subject and two lines under the verb.

• Explain why the grollers were grandling in the granchy gak. Be prepared to justify your answer with evidence.

• If you had to grandle in a granchy gak, what item would you chose to have with you and why?

Essential Questions vs.

Higher Order Thinking Skills Prompts

Essential Questions• Concepts or skills in the form of

a question (replaces the objectives)

• Organizes and sets the focus of the lesson

• Tool to help teachers gather evidence of learning

• Goal is to be answered by the end of the lesson

• One per lesson – may take more than a day or two to answer

• Cannot be answered with a simple “yes” or “no” (Oliver, nd)

HOTS Prompts• Questions or prompts that are

embedded into the lesson at certain points during instruction

• Provide opportunities for students to be challenged

• May be used to determine direction of instruction

• Present students with at least 3 higher order thinking questions per lesson. This is proof that you are presenting your students with challenging questions and meeting the needs of your advanced learners

Examples of Essential Questions

Topic Example of Essential Question

Not example of Essential Question

Making inferences How do readers use authors’ clues to make inferences?

What is an inference?

Carbohydrates Why are carbohydrates important for your body?

List 10 carbohydrates?

Civil War What were the advantages of both the North and South during the Civil War?

Who was involved in and won the Civil War?

Habitats and ecosystems

How do you distinguish between a habitat and an ecosystem?

What is a habitat? What is an ecosystem?

Graphing quadratic equations

How do I graph quadratic functions?

Can you graph a quadratic equation?

New Bloom’s Taxonomy

LowLevelThinkingSkills

HighLevelThinkingSkills

HOTS Verbs and Product Outcomes

Low Level: Remembering, Understanding, Applying

High Level: Analyzing, Evaluating, Creating

Remembering Understanding Applying Recalling f acts without understanding. Exhibits previously learned material by recalling f acts, terms, basic concepts, and answers.

Demonstrate basic understanding by explaining ideas and concepts.

Using information in a new, similar situation. Solving problems by applying acquired knowledge, f acts, techniques, and rules in a diff erent way.

Key Words: Key Words: Key Words:

Choose Copy Defi ne Duplicate Find How I dentif y Label List Listen Locate Match Memorize Name Describe

Observe Omit Quote Read Recall Recite Recognize Record Relate Remember Repeat Reproduce Retell Select

Show Spell State Tell Trace What When Where Which Who Why Write Draw

Ask Cite Classif y Compare Contrast Demonstrate Discuss Estimate Explain Express Distinguish

Extend Generalize Give examples I llustrate I ndicate I nfer I nterpret Match Observe Convert

Outline Predict Purpose Relate Rephrase Report Restate Review Show Summarize Translate Visualize

Act Administer Apply Associate Build Calculate Categorize Choose Classif y Connect Construct Correlation Demonstrate Develop Dramatize

Employ Experiment With Group I dentif y I llustrate I nterpret I nterview Link Make use of Manipulate Model Organize Perf orm Plan

Practice Relate Represent Select Show Simulate Solve Summarize Teach Transfer Translate Use

Actions: Outcomes/Products: Actions: Outcomes/Products: Actions: Outcomes/Products: Describing Defi nition Classif ying Collection Carrying out Demonstration Finding Fact Comparing Examples Executing Diary I dentif ying Label Exemplif ying Explanation I mplementing I llustration Listing List Explaining Label Using I nterview Locating Quiz I nferring List J ournal Naming Reproduction I nterpreting Outline Perf ormance Recognizing Test Paraphrasing Quiz Presentation Retrieving Workbook Summarizing Show and tell Sculpture Worksheet Summary Simulation Question Prompts: Question Prompts: Question Prompts: Can you list three…? Can you recall…? Can you select…? How did ___ happen? How would you describe…? How would you explain…? How would you show…? What is…? Which one…? Who was…? Who were the main…? Why did…?

Can you explain what is happening…? Can you explain what is meant by…? How would you classif y the type of…? How would you compare/ contrast…? How can you rephrase the meaning of…? How would you summarize…? What can you say about…? What f acts or ideas show…? What is the main idea of…? Which is the best answer…? Which statements support…? How can you state or interpret in your own words…?

How would you use…? What examples can you fi nd to…? How would you solve ___ using what you have learned? How would you organize ___ to show…? How would you show your understanding of…? What approach would you use to…? How would you apply what you learned to develop…? What would result if…? Can you make use of the f acts to…? What f acts would you use to show…? What questions would you ask in an interview with…?

Analyzing Evaluating Creating Examining and breaking information apart to explore understandings and relationships. Making inferences and finding evidence to support generalizations.

J ustif ying a decision or course of action. Presenting and defending opinions by making judgments about information, validity of ideas or quality of work based on a set of criteria.

To change or create into something new. Compiling information together in a diff erent way by combining elements in a new pattern or proposing alternative solutions.

Key Words: Key Words: Key Words: Analyze Appraise Arrange Assume Breakdown Categorize Cause and Eff ect Choose Classif y Diff erences Discover Discriminate Dissect Distinction Distinguish Divide Establish

Examine Find Focus Function Group Highlight Discuss in-depth I nfer I nspect I nvestigate I solate List Motive Omit Order Organize

Prioritize Question Rank Reason Relate Reorganize Research See Select Separate Similar to Survey Take part in Test f or Theme Compare

Agree Appraise Argue Assess Award Bad Choose Compare Conclude Consider Convince Criteria Criticize Debate Decide Deduct Defend Determine

Disapprove Dispute Eff ective Estimate Evaluate Explain Give reasons Grade I mportance I nfer I nfluence I nterpret J udge J ustif y Mark

Measure Opinion Perceive Persuade Prioritize Prove Rate Recommend Rule on Select Support Test Useful Validate Value Why

Adapt Add to Build Change Choose Combine Compile Compose Construct Convert Create Delete Design Develop Devise Discover Discuss Elaborate

Estimate Experiment Extend Formulate Happen Hypothesize I magine I mprove I nnovate I ntegrate I nvent Make up Maximize Minimize Model Modif y Original Originate

Plan Predict Produce Propose Ref rame Revise Rewrite Simplif y Solve Speculate Substitute Suppose Tabulate Test Theorize Think Transform Visualize

Actions: Outcomes/Products: Actions: Outcomes/Products: Actions: Outcomes/Products: Attributing Deconstructing I ntegrating Organizing Outlining Structuring

Abstract Chart Checklist Database Graph Mobile Report Spreadsheet Survey

Attributing Checking Deconstructing I ntegrating Organizing Outlining Structuring

Abstract Chart Checklist Database Graph Mobile Report Spreadsheet Survey Trial Letter Panel

Constructing Designing Devising Making Planning Producing

Advertisement Film Media project New game Painting Plan Project Song Story Magazine Poem TV show or movie Cartoon

Question Prompts: Question Prompts: Question Prompts: What are the parts or features of…? How is ___ related to…? Why do you think…? What is the theme…? What motive is there for…? What inference can you make…? What conclusion can you draw…? How would you classif y…? How would you categorize…? I dentif y the diff erent parts of…? What evidence can you find of…? What is the relationship between…? Can you distinguish between…? What is the function of…? What ideas justif y…?

Do you agree with the actions/ outcomes of…? Why or why not? What is your opinion of…? How would you prove/ disprove…? Can you assess the value/ importance…? Would it be better if…? Why did they choose…? What would you recommend for…? How would you rate…? What would you cite to defend the actions of…? How would you evaluate…? How could you determine…? What choice would you have made…? 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 justif y…? What data was used to make the conclusion…?

What changes would you make to solve…? How would you improve…? What would happen if…? Can you elaborate on…? Can you propose an alternative to…? Can you invent…? How would you adapt ___ to create a diff erent…? How could you change/ modify the plot/ plan to…? What could be done to minimize/ maximize…? What way would you design…? Suppose you could ___. What would you do…? Can you formulate a theory for…? Can you predict the outcome if…? Can you construct a model of ___...?

Writing HOTS Questions

Blooms Taxonomy HOTS ACTIVITY

Activity 1: Remembering Say the Pledge

Activity 2: Understanding Explain what indivisible , liberty, and justice mean.

Activity 3: Apply What questions would you ask to Francis Bellamy, the composer of the original Pledge of Allegiance?

Activity 4: Analyzing Discuss the meaning of “and to the Republic for which it stands’ in terms of its importance to the pledge.”

Activity 5: Evaluation Describe the purpose of the pledge and assess how well it achieves that purpose. Suggest improvements.

Activity 6: CreateWrite a contract between yourself and a friend that includes an allegiance to a symbol that stands for something you both

believe in.

Writing HOTS Questions

• Select a topic from your grade level• Brainstorm 6 concepts related to the

topic• Using a grid, select a verb from

Bloom’s Taxonomy for each level, one of the concepts, and a product for each task

• Translate grid into complete sentences

Topic: Mountain LionConcept: HOTS Verb: Product

:Sentence:

Range and population of the mountain lion

Applying Identify

map Draw a map with a legend

identifying the mountainlion’s current range andpopulation.

Preservation of the mountain lion

Evaluating Criticize

letter Write a letter to the U.S. Government criticizing their role in the preservation of the mountain lion.

Food and habitat of the mountain lion

Creating Design 3D model Design a 3D Model thatillustrates the mountainlion’s natural habitat

andfood source.

Practice Using the Grid

• Select a topic from your grade level• Brainstorm 3 concepts related to the

topic• Using a grid, select a verb from

Bloom’s Taxonomy for each level, one of the concepts, and a product for each task

• Translate grid into complete sentences

How you can use HOTS in the classroom?

• Write essential questions• Word of the day – get students familiar with

the terms• Centers – choice menus• Homework – 1-2 HOTS questions instead of

10 lower level questions• Group discussions• Notebook reflections• Exit slips• Quiz/Test• Student created questions

Personal Check-UP

Answer the following questions:

1.Are your  teaching objectives, activities, and assessments tied to higher order thinking?

2.Do all learners have the opportunity to interact with you and others?

3.Do you allow time in your course for debating? 4.Do your learners have to use inductive and

deductive strategies? 5.Do you find yourself using "shock" statements

and questions to get learners' minds running?

Essential Question for Today

How do we use questions to guide instruction and

challenge our students?

Teacher Share Drive

• PowerPoint• HOTS Verbs and Question Stems• Planning Grid• Additional Resources

References

• Oliver, S., Facilitator, A., & Academy, C. C. (n.d.). ESSENTIAL QUESTION (SESSION QUESTION):. Retrieved June 1, 2014, from http://www.edutopia.org/pdfs/stw/edutopia-cochrane-schturnaround-PD-essential-questions.pdf