Examples of Bloom’s Taxonomy in the Classroom
A research-based, teacher-ready guide with nine concrete examples per level across elementary, middle, and high school. Verbs are bolded to make the cognitive demand unmistakable.
Remember
Retrieving knowledge
ElementaryStudents recall definitions of spelling words during a quick warm-up and name as many as possible in one minute. This builds fluency and keeps attention high while reinforcing retrieval.
Students place printed labels for plant parts on a projected blank diagram, then identify any errors together. The public correction step helps stabilize accurate vocabulary.
Students write facts from memory in a “fact relay,” then list additional details as peers jog their memory. The teacher models how to group facts to strengthen recall cues.
Middle SchoolStudents match shuffled event cards to reconstruct a Revolution timeline and briefly discuss why order matters. Sequencing supports durable memory traces.
Students write three math formulas they can remember before opening a book, surfacing prior knowledge and gaps that will guide practice.
Students say state capitals in a popcorn game, naming as many as possible, then reflect on which stuck and which did not to plan study strategies.
High SchoolStudents complete a micro-quiz by writing the symbols for ten elements from memory, then check answers with a peer. Immediate feedback strengthens retention.
Students list all characters in Act I of Macbeth and record each one’s first line or action, anchoring names to distinct cues.
Students recreate a geometry formula sheet from memory and compare it with the official version to target missing items for study.
Understand
Explaining and interpreting
ElementaryStudents draw the water cycle and explain each stage to a partner, then revise their wording after hearing a different explanation. This turns recognition into meaning making.
Students retell a fable with puppets, showing how one event leads to the next so the moral emerges from the action rather than teacher direction.
Students sort picture cards of solids, liquids, and gases and justify choices aloud with precise terms like “takes the shape of its container.”
Middle SchoolStudents rewrite a famous speech in modern language, translate its meaning for younger readers, and share to check clarity. Fidelity of ideas shows comprehension.
Students create a concept map that connects science terms and label each arrow with relationship words such as “causes” and “transforms.”
Students complete a compare and contrast chart for energy sources and explain which they would choose for their city and why.
High SchoolStudents identify a theme from a novel and restate it as a single aphorism that communicates the core idea in one sentence.
Students analyze a political cartoon and explain what it suggests about a historical event, citing visual evidence for each claim.
Students summarize a research article in plain language so classmates can understand the key findings without jargon.
Apply
Using knowledge in context
ElementaryStudents measure classroom objects, record data, and convert inches to centimeters to practice both systems in a concrete setting.
Students test objects with magnets to determine which are magnetic and explain the results using earlier lessons.
Students predict tomorrow’s weather from today’s chart and state reasoning in an “if…then” sentence that makes the rule explicit.
Middle SchoolStudents use an ecosystem simulator to predict population changes after removing a predator and present the causal story to peers.
Students calculate totals while “shopping” from a flyer and justify choices that keep them under budget including tax.
Students edit a dialogue paragraph, apply comma rules, and explain each correction to a partner.
High SchoolStudents apply economic principles to a resource case, propose a solution, and defend it with data and tradeoffs.
Students input a real data set, generate a regression line, and interpret the slope and intercept in context.
Students argue a mock Supreme Court case, cite constitutional clauses, and decide an opinion with rationale.
Analyze
Examining and breaking down
ElementaryStudents compare two versions of Cinderella and describe how choices and endings differ, noticing how small changes shift outcomes.
Students sort sentences into fact or opinion, then explain decisions and revise when challenged by peers.
Students scan a story to find and group words with similar vowel patterns and notice consistent spelling rules.
Middle SchoolStudents break a short editorial into claim, evidence, and reasoning and label each part to expose structure.
Students categorize books into genres and defend gray-area choices, clarifying criteria as they go.
Students diagram the chain of events that led to a conflict and identify direct and indirect consequences.
High SchoolStudents mark tone shifts in a poem, explain which words signal change, and discuss the author’s purpose.
Students evaluate a published experiment, identify confounds, and suggest design improvements.
Students divide a Shakespeare scene into structural parts and analyze how structure guides audience expectations.
Evaluate
Judging with criteria
ElementaryStudents choose the most fair classroom rule and explain why it supports everyone’s learning.
Students recommend one book from the week and defend why a peer would enjoy it using specific features.
Students use a simple rubric to assess a peer’s story and share one strength and one suggestion.
Middle SchoolStudents rate three websites for credibility and discuss which they would trust for a project and why.
Students select the most efficient solution strategy using a decision grid and explain the tradeoffs.
Students argue which historical event most changed the world and support that claim with sourced evidence.
High SchoolStudents compare two news articles, highlight biased wording, and evaluate reliability with explicit criteria.
Students critique a partner’s lab report against a rubric and suggest revisions that would strengthen claims.
Students assess the impact of a policy using published data and present a brief, evidence-based judgment.
Create
Synthesizing and producing
ElementaryStudents design a simple harvesting tool from classroom materials and demonstrate how it would work to solve a real problem.
Students write a new ending to a story and perform it, shifting the moral through different character choices.
Students compose a storm soundscape and narrate the scene they imagined, aligning sound to sequence.
Middle SchoolStudents produce a short recycling PSA and share it at homeroom, tailoring message to audience.
Students illustrate a comic that explains photosynthesis using accurate vocabulary and panels that show transformation.
Students build a straw bridge, test load capacity, and redesign to improve strength based on results.
High SchoolStudents design and conduct an original experiment, collect data, and present findings with visualizations.
Students create a multimedia awareness campaign, develop poster and video assets, and schedule a release plan.
Students compile a multigenre portfolio that integrates essay, art, and data visualization into one cohesive theme.
Research References
Anderson, L. W., & Krathwohl, D. R. (2001). A Taxonomy for Learning, Teaching, and Assessing: A Revision of Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. New York: Longman.
Marzano, R. J., & Kendall, J. S. (2007). The New Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. Corwin Press.
Roediger, H. L., & Butler, A. C. (2011). The critical role of retrieval practice in long-term retention. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 15(1), 20–27.