Resources for Teaching with Bloom’s Taxonomy

Quick Overview

• What Is Bloom’s Taxonomy? — concise explanation of the revised taxonomy and how it supports planning, instruction, and assessment.
• Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy — aligns cognitive processes with modern tools and digital products when technology is central to a task.

Visuals & Printables

• Bloom’s Taxonomy Poster — printable classroom reference for levels and sample verbs.
• Bloom’s Taxonomy 3D Model — a simple 3D visualization to prompt discussion about cognitive complexity and progression.

Planning Verbs (Classic & Digital)

Choose verbs that match the cognitive level you want students to demonstrate. Classic verbs are tool-agnostic; digital verbs help when technology is central to the product.

• Bloom’s Taxonomy Power Verbs (Classic)
• Bloom’s Digital Power Verbs for Planning

Classroom Strategies

• 50 Ways to Use Bloom’s Taxonomy in the Classroom

Planning tip: When a task spans multiple levels, pick the single outcome you value most and align the rubric and feedback to that level.

Planning & Assessment

Rubrics & criteria

• Define performance at your chosen level (e.g., analyze vs. evaluate) with clear evidence statements.
• Use fewer criteria with specific indicators tied to the level’s cognitive demand.

Question & task stems

• Remember/Understand: list, define, summarize, explain, identify.
• Apply/Analyze: solve, categorize, compare, infer, organize, deconstruct.
• Evaluate/Create: critique, justify, defend, design, compose, propose.

Lesson design workflow

1. Clarify the target level (one level per primary outcome).
2. Select verbs that match the level and draft a product that makes thinking visible.
3. Align criteria, feedback, and exemplars to that level.

Misconceptions & Alternatives

• Not a staircase for all tasks: Many authentic tasks integrate multiple levels; you don’t need to “climb” each step.
• Depth over labels: Evidence of thinking matters more than naming the level.
• Alternatives/complements: Pair Bloom’s with task complexity frameworks (e.g., product quality criteria, disciplinary practices) when useful.

References & Further Reading

Anderson, L. W., & Krathwohl, D. R. (2001). A Taxonomy for Learning, Teaching, and Assessing. Longman.

Churches, A. (2009). Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy.

• Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching — Bloom’s Taxonomy guide
• Iowa State CELT — Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy overview

FAQ

What’s the fastest way to begin? Pick one level, choose matching verbs, and design a single product that makes that thinking visible.

How do I grade across multiple levels? Prioritize one level for scoring; reference others in feedback.