Depths of Knowledge and Reading

Questions to ask to promote deeper thinking about reading

Curriculum Connection January 25, 2012

Norman Webb, a Wisconsin research scientist and mathematics educator (1997)

There are four DOK levels, level 1 (recall), level 2 (skill/concept), level 3 (strategic thinking), and level 4 (extended thinking), and they are

applicable to all subject areas and at all grade levels, including college.

Complex thinking vs hard questions DOK is about complexity, not difficulty.

Hard: Name all the presidents of the United States beginning with George Washington. DOK 1

Complex: After a study on the American Revolution, research & explain reasons why George Washington did not want to be “king” of the United States. DOK 4

Academic Rigor in a Thinking Curriculum

The DOK level describes the kind of thinking involved in the task, not whether it will be completed correctly. A greater DOK level requires greater conceptual understanding and cognitive processing by the students. Therefore, on average, students who reach greater DOK levels more regularly will have increased student achievement.

Recall and Reproduction

Recall or recognition of a factand/or information, (definitions,terms, dates, etc.) required tocomplete a problem or task.

Level 1 Descriptors:

DOK 1 Question Stems

Who is the main character?What is the setting?Where does the story take place?

What happens first?... Then… Next?

Level 1 From Charlotte’s Web #1. Who is in the story? What has

happened so far?

DOK Level 1- Recall and Reproduction – recall basic facts or identify key events in context- Knowledge

Level 2 Descriptors: Skills and ConceptsUsing information, using conceptualknowledge, selecting and/or applyingappropriate procedure(s); includes theengagement of some mental processingbeyond recalling or reproducing a response;requires a decision as to how to approach aproblem or task.

DOK 2 Question StemsWhat can you say about the characters so

far?Or…. What are you learning about the

characters?How would you compare what happens

to the main character to your life? Contrast_____?

How is the main character like you? Different?

Level 2 From Charlotte’s Web#3.What theories are we developing about the characters?

DOK Level 2 Skills & Concepts- make basic inferences or logical predictions from text- Comprehension

Level 3 Descriptors:

Strategic ThinkingRequires reasoning, developing aplan for approaching a problem ortask, decision making, justification,

and complex thinking.

Level 3 From Charlotte’s Web #2. What could this story be about? “This could be a story about…”

DOK 3 Strategic Thinking/ReasoningMake inferences about theme or author’s purpose. Comprehension

Level 3 From Charlotte’s Web

#4. The story started with…Now let’s add some details we learned from further on in the text. Let’s look at the way the characters interact, what they say to each other and what that means about their relationships with each other.◦ Look at how Fern and her dad talk to each

other.◦ Look at what Mother says.◦ What about Avery.

DOK 3- Explain, generalize, or connect ideas using supporting text. Comprehension

Level 3 Charlotte’s Web #5. Reread and notice any words that

may be a symbol or a hint at something in the story or may have a deeper meaning. What are the specific word choices that help shape meaning in the text?

DOK 3- Analyze interrelationships among text elements, situations, events, or ideas.

Analysis

Level 3 Charlotte’s Web #6. Think about the structure of this chapter. What will be the structure of this text based on this chapter? (Where are we in time and how does that move?)

DOK Level 3 – Analyze an essayAnalysis

Level 3 Charlotte’s Web

#7. Whose point of view is represented in this chapter? How does the author show it?

DOK Level 3- Synthesize information within one source or text. Synthesis

DOK 3 Question Stems What conclusions can you draw from the

way the characters interact, what they say to each other and what that means about their relationships with each other?

Why did the author……? Choose this setting, put this character in the story?

What do you think about this story? Support your rationale.

What facts would you select to support____? (logical argument)

How will this story go based on what you know about stories like this one?

When they say, “I don’t know.”

You say, “SUPPOSE YOU DID KNOW?”

Level 4 Descriptors:

Extended Thinking An investigation or application that

requires time to research, think, and process multiple conditions of the problem or task; includes non-routine manipulations or connections across disciplines/content areas/multiple sources.

Level 4 Extensions

Reader’s notebooks Reading and writing connection Making connections across text (i.e. author

study, series) Read non fiction text to gain more

information that relates to the book or series you are currently reading (farm life, spiders)

Research about the author Compare the movie and the book

(discussion or writing) Read different versions of a fairy tale and

tell about how they are the same or different

DOK 4 Question Stems Write a thesis, drawing conclusions from

multiple sources. Apply information from one text to

another text to develop a persuasive argument.

What information can you gather to support your idea about___?

DOK 4 would most likely be the writing about reading or applying information from one text to another text to develop a persuasive argument.

DOK 4 requires time for extended thinking.

sources

Nevada Department of Educationwww.doe.nv.gov Depth of Knowledge – Descriptors, Examples and Question

Stems for Increasing Depth of Knowledge in the Classroom Developed by Dr. Norman Webb and Flip Chart developed by Myra Collins

Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White (adapted from presentation at Teacher’s College-Mary Ehrenworth, Sept. 2011

Applying DOK Levels to Bloom’s Taxonomy Karin K. Hess, National Center for Assessment, 2006.