Increasing Critical Thinking
with
POWER VERBS
Recall Level
(Knowledge/Comprehension)
identify - name
All the information I know
What the question asks
What
matches
list - itemize or give
in order
1. ________
2. ________
3. ________
4. ________
5. ________
define - give
the meaning
Frayer Model
Definition
characteristics
(in own words)
word
examples
non-examples
describe - tell
everything you know;
give details and examples
looks sounds feels smells tastes
or
summarize - tell
the main points or ideas
details and
examples
big ideas
explain - tell
all about
What I think Why I think that Example
discuss - tell
about in detail
What I think Why I think that Example
Application Level
trace - give events
or steps in order
1. ______
2. ______
3 ______ or
4 ______
5 ______
predict - forecast;
tell what will come next
Evidence
(details or examples)
What
will come next
Why
it will come next
interpret – tell
about the meaning or
significance
What is
important
Reasons why it is
important
Analysis Level
analyze break apart
Generalization or Conclusion
Reason 1
Reason 2
Reason 3
support - give
examples, details, or
reasons
I. General Statement
A. Example/detail/reason
B. Example/detail/reason
C. Example/detail/reason
II. General Statement
A. Example/detail/reason
B. Example/detail/reason
C. Example/detail/reason
III. General Statement
A. Example/detail/reason
B. Example/detail/reason
C. Example/detail/reason
1
2
General
Statement
Example/
detail/reason
or
Concept
3
Example/
detail/reason
4
Example/
detail/reason
infer – read between
the lines; make an educated
guess
Evidence
(details or examples)
What
it means
Why
it means that
Synthesis Level
formulate make up; create
All the information I
know
How it could be put
together in a new way
Evaluation Level
criticize - give
good and bad points
Good Points
Bad Points
compare -tell
about similarities
and differences
item 1
item 2
similarities
Venn Diagram
or
item 1
differences
with regard to. . .
item 2
evaluate judge; rate
Good Points
Bad Points
Overall Rating
justify - prove;
give evidence or facts
Generalization or
Conclusion
Facts
How to Use Power Verbs
Included are charts for 18 “power verbs.” You may want to select
only those that are most appropriate to your grade level and
content area. If you would like to add other verbs or edit these,
contact Jeanette Hodges for the PowerPoint slides.
Each power verb has a simple definition, a visual cue, and at least
one graphic organizer that would fit. Our at-risk populations need
to have simplistic language that they can understand; otherwise,
they may know the content but not understand what the question
is asking.
•Recent brain research tells us that we learn by visual cues. As you introduce the power
verb charts to the class, you may want to discuss the visual cue and how it relates to the
verb.
•All of our students --- gifted as well as special needs --- need to be explicitly taught how
to organize their thinking. They also need to understand that there is no “magic” way to
organize their thinking for all types of questions. For instance, the popular three or fourcolumn method works for some questions and for some students. Each power verb
chart includes at least one graphic organizer, but students need to understand that there
are others. The best district-wide method is ROAR. (Read the entire question.
Organize your thinking. Answer the question. Review your answer.)
•You may want to introduce the power verbs just a few at a time or perhaps even one a
week. Larry Bell says that some schools have had great success by having a “power
verb of the week.” The verb is mentioned in the morning announcements, teachers use
the verb in class, and students may even be stopped in the hall or the cafeteria to define
and give an example of the word of the week.
•Teachers and students need to be aware of the level of cognition (i.e., Bloom’s
Taxonomy). The power verbs in this packet are listed in order, according to level.
However, these levels are fluid rather than rigid. In other words, the same verb may be
used on more than one level of thinking (e.g., compare, explain, infer). It just depends
on the way the verb is used.
•As you post the verbs in your classroom, you may want to cluster the verbs around the
most common level of thinking for that verb. (The levels and the verbs are presented in
order in the packet.) If so, you may want to color-code the poster for each level to fit a
traffic light. Recall would be on red paper; application would be on yellow paper;
analysis would be on green paper; synthesis and evaluation would be on blue paper
to indicate that “the sky is the limit!” Color-coding is just one other visual cue that may
help some students, especially our at-risk populations.