Blooms Questioning Cards based on the Taxonomy Chart
Remembering Questions:
Who were the characters?
When & where did the story take
place?
List the main events in the correct
sequence
What happened after…?
How many…?
Who was it that…?
When did…..?
Which is true or false…?
Make a facts chart using
information about a character/s or
the setting
Understanding Questions:
Can you summarize the chapter /
story in your own words?
Who do you think…?
Can you explain why…?
What words in the chapter
suggest…?
Can you find a word which
means…?
What events in the story show /
suggest…?
How might you describe…?
Can you predict what might happen
after …?
Make a story board showing the
sequence of main events.
Applying Questions:
What examples can you find from
the text to explain…?
Which words/phrases would you
select from the text to explain…?
What do you think might have
happened if…?
What 3 questions would you ask in
an interview with….?
What important messages do you
think the author has given?
Have you, or someone you know,
had the same kind of experience/s
as the characters in the story?
Explain...
Make up a puzzle or game using
information from the story.
Analysing Questions:
How were the events in this story
similar to …?
What was the problem with…?
What is the theme of the story?
What evidence can you find in the
text to suggest…?
How is … similar to …?
What is the relationship
between…?
Make a flow chart to showing the
main events
What conclusions might you make
about …?
What do you see as other possible
outcomes / endings ?
What was the turning point in this
story?
Evaluating Questions:
Was the main character good or
bad? Explain
List 5 strengths & 5 weaknesses of
the main character or plot
Can you think of a better solution
to…?
How might you have dealt with
…?
What change/s to………. would
you recommend?
Do you agree with… / the way in
which…… ?
Do you see any qualities
in……..that you can identify with?
What have you learned from reading this story…?
Creating Questions
Can you make up your own short
story including the same
characters ?
Can you create a new character for
the story?
Can you think of a new title for the
book?
Can you design a new cover for the
book?
Rewrite the ending of the story
changing it from happy to sad or
vice versa.
Compose a song or rhyme relating
to part of the story.
James Gillespie’s Primary School
“The purpose of education is to
change the thoughts, feelings and
actions of pupils”
Benjamin Bloom
Creating
Evaluating
Analysing
Applying
Understanding
Robyn Rutherford & Alison Carson
Class Teachers
James Gillespie’s Primary School
Whitehouse Loan
Edinburgh
Remembering
In Primary 2, we are working hard to develop
good comprehension and thinking skills in our
pupils. We encourage the children to think for
themselves, listen, analyse and interpret
information independently.
One tool which we will be using to promote and
develop these skills is Bloom’s Taxonomy. This
booklet aims to provide you with useful
suggestions as to how you might support and
enhance the development of your child’s thinking
skills at home.
What is Bloom’s Taxonomy?
Bloom’s Taxonomy was originally created
by a psychologist, Benjamin Bloom in the
1950s. Bloom identified different
intellectual levels of thinking that are vital
for learning.
In order to facilitate development and
progression, and to support the acquisition
of thinking skills, Bloom devised a
questioning taxonomy (model). This model
is frequently displayed as a pyramid and
was updated in the 1990s to reflect modern
educational needs. The pyramid is as
follows:
The Big Six Explained
Bloom’s Taxonomy in School
As the pyramid illustrates, there are six levels
of thinking: the simplest forms at the base
progressing to the more complex at the top.
During Terms 3 and 4 we aim to develop
thinking skills across the curriculum.
Remembering: Remembering questions are
the most frequently asked questions and
require children to think about the who, what,
where, when and why of a subject. These
questions only require children to recall
information directly from the text.
Understanding: When children move on
from remembering questions, they are
required to explain ideas and concepts in their
own words.
Applying: When asked to apply, children are
Creating
Evaluating
Analysing
encouraged to think and use what they have
learned to resolve a situation or solve a new
problem. A good example of this would be to
ask your child ‘What might have happened
if?’
Applying
Understanding
Remembering
Analysing: Children should be
encouraged to break down information into
parts to support their understanding and be
encouraged to talk about the reasons and
motives behind the actions of the characters.
Evaluating: Children are required to think
By basing our questioning techniques on
this model, we can encourage our children
to analyse information and create new
ideas. These thinking skills are built up
through active lessons and activities that
extend beyond basic rote memorization of
facts.
and make judgements and decisions of their
own. A good example of this is asking your
child to justify an opinion.
Creating: Presenting children with creating
questions will require them to use the
information and ideas from texts together to
create a new idea.
Initially we will use Bloom’s Taxonomy
during reading activities. Reading
comprehension activities will be focused
around the different types of questioning
outlined on the pyramid.
Our classroom displays will support
pupils to become familiar with the
different levels of questioning and their
corresponding colours.
Once the children understand the types
of questions we will extend Bloom’s
Taxonomy into other areas of the
curriculum.
Bloom’s Taxonomy at Home
Bloom’s Taxonomy activities will feature
in homework tasks.
Clear instructions on how you might
support these tasks will be provided on
the weekly homework sheet.
We have included in this booklet
appropriate questions starters linked to
each of the taxonomy levels. These will
help you to compile a range of different
types of questions to support your child’s
reading comprehension and development
of thinking skills at home.
.