SOLO Taxonomy - Teaching the Verbs
SOLO level
The Verbs
Example answer to
“Explain why cheetahs have spots”
Extended abstract
Create
Formulate
Generate
Hypothesise
Reflect
Theorise
“The spots are formed by melanin in the skin which
is a chemical reaction during embryonic
development. The spots evolved after mutation to
help camouflage them.” Stripes would not be an
advantage that is why the cheetah is so rare in the
wild. The spots are mathematical patterns that can
be described with different equations.”
Extended abstract thought. Goes beyond what has
been taught.
Relational
Analyse
Apply
Argue
Compare/contrast
Criticise
Justify
Relate
Explain causes
“The spots are formed by melanin in the skin which
is a chemical reaction during embryonic
development. The spots evolved after mutation to
help camouflage them.”
Good biological explanation with links to prior
knowledge.
Multistructural
Combine
Perform serial skills
List
Enumerate
Describe
“The spots are formed by melanin in the skin. The
spots camouflaged them while hunting.”
Correct but with no explanation, provides more than
one fact.
Unistructural
Name
Identify
Follow simple procedure
“It makes them hard to see.”
Correct however this gives no explanation and
provides just one fact.
Prestructural
Misses the point
“I donʼt know.”
No attempt to answer.
“So that they are different from lions.”
The response is irrelevant.