a sudden feeling of
cold with shivering
accompanied by a
rise in temperature,
often with copious
sweating,
especially at the
onset or height
of a fever.
short for rigor mortis.
When It Rains Rigor
The puddles are deeper!
Bringing Clarity to ….
Cognitive Rigor
and the Depth of Knowledge
Your Card
Part 1
Cognitive Rigor Overview
Objectives:
1. Recognize
what DOK level
a question
or task is.
 Conceptualizing
Cognitive
Rigor
 Dddd
 Your
Questions
 Dddd
 Dddd
 Different Models of Rigor
 The Cognitive Rigor (CR) Matrix
 Let’s Play a Game
 Revisit Your Questions
Applying Rigor
 2 basic comprehension questions...
 2 rigorous comprehension questions…
 Your Questions
Golden Keys
A bunch of golden keys is mine
To make each day with gladness shine.
"Good morning!" that's the golden key
That unlocks every door for me.
When evening comes, "Good night!" I say,
And close the door of each glad day.
When at the table "If you please"
I take from off my bunch of keys.
When friends give anything to me,
I'll use the little "Thank you" key.
"Excuse me," "Beg your pardon," too,
When by mistake some harm I do.
Or if unkindly harm I've given,
With "Forgive me" key I'll be forgiven.
On a golden ring these keys I'll bind,
This is its motto: "Be ye kind.“
I'll often use each golden key,
And so a happy child I'll be.
YOUR QUESTIONS
Two basic comprehension questions would be:
1.__________________________________________________________________
2.__________________________________________________________________
Two more rigorous questions would be:
1._________________________________________________________________
2._________________________________________________________________
3 Common Different Models of Rigor
There are different models describing cognitive rigor.
Each model actually addresses something different.
Bloom – What type of thinking (verbs) is needed to
complete a task?
Webb – How deeply do you have to understand the
content to successfully interact with it? How
complex is the content?
Hess combined Dr. Norman Webb’s Depths of
Knowledge and Dr. Benjamin Bloom’s Bloom’s
Cognitive Taxonomy to develop the Cognitive Rigor
(CR) Matrix.
 Different Models of Rigor
Three Parts of the CR Matrix
The DOK Levels
DOK
Blooms
DOK LEVEL 1
Recall and
Reproduction
DOK 2
Skills and Concepts
DOK LEVEL 3
Strategic Thinking
and Reasoning
DOK 4
Extended Thinking
Knowledge
Comprehension
The
Bloom’s
Levels
Application
Cognitive Rigor Tasks
Analysis
Evaluation
Synthesis
 The Cognitive Rigor (CR) Matrix
Hess Cognitive Rigor Matrix
Webb’s

Depth of Knowledge
Blooms

DOK LEVEL 1
Recall and Reproduction
DOK LEVEL 2
Basic Skills and Concepts
DOK LEVEL 3
Strategic Thinking and
Reasoning
DOK LEVEL 4
Extended Thinking
Remember
(Knowledge)
Retrieve knowledge from longterm memory, recognize, recall,
locate, identify.
o Ka Recall, recognize, or locate basic facts,
details, events, or ideas explicit in texts.
o Kb Read words orally in connected text with
fluency & accuracy.
o Kc-Define terms.
Understand
(Comprehend)
o Cd Identify or describe literary elements
(characters, setting, sequence, etc.)
o Ce Select appropriate words when intended
meaning/definition is clearly evident.
o Cf Describe/explain who, what, where, when,
or how.
o Ch Specify, explain, show relationships;
explain why, cause-effect.
o Give non-examples -examples.*
o Ci Summarize results, concepts, ideas.
o Cj Make basic inferences or logical
predictions from data or texts.
o Ck Identify main ideas or accurate
generalizations of texts.
o Cl Locate information to support explicitimplicit central ideas.
o Cu Explain, generalize, or
connect ideas using supporting
evidence (quote, example, text
reference).
o Cv Identify/ make inferences
about explicit or implicit themes.
o Cw Describe how word choice,
point of view, or bias may affect
the readers’ interpretation of a
text.
o CK Explain how concepts or
ideas specifically relate to
other content domains or
concepts.
o CL Develop generalizations of
the results obtained or
strategies used and apply
them to new problem
situations.
Apply
Carry out or use a procedure in
a given situation; carry out
(apply to a familiar task), or use
(apply) to an unfamiliar task.
o APgUse language structure (pre/suffix) or
word relationships(synonyms/antonym) to
determine meaning.
o APm Use context to identify word
meanings
o APn Obtain and interpret information
using text features.
o APx Use concepts to solve nonroutine problems.
o Devise an approach among
many alternatives to research
a novel problem.*
o APM Illustrate how multiple
themes (historical,
geographic, social) may be
interrelated.
Analyze
Break into constituent parts,
determine how parts relate,
differentiate between relevantirrelevant, distinguish, focus,
select, organize, outline, find
coherence, deconstruct (e.g.,
for bias or point of view).
o ANo Identify whether specific information is
contained in graphic representations (e.g.,
map, chart, table, graph, T-chart, diagram) or
text features (e.g., headings, subheadings,
captions).
o ANp Categorize/compare literary
elements, terms, facts, details, events.
o ANq Identify use of literary devices.
o ANr Analyze format, organization, &
internal text structure (signal words,
transitions, semantic cues) of different
texts.
o ANs Distinguish: relevant-irrelevant
information; fact/opinion.
o ANt Identify characteristic text features;
distinguish between texts, genres.
o ANy Analyze information within
data sets or texts.
o ANz Analyze interrelationships
among concepts, issues, and
problems.
o ANA Analyze or interpret
author’s craft (literary devices,
viewpoint, or potential bias) to
critique a text.
o ANB Use reasoning, planning,
and evidence to support
inferences.
o ANN Analyze multiple sources
of evidence, or multiple works
by the same author, or across
genres, time periods, themes.
o ANO Analyze
complex/abstract themes,
perspectives, concepts.
o ANP Gather, analyze, and
organize multiple information
sources.
o ANQ Analyze discourse styles.
o EVC Cite evidence and develop a
logical argument for conjectures.
o EVD Describe, compare, and
contrast solution methods.
o EVE Verify reasonableness of
results.
o EVF Critique conclusions drawn.
o EVR Evaluate relevancy,
accuracy, & completeness of
information from multiple
sources.
o EVS Draw & justify
conclusions
o EVT Apply understanding in a
novel way; provide argument
or justification for the
application.
Construct meaning, clarify,
paraphrase, represent,
translate, illustrate, give
examples, classify, categorize,
summarize, generalize, infer a
logical conclusion), predict,
compare/contrast, match like
ideas, explain, construct
models.
Evaluate
Make judgments based on
criteria, check, detect
inconsistencies or fallacies,
judge, critique.
Create
(Synthesize)
Reorganize elements into new
patterns/structures, generate,
hypothesize, design, plan,
produce.
o SYG Generate conjectures or hypotheses o SYH Synthesize information
based on observations or prior
within one source or text.
knowledge and experience.
o SYI Develop a complex model for
a given situation.
o SYJ Develop an alternative
solution.
o SYU Synthesize information
across multiple sources or
texts.
o SYV Articulate a new voice,
theme, knowledge or
perspective.
One Step
DOK-1
Reporter
DOK-2
Interpreter
DOK-3
Judge
Two Steps
Three Steps
DOK-1
Key Details, Facts, Words, Terms, Events acts . These can
stand alone as sources of information. They require the
skills of recalling, locating, reading, defining and
recognizing. These questions or tasks require students to
go to the source or recall information and are one –step
DOK-1 questions. Students do one thing. The answer is
either right or wrong.
DOK-1 Example:
What is an important fact about spiders?
DOK-2
Cause and Effect, Results, Relationships, Concepts,
Ideas. These are not stand alone concepts. They are
broader. They require the skills of specifying,
explaining, showing, summarizing, logically inferring,
identifying, predicting and showing explicit
generalizations using two-steps (1) locating and
selecting those stand-alone pieces of information (DOK1 facts, terms, words, etc…) to (2) identify and verify the
correct answer. The answer is still either right or wrong.
DOK-2 Example:
What is the main idea of the story?
DOK-3
Evidence, Quotes, Examples, References, Word Choices,
Points of View, Bias, Purpose., New Problems,
Conclusions, Generalizations, Conjectures. These
concepts move students into reasoning. They require
the skills of explaining, generalizing, connecting,
describing the effects of, solving and interpreting. DOK3, three -step questions are asking students to (1)
explain “HOW” the two-step questions are connected
[how are the key details helping us identify the main
idea? How do the illustrations in the text contribute
more to the story?] (2) show how they solved the
question using words, pictures, graphic organizers and
(3) draw and justify a conclusion.
DOK-3 Example:
What character traits did Goldilocks have that
contributed to the sequence of events?
DOK-1
Recall and Reproduce
SHOW
ME
TELL ME
a
DOK-2
DOK-2
Skills and Concepts
Skills and Concepts
I can
In order to…
LOCATE
IDENTIFY
and
and
SELECT
Information or
details…
VERIFY
a new concept.
a
b
DOK-3
DOK-3
DOK-3
Strategic Thinking and Reasoning
Strategic Thinking and Reasoning
Strategic Thinking and Reasoning
I can
...which I use to show
my
LOCATE and
SELECT
REASONING so
I can show HOW I
SOLVED and
CONCLUDED
information and
details
IDENTIFY
and VERIFY
to
a new concept…
and then I
EXPLAIN
my
THINKING
the question
a
b
c
Can you identify the two steps?
verify/identify
locate/select
DOK-2
• How would you summarize the story? unspoken details
• Why did Jack fall? Explain your answer.
• How do the pigs’ houses reveal their characters?
• What facts support that Goldilocks was curious? Explain.
• How are the bad wolf and grandma different? unspoken details
• What identifies Huck from Tom? unspoken details
• What evidence best explains why Jack sold the cow?
• According to the book, how does Johnny climb a tree?
unspoken details
Can you identify the three steps?
Locate/select
verify/identify
Reason How
Solve and Conclude
Explain (justify)
Your Thinking
DOK-3
• How does the author’s use of hyperbole lead the reader to
believe that she is exaggerating?
• Which event most likely contributed to the fire? How do you
know?
• If Hansel and Gretel had not left a trail of bread crumbs then
what may have happened? Explain.
• How did Ben’s belief effect the outcome?
UNSTATED
• How did Mr. Taylor enable Casey to keep the horse? UNSTATED
• What factors most influenced the outcome of the civil ward?
Explain how you know.
• Should the electricity have been turned off at that moment?
UNSTATED
UNSTATED
Determining Depth-of-Knowledge Levels
The intended student learning outcome determines the DOK
level. What mental processing must occur?
While verbs may appear to point to a DOK level, it is what
comes after the verb that is the best indicator of the
rigor/DOK level.
Describe the physical features of a plant.
Describe how the two political parties are alike and
different.
Describe the most significant effect of WWII on the
nations of Europe.
Rules of Thumb
If there is only one correct answer, it
is probably level DOK 1 or DOK 2
•DOK 1: you either know it (can recall
it, locate it, do it) or you don’t
•DOK 2 (conceptual): apply one
concept, then make a decision before
going on applying a second concept
If more than one
solution/approach, requiring
evidence, it is DOK 3 or 4
Dr.
Hess
•DOK 3: Must provide supporting
evidence and reasoning (not just
HOW solved, but WHY – explain
reasoning)
•DOK 4: all of “3” + use of multiple
sources or texts.
The Hess Cognitive Rigor Matrix: Applies Webb’s DOK to Bloom’s
Cognitive Process Dimensions
Note: not a complete matrix – an abbreviated example
Depth +
thinking
Level 1
Recall &
Reproduction
Level 2
Skills & Concepts
Level 3
Strategic
Thinking/
Reasoning
Level 4
Extended
Thinking
Remember
-Recall, locate
basic facts,
details, events
Understand
-Select
appropriate
words to use
when intended
meaning is clearly
evident
-Specify or explain
relationships
-summarize
-identify central
idea
-Explain,
generalize, or
connect ideas
using supporting
evidence (quote,
example…)
-Explain how
concepts or ideas
specifically relate
to other content
domains or
concepts
-Use context to
identify meaning of
word
-Obtain and
interpret
information using
text features
-Use concepts to
solve non-routine
problems
Apply
-Use language
structure
(pre/suffix) or
word
relationships
(synonym/antony
m) to determine
meaning
-Devise an
approach among
many alternatives
to research a
novel problem
-Identify whether
information is
contained in a
graph, table, etc.
-Compare literary
elements, terms,
facts, events
-analyze format,
organization, &
text structures
-Analyze or
interpret author’s
craft (literary
devices,
viewpoint, or
potential bias) to
critique a text
-Analyze multiple
sources
-Analyze
complex/abstract
themes
-Cite evidence
and develop a
logical argument
for conjectures
-Evaluate
relevancy,
accuracy, &
completeness of
information
-Synthesize
information
within one
source or text
-Synthesize
information
across multiple
sources or texts
Analyze
Evaluate
Create
Not appropriate at this level
Not appropriate at this level
-Brainstorm ideas
about a topic
-Generate
conjectures based
on observations or
prior knowledge
The CR Matrix Lesson Plan Template Example
Back to Your Questions!
Depth +
thinking
Remember
Understand
Level 1
Recall &
Reproduction
Level 2
Skills & Concepts
Level 3
Strategic ThinkingReasoning
Level 4
Extended
Thinking
-Recall facts
-Identify
characters,
setting, etc.
-Retell or
summarize…
Apply
-Comparecontrast
-Analyze
multiple
texts/sources
& using text
evidence for
support
Analyze
-Justify
judgments using
details/evidence
from text
Evaluate
Create
-Develop a
creative summary
 Revisit Your Questions