Bloom Balls

Thank you to Lucy for this article on her use of Bloom’s taxonomy in English. An idea that can easily be used in other subjects.

Recently, I have become a little bit addicted to Pinterest, and this is an idea that I found and have adapted for my own teaching.

The basic idea is that students have a creative way to demonstrate their learning on a topic; this could be as an on-going project throughout a unit, or as a summary at the end of study. All that you need to do is design 12 questions/tasks which use Bloom’s Taxonomy for activities from knowledge through to synthesis.

How you could use it in teaching:

• students could be given the template as a plenary/homework/lesson activity throughout the study of a topic
• groups could be given the 12 tasks to complete on the templates, differentiating for each student dependent on ability or area for development
• Instead of a Bloom Ball, the method of using Bloom’s taxonomy for assessment could be adapted in other creative ways.

Template: http://birkyenglish.pbworks.com/f/Bloom+Ball+Template.pdf

Example activities:

KNOWLEDGE, REMEMBERING

• Colourfully write the title and the author of the reading selection. Use up the entire space of the circle. Make it creative and attractive.
• Use complete sentences to write four fun facts about the author. Use your own words.
• Create a flow-chart of the time-line of the events in the reading selection.
• Define three challenging vocabulary words from the reading selection. Write the words and their definitions in the target language.
• Include an important quotation that is directly related to the theme of the reading selection. Attribute the quote to the character.
• Design a new cover for the reading selection.

COMPREHENSION, UNDERSTANDING

• List three problems faced by the main character. Use complete sentences.
• Describe the main character. Include both physical and personality characteristics in the description. Infer in five sentences what might have happened next.
• Draw comparisons and connections between the culture of the country of the target language and your own country.

APPLICATION, APPLYING

• Illustrate setting of the reading selection in a picture or a map. Label it.
• Draw a picture of the funniest, saddest or the most exciting part of the reading selection. Explain your drawing in two sentences under the picture.
• Create a pretend interview with the main character for a popular on-line magazine.
• Draw an important symbol from the reading selection. Describe it in detail in five sentences.
• Write a poem about the reading selection. It can be a haiku, an acrostic poem, a rhyming one,a “shape” poem etc. Your choice.
• Write the main character’s name along the edge of the circle. Using the letters in the name, write details about the main character.

ANALYSIS, ANALYZING

• Using the five senses: seeing, hearing, touching, tasting, smelling; describe the setting of the reading selection. Was the setting a backdrop for the reading selection, or was it a necessary part of the reading selection.
• Examine the conflict and the antagonist of the reading selection. Illustrate it with a symbol. Describe it in five sentences in detail.
• List 10 unique or unusual words that the author used in the reading selection.
• In a paragraph write a different ending for the reading selection.
• Write a summary of the reading selection. Include only the plot and main ideas.
• Investigate the main character’s motives. Answer the questions: why did he/she behave as he/she did and do what he/she did?

EVALUATION, EVALUATING

• Evaluate the reading selection. What did you like or dislike about the selection?
• Write a paragraph telling your opinion of the reading selection. To whom would you recommend the reading selection?
• Explain if you think that the main character made good or poor decisions. Why?

• SYNTHESIS, SYNTHESIZING
• Draw a Venn Diagram including at least three connections from the book to your life.
• Describe connections and comparisons between you and the events or characters in the reading selection.
• Select the overall message/theme of the reading selection about life that the author is trying to convey.
• Site an example of humour in the reading selection in five sentences. It may be an example of irony, satire, physical humour or humour unique to that culture.

(Questions from: http://www.nectfl.org/sites/nectfl.drupalgardens.com/files/201304/Dete%20TL%20Bloom’s%20Ball.pdf)