1. Depths of Knowledge and Reading
Questions to ask to promote deeper thinking about reading Curriculum Connection January 25, 2012

2. Norman Webb, a Wisconsin research scientist and mathematics educator (1997)
There are four DOK levels,
level 1 (recall),
level 2 (skill/concept),
level 3 (strategic thinking), and
level 4 (extended thinking), and they are applicable to all subject areas and at all grade levels, including college.

3. Complex thinking vs hard questions
DOK is about complexity, not difficulty.
Hard: Name all the presidents of the United States beginning with George Washington. DOK 1
Complex: After a study on the American Revolution, research & explain reasons why George Washington did not want to be “king” of the United States. DOK 4

4. Academic Rigor in a Thinking Curriculum
The DOK level describes the kind of thinking involved in the task, not whether it will be completed correctly. A greater DOK level requires greater conceptual understanding and cognitive processing by the students. Therefore, on average, students who reach greater DOK levels more regularly will have increased student achievement.

5. Recall and Reproduction
Level 1 Descriptors:
Recall and Reproduction
Recall or recognition of a fact and/or information, (definitions, terms, dates, etc.) required to complete a problem or task.

6. DOK 1 Question Stems Who is the main character? What is the setting?
Where does the story take place?
What happens first?... Then… Next?

7. Level 1 From Charlotte’s Web
#1. Who is in the story? What has happened so far?
DOK Level 1- Recall and Reproduction – recall basic facts or identify key events in context- Knowledge

8. Level 2 Descriptors: Skills and Concepts
Using information, using conceptual
knowledge, selecting and/or applying
appropriate procedure(s); includes the
engagement of some mental processing
beyond recalling or reproducing a response;
requires a decision as to how to approach a
problem or task.

9. DOK 2 Question Stems What can you say about the characters so far?
Or…. What are you learning about the characters?
How would you compare what happens to the main character to your life? Contrast_____?
How is the main character like you? Different?

10. Level 2 From Charlotte’s Web
#3.What theories are we developing about the characters?
DOK Level 2 Skills & Concepts- make basic inferences or logical predictions from text- Comprehension

11. Level 3 Descriptors: Strategic Thinking
Requires reasoning, developing a
plan for approaching a problem or
task, decision making, justification,
and complex thinking.

12. Level 3 From Charlotte’s Web
#2. What could this story be about? “This could be a story about…”
DOK 3 Strategic Thinking/Reasoning
Make inferences about theme or author’s purpose. Comprehension

13. Level 3 From Charlotte’s Web
#4. The story started with…Now let’s add some details we learned from further on in the text. Let’s look at the way the characters interact, what they say to each other and what that means about their relationships with each other.
Look at how Fern and her dad talk to each other.
Look at what Mother says.
What about Avery.
DOK 3- Explain, generalize, or connect ideas using supporting text. Comprehension

14. Level 3 Charlotte’s Web
#5. Reread and notice any words that may be a symbol or a hint at something in the story or may have a deeper meaning. What are the specific word choices that help shape meaning in the text?
DOK 3- Analyze interrelationships among text elements, situations, events, or ideas.
Analysis

15. Level 3 Charlotte’s Web
#6. Think about the structure of this chapter. What will be the structure of this text based on this chapter? (Where are we in time and how does that move?)
DOK Level 3 – Analyze an essay
Analysis

16. Level 3 Charlotte’s Web
#7. Whose point of view is represented in this chapter? How does the author show it?
DOK Level 3- Synthesize information within one source or text. Synthesis

17. DOK 3 Question Stems
What conclusions can you draw from the way the characters interact, what they say to each other and what that means about their relationships with each other?
Why did the author……? Choose this setting, put this character in the story?
What do you think about this story? Support your rationale.
What facts would you select to support____? (logical argument)
How will this story go based on what you know about stories like this one?

18. When they say, “I don’t know.”
You say, “SUPPOSE YOU DID KNOW?”

19. Level 4 Descriptors:
Extended Thinking
An investigation or application that requires time to research, think, and process multiple conditions of the problem or task; includes non-routine manipulations or connections across disciplines/content areas/multiple sources.

20. Level 4 Extensions Reader’s notebooks Reading and writing connection
Making connections across text (i.e. author study, series)
Read non fiction text to gain more information that relates to the book or series you are currently reading (farm life, spiders)
Research about the author
Compare the movie and the book (discussion or writing)
Read different versions of a fairy tale and tell about how they are the same or different

21. DOK 4 Question Stems
Write a thesis, drawing conclusions from multiple sources.
Apply information from one text to another text to develop a persuasive argument.
What information can you gather to support your idea about___?
DOK 4 would most likely be the writing about reading or applying information from one text to another text to develop a persuasive argument.
DOK 4 requires time for extended thinking.

22. sources Nevada Department of Education www.doe.nv.gov
Depth of Knowledge – Descriptors, Examples and Question Stems for Increasing Depth of Knowledge in the Classroom Developed by Dr. Norman Webb and Flip Chart developed by Myra Collins
Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White (adapted from presentation at Teacher’s College-Mary Ehrenworth, Sept. 2011
Applying DOK Levels to Bloom’s Taxonomy Karin K. Hess, National Center for Assessment, 2006.