Are you looking to enhance your students’ connections with the subject matter? One effective strategy is to incorporate all six levels of cognitive thinking as outlined in Bloom’s Taxonomy. By utilizing lower-order thinking questions, you can help students recall, understand, and apply knowledge, which lays the groundwork for higher-order thinking questions that push them to analyze, evaluate, and create.
If you’re unfamiliar with higher-order thinking, you can explore the concept here. Additionally, the lower-order and higher-order thinking questions and stems provided below will inspire your students to engage with the subject material at various levels.
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Lower-Order Thinking Skills Questions
The lower three levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy are known as lower-order thinking skills (LOTS). Although these skills are considered foundational, they are vital for developing the building blocks necessary for higher-order thinking. The following questions are designed to stimulate students’ lower-order thinking skills.
Remember (LOTS)
- Who are the main characters?
- When did the event take place?
- What is the setting of the story?
- Where would you find _________?
- How do you __________?
- What is __________?
- How do you define _________?
- How do you spell ________?
- What are the characteristics of _______?
- List the _________ in proper order.
- Name all the ____________.
- Describe the __________.
- Who was involved in the event or situation?
- How many _________ are there?
- What happened first? Next? Last?
Understand (LOTS)
- Can you explain why ___________?
- What is the difference between _________ and __________?
- How would you rephrase __________?
- What is the main idea?
- Why did the character/person ____________?
- What’s happening in this illustration?
- Retell the story in your own words.
- Describe an event from start to finish.
- What is the climax of the story?
- Who are the protagonists and antagonists?
- What does ___________ mean?
- What is the relationship between __________ and ___________?
- Provide more information about ____________.
- Why does __________ equal ___________?
- Explain why _________ causes __________.
Apply (LOTS)
- How do you solve ___________?
- What method can you use to __________?
- What methods or approaches won’t work?
- Provide examples of _____________.
- How can you demonstrate your ability to __________.
- How would you use ___________?
- Use what you know to __________.
- How many ways are there to solve this problem?
- What can you learn from ___________?
- How can you use ________ in daily life?
- Provide facts to prove that __________.
- Organize the information to show __________.
- How would this person/character react if ________?
- Predict what would happen if __________.
- How would you find out _________?
Higher-Order Thinking Skills Questions
The upper three levels are categorized as higher-order thinking skills (HOTS), also known as critical thinking skills. When students engage with these skills, they dig deeper into the information. Instead of merely accepting facts, they examine the reasons behind them and uncover cause-and-effect relationships. They assess the validity of the facts and utilize them to synthesize new concepts, ideas, and innovations. Use the following questions and stems to challenge your students to think critically across any subject.
Analyze (HOTS)
- What facts does the author offer to support their opinion?
- What are some problems with the author’s point of view?
- How does the author use symbolism in this text?
- What common features do these characters share?
- How does the setting affect the characters and plot?
- What was a character’s motivation for a specific action?
- Compare and contrast two main characters or points of view.
- Discuss the pros and cons of ________.
- How would you classify or sort ___________?
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of _______?
- How is _______ connected to __________?
- What caused __________?
- What are the effects of ___________?
- How would you prioritize these facts or tasks?
- How do you explain _______?
- What patterns can you identify in the data, and what might they mean?
- Which method of solving this equation is most efficient?
- Using the information in a chart/graph, what conclusions can you draw?
- What does the data show or fail to show?
- What was a character’s motivation for a specific action?
- What is the theme of _________?
- Why do you think _______?
- What is the purpose of _________?
- What was the turning point?
Evaluate (HOTS)
- Is _________ better or worse than _________?
- What are the best parts of __________?
- How will you know if __________ is successful?
- Are the stated facts proven by evidence?
- What are the potential drawbacks?
- Was ______________ justified in their actions and choices?
- How does historical context affect your view of the person’s actions?
- Is the source reliable?
- What makes a point of view valid?
- Are any perspectives or points of view missing?
- Did the character/person make a good decision? Why or why not?
- Which _______ is the best and why?
- What biases can you identify in this text?
- How effective are/were the laws or policies in achieving their goals?
- What are the biases or assumptions in an argument?
- What is the value of _________?
- Is _________ morally or ethically acceptable?
- Does __________ apply to all people equally?
- How can you disprove __________?
- Does __________ meet the specified criteria?
- What could be improved about _________?
- Do you agree with ___________?
- Does the conclusion include all pertinent data?
- Does ________ really mean ___________?
Create (HOTS)
- How can you verify ____________?
- Design an experiment to __________.
- Defend your opinion on ___________.
- How can you solve this problem?
- Create a new character for the story, then describe their background and impact.
- How would you turn this story into a movie? What changes would you make to the plot and why?
- Rewrite a story with a better ending.
- How can you persuade someone to __________?
- Make a plan to complete a task or project.
- How would you improve __________?
- What changes would you make to ___________ and why?
- How would you teach someone to _________?
- What would happen if _________?
- What alternative can you suggest for _________?
- Write a new policy to solve a societal problem.
- How would you handle an emergency situation like ____________?
- What solutions do you recommend?
- How would you do things differently?
- What are the next steps?
- How can you improve the efficiency of this process?
- What factors would need to change in order for __________?
- Invent a _________ to __________.
- What is your theory about __________?
Lower- and Higher-Order Thinking Skills Questions FAQs
What is Bloom’s Taxonomy?
Bloom’s Taxonomy serves as a framework for categorizing cognitive thinking skills. The primary categories—remember, understand, apply, analyze, evaluate, and create—are divided into lower-order thinking skills (LOTS) and higher-order thinking skills (HOTS). LOTS encompasses remembering, understanding, and applying, while HOTS includes analyzing, evaluating, and creating. Educators leverage these categories to foster strong, meaningful connections with the learning material.
What are higher-order thinking questions?
Higher-order thinking questions challenge students to form deeper connections with the information presented. They promote critical thinking and problem-solving skills, which is why teachers prioritize them in their classrooms. These questions often begin with phrases like “What would happen if …?” or “Compare and contrast …”. Discover more about higher-order thinking here.
Is higher-order thinking more important than lower-order thinking?
Both higher-order and lower-order thinking are essential, working in tandem to enhance students’ ability to think critically and intelligently about various subjects. Mastery of lower-order thinking skills allows students to retain information and grasp its meaning, which serves as a prerequisite for engaging in deeper analysis and evaluation. Educators should emphasize the importance of both thinking styles in their teaching.
What are LOTS and HOTS?
LOTS and HOTS are acronyms that describe the six levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy. LOTS stands for lower-order thinking skills, which include remembering, understanding, and applying. Conversely, HOTS refers to higher-order thinking skills, also recognized as critical thinking skills, which encompass analyzing, evaluating, and creating. Teachers aim to cultivate both LOTS and HOTS in students, developing a comprehensive set of foundational and critical thinking abilities during their education.
How can I use higher-order thinking questions in the classroom?
Incorporating higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) questions can facilitate deeper engagement with material across various subjects. These critical thinking inquiries encourage students to articulate their reasoning, analyze data, draw conclusions, and create connections between concepts. Utilize these questions during read-aloud sessions, as journal or essay prompts, or as follow-ups to hands-on activities or experiments in math and science. Every educator, regardless of grade level, can implement HOTS questions successfully in their classrooms!
Get your free printable with higher-order and lower-order thinking skills questions!
Simply enter your email address in the form on this landing page to receive a copy of our printable sheet featuring all of the higher-order and lower-order thinking questions discussed above. It’s a fantastic resource to keep handy for lesson planning and instruction.
Which are your favorite higher-order thinking questions? Come share in the We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.
Plus, 100+ Critical Thinking Questions for Students To Ask About Anything.
