1. Webb’s Depth of Knowledge
Preparing students for the cognitively demanding tasks required by Alabama’s college- and career-ready standards
This presentation has been adapted from the 2015 MEGA Conference Presentation given by Gay Finn, CCRS Coordinator, ALSDE.
Used with Permission.
Several Activities have been added/adapted (background knowledge, video, reflection, etc.)

2. Today’s Learning Targets
Participants will analyze each level of Webb’s Depth of Knowledge (DOK).
Participants will discuss how to use this tool to plan instruction with a focus on rigor and relevance.
Share the learning targets.

3. Table Copies: A Guide for Using Webb’s DOK
Available at:
Table Copies: A Guide for Using Webb’s DOK
Background knowledge:
On a sticky note, rate yourself based on your knowledge of DOK.
Presenters Notes:
Have table copies prepared – do not give as a Handout (Copyright issues). A link is provided on the resource handout and on the slide.
Region 2 has a supply of 30 copies on colored paper – numbered.
To start session:
Discuss the handout on the table – it is an overview – we will look at this in detail throughout the session.
CLICK and ask participants to rank themselves on their own understanding (FOR THEIR EYES ONLY).
What’s your knowledge level of DOK? 1
Little to no understanding 2
Some 3
Moderate 4
Good 5
Strong / Full implementation

4. Karen Hess, Ed.D. DOK Level 1: Recall and Reproduction DOK Level 2:
Handout: Web Resources
DOK Level 1:
Recall and Reproduction
DOK Level 2:
Skill/Concept
DOK Level 3:
Strategic Thinking & Reasoning
DOK Level 4:
Extended Thinking
ADDED SLIDE to the original presentation:
Karen Hess is the author of the document we will be referencing today. Let’s listen as she gives a BRIEF overview of DOK. In your resource handout, there is a link to this video and to a longer video – both are available on Youtube.
Show video.
Question: How many of you already feel like you know a little more than when you walked in the door?
Let’s dive into our learning.

5. Overview
Read and Code pages 4 and 5 of An educator’s Guide for Applying Webb’s Depth-of-Knowledge Levels to the Common Core State Standards.
With a partner identify three main ideas about Webb’s Depth of Knowledge and record them on a piece of paper.
Presenter notes: Have participants Use table copies of handouts – do not allow participants to write in the handouts unless provided by the lea – our copies are used for multiple sessions.
USE STICKY NOTES as you read and code the text using the original directions below:
Intro with slide and then refer participants to HANDOUT 1. Have participants investigate Overview on pages 4-5. Participants should annotate their text and make margin notes for discussion after analyzing. Ask participants to refrain from discussion until time is done. (15 minutes to investigate and discuss)

6. What is Webb’s DOK?
Webb’s DOK is a tool educators can use to analyze the cognitive demand intended by the standards, curricular activities, and assessment tasks.
We are about to analyze Webb’s DOK in detail, by level. First let’s have a recap conversation about what DOK IS (Next slide – what it is NOT).

7. Webb’s Depth of Knowledge
A scale of cognitive demand (thinking) to align standards with assessments
Guides item development for state assessments
CCRS + DOK = ASPIRE

8. What Webb’s DOK is NOT
DOK is NOT a check of whether a task is completed correctly; it is the kind of thinking involved in the task
DOK is NOT about difficulty, it is about COMPLEXITY
DOK does NOT classify the level of each cognitive demand based upon the verb alone – as does Bloom’s Taxonomy, it is the verb plus what follows the verb in the lesson objective / outcome
Before analyzing clarify what DOK is NOT
(Read Bullets 1 & 2) DOK is the cognitive processes or cognitive demand (the process of our thinking). Each level describes the depth of understanding. As we go through this professional learning consider your current instruction. Think about ways that you may tweak what you are already doing to now include the levels of thinking required by our standards and our accountability piece – ACT and Aspire.
(Read Bullet 3) You can’t add a level 1 activity with another level 1 activity and get a level 2 activity. Instead the activities are cumulative; a DOK level 3 activity will contain DOK level 1 and 2 elements. The higher the level, the higher the ‘ceiling’.
(Read Bullet 4) In the past we have heard a lot about Bloom’s – the verb. We know better, we do better… The verb is very important and is still considered, but we must go beyond the verb to what follows the verb.
Facilitator Note:
This information comes from the guidelines on page 5 of the handout.

9. Webb’s Depth of Knowledge
Level 1: Recall/Reproduction
Level 2: Skill/Concept
Level 3: Strategic Thinking
Level 4: Extended Thinking
Quick overview of the levels we are about to review.
If needed for time – form expert groups.

10. Let’s Dig In!!! Count off from 1-4. Join colleagues with like numbers.
Read and annotate assigned text.
Chart big ideas.
Return to your home group and share your learning.
Be prepared to share whole group.

11. Use sticky notes to code the text!
DOK Level 1
Verbs
Teacher Role
Student Role
Possible Products
Potential Activities
Blooms’ and Webb’s
Use sticky notes to code the text!
p. 6-9
HANDOUT 1
Intro with slide and then refer participants to HANDOUT 1. Have participants investigate DOK Level 1 on pages 6-9. Participants should annotate their text and make margin notes for discussion after analyzing. Ask participants to refrain from discussion until time is done. (6 mins to investigate) (6 mins to discuss)

12. DOK Level 1
Basic tasks
Recall of facts, terms, details, calculations, etc.
Simple procedures
Only one right answer
What kind of thinking is involved in Level 1 tasks?
Not complex
Low Cognitive Thinking
Following discussion use the slide to recap Level 1 (quickly)
Revisit these statements from ‘What DOK is NOT’:
DOK is NOT just a check of whether a task is completed correctly; it is the kind of thinking involved in the task…So what kind of thinking is involved in Level 1 tasks??? (Answer: Low cognitive processing – not complex)

13. How does Level 1 connect to Aspire?
Percentage of DOK Level 1 Items
Reading 14-24%
Math 5-16%
Technical Bulletin #1 - actaspire.org

14. What does level 1 look like?
READING:
DOK th-5th Grade
What sickness is breaking out among Mary’s household?
DOK 1
How does Mary survive the cholera outbreak?
MATH:
DOK 1 - Algebra I
What value of x makes this equation true? (x + 4) = 3x + 28 4 6 12 24
DOK 1: RECALL
Read the content question(s) that applies to you. This is what level 1 looks like…
(Math, Grades 8 or 9 (Quality Core) Answer: a. 4 ; Reading questions for The Secret Garden, by Frances Hodgson Burnett)
Involves recall of information such as facts, definitions, terms, or simple procedures (M&R)
Requires rote or right there responses (M&R)
Requires performing a simple, one-step algorithm or applying a well defined procedure (math)
Involves locating information in verbatim form to answer a question (reading)
Verbs: identify, recall, recognize, use, and measure (math)
Verbs: what and how (reading)

15. Use sticky notes to code the text!
DOK Level 2
Verbs
Teacher Role
Student Role
Possible Products
Potential Activities
Blooms’ and Webb’s
Use sticky notes to code the text! p

16. DOK Level 2 What kind of thinking is involved in Level 2 tasks?
Compare or differentiate
Apply multiple concepts
Classify or sort
Describe (predict) or explain (tell why)
Provide examples and non-examples
Use examples in context for unknown words
Usually one right answer
What kind of thinking is involved in Level 2 tasks?
More complex

17. How does Level 2 connect to Aspire?
Percentage of DOK Level 2 Items
Reading 38-62%
Math 27-38%
Technical Bulletin #1 - actaspire.org

18. What does level 2 look like?
READING:
DOK 2 - 4th-5th Grade
When does Mary discover that cholera has killed everyone in her home?
MATH:
DOK 2 – Algebra I
When a student subtracts 18 from a number, the result is ¼ of the number. What is the number? 6 18 24 36
DOK 2: Skill/Concept
Read the content question(s) that applies to you. This is what level 2 looks like…
(Math (Quality Core) Grades 8 or 9, Answer: c. 24; Reading questions for The Secret Garden, by Frances Hodgson Burnett)
Includes some mental processing beyond a rote or habitual response (M & R)
Requires students to make some decisions (M & R)
Implies that student complete actions requiring more than one step (M & R – making inferences)
Includes verbs such as classify, organize, estimate, make observations, collect and display data, and compare data

19. Use sticky notes to code the text!
DOK Level 3
Verbs
Teacher Role
Student Role
Possible Products
Potential Activities
Blooms’ and Webb’s
Use sticky notes to code the text!
14-17

20. DOK Level 3 Demands the use of planning Reasoning
Higher order thinking
Analysis and evaluation
Solving real-world problems
Activities may have more than one answer & more than one way to reach an answer
Provide evidence and reasoning for conclusions drawn
Explain and justify thinking
In-depth understanding of one text, data set, investigation or key source
What kind of thinking is involved in Level 3 tasks?
Higher Cognitive Demands
Very Complex

21. How does Level 3 connect to Aspire?
Percentage of DOK Level 3 Items
Reading 24-48%
Math 51-62%
Technical Bulletin #1 - actaspire.org

22. What does level 3 look like?
MATH:
DOK 3 - Algebra I
Jack, Luka, Tony took a quiz. Luka’s score was 12 less than Tony’s score and three times Jack’s score. If Jack’s score was 1/9 of Tony’s score, what was Tony’s score? 6 12 18 24
READING:
DOK th - 5th Grade
What does the narrator mean when he or she says, “When people had cholera it seemed they remembered nothing but themselves”? Does Mary believe anyone will come for her?
DOK 3: Strategic Thinking (Answer: c. 18, Reading questions for The Secret Garden, by Frances Hodgson Burnett)
Read the content question(s) that applies to you. This is what level 3 looks like…
Makes complex and abstract cognitive demands. (M & R)
Requires reasoning, planning, using evidence, and a higher level thinking than Levels 1 & 2 (M & R)
Typically requires students to make conjectures and explain their thinking (M & R)
Involves drawing conclusions, citing evidence and developing logical evidence, explaining phenomena in terms of concepts, and using concepts to solve problems (M & R)

23. Use sticky notes to code the text!
DOK Level 4
Verbs
Teacher Role
Student Role
Possible Products
Potential Activities
Blooms’ and Webb’s
Use sticky notes to code the text!
18-21

24. DOK Level 4 What kind of thinking is involved in Level 4 tasks?
Handouts (4): Webb’s Levels Overview
Create
Extend
Produce
Extended time / Multiday
Project-based / Collaborative
More than one answer & more than one way to reach an answer
What kind of thinking is involved in Level 4 tasks?
Higher Cognitive Demands
Very Complex

25. ALL ACT Aspire Writing prompts are assigned DOK 3.
Amount of DOK 3 assessments on the ACT ASPIRE
English
Math
Science
Reading
Writing
Roughly 1/3
More than 50%
Between 25-40%
Between 25-48%
ALL ACT Aspire Writing prompts are assigned DOK 3.
How does this relate to your data?
Can you see correlations?
(RED) Federal Accountability is related to Reading and math.
Knowing what you know now, which lessons do you need to strengthen? Which content?
What is the importance of writing across the curriculum?
More information about ASPIRE is available on the ACT Website.

26. Same Verb – Three Different DOK Levels
Recall and Reproduction DOK 1
Skills and Concepts/Basic Reasoning DOK 2
Strategic Thinking/ Complex Reasoning DOK 3
Extended Thinking/Reasoning DOK 4
Students will identify essential information needed to accomplish a task.
Students will identify information in a passage that is supported by fact.
Students will identify the appropriateness of an argument using supporting evidence.
Students will identify interrelationships (themes, ideas, concepts) developed in more than one literary work.

27. Same Verb – Three Different DOK Levels
Describe three characteristics of metamorphic rocks.
Level 1: Requires simple recall
Describe the difference between metamorphic and igneous rocks.
Level 2: Requires cognitive processing to determine the differences in the two rock types
Describe a model that you might use to represent the relationships that exist within the rock cycle.
Level 3: Requires deep understanding of rock cycle and a determination of how best to represent it
Quick Sample/Conversation.

28. Sorting Activity
Part 1: In teams of 2-4 sort the tasks according to DOK level.
Share results – give answers
Part 2: If time permits: How could you take a level 1 or 2 task and push it to a DOK 3?

29. Webb’s Depth of Knowledge
Standards based instruction
Rigorous Instruction
Instructional Practices
Connected Strategies / Activities / Relevance
Scaffolding Instruction
Engagement of ALL students

30. REFLECTION: Today’s Learning Targets
Participants will analyze each level of Webb’s Depth of Knowledge (DOK).
Participants will discuss how to use this tool to plan instruction with a focus on rigor and relevance.
Share the learning targets.

31. Reflection Questions What is Webb’s Depth of Knowledge?
How does each level connect to Aspire?
How does each level look in practice?
Is the task complex or difficult?
Is instruction deeper or wider?
Review Guiding Questions – Slide was MEGA
Reflection (from first question) What’s your knowledge level of DOK?
Would you rank themselves higher? (Likert scale) – Data on display.

32. REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
DATA ON DISPLAY
Exit question:
Rate yourself based on your knowledge of DOK.
What is Webb’s Depth of Knowledge?
How does each level connect to Aspire?
How does each level look in practice?
Is the task complex or difficult?
Is instruction deeper or wider?
Consider the reflection questions.
If time permits – discuss each.
As a closing activity – have a chart paper with the likert scale.
Allow participants to put a star/circle sticker, or a check mark (marker).
Would you rank themselves higher than when you came in the room? (Likert scale) – Data on display. 1
Little to no understanding 2
Some 3
Moderate 4
Good 5
Strong / Full implementation