1. Differentiating Instruction with Bloom’s Taxonomy and Depth and Complexity

2. SMART Goal
All teachers should be able to recognize and implement 4 out of the 8 depth icons by the end of the workshop.

3. Overview of Depth & Complexity
“Depth & Complexity” – questioning strategies that can be used during lessons to prompt students during discussions, to probe for understanding, and to initiate certain types of cognitive thinking (Kaplan, 2007)
There are 11 terms, each is represented by an “Icon”
Purpose: to provide students with the
opportunity for Higher Level
Thinking and Learning

4. Overview (Cont’d)
8 Depth Icons – taking a single topic and delving deeper into it
Big Ideas
Details
Language of the Discipline
Rules
Patterns
Trends
Ethics
Unanswered Questions
3 Complexity Icons – making relationships between two or more concepts or ideas
Changes Over Time
Relationships Across Disciplines
Multiple Perspectives

5. Depth Icons

6. Big Ideas Principles, Generalizations
This refers to the generalizations, principles, and theories that distinguish themselves from the facts and concepts
Ask students what the big ideas are

7. Language of the Discipline
Vocabulary
This refers to learning the specific, specialized, and technological terms associated with the topic
Ask students what specialized vocabulary they need to learn this discipline

8. Details Parts, Variables
This refers to the learning of specific attributes, traits, and characteristics that describe a concept, theory, principle, or even a fact
Ask students to identify the attributes, parts, and variables of a discipline

9. Unanswered Questions Missing, Unclear Parts
This refers to ambiguities and gaps of information recognized within the topic
Ask students to label the discrepancies and incomplete ideas they have relating to this topic

10. Patterns Repetition, Predictability
This refers to the reoccurring events represented by details
Ask students to describe the patterns and repetitions associated with the topic

11. Rules
Order, Structure
This refers to the human or natural made structure or order of things that explain the phenomena within the topic
Ask what hierarchy or explanation is implicit in the discipline

12. Trends Courses of Actions, Directions
This refers to the factors that influence events
Ask students to find the influences and forces of this discipline

13. Ethics Judging, Opinions
This refers to the dilemmas or controversial issues that plague the topic
Ask students to find other points of view and/or controversies that relate to this discipline

14. Complexity Icons

15. Across the Disciplines
Relationships Between and Across Disciplines
Interdisciplinary connections can be made within, between, and among various areas of study or disciplines
Have students locate the relationships between and across this discipline

16. Changes over Time Relationships Between Past, Present, and Future
This refers to the understanding of time as an agent of change and recognition that the passage of time changes our knowledge of things
Ask students to identify some relationships between past, present, and future

17. Point of View Multiple Perspectives, Opposing Viewpoints
This refers to the concept that there are different perspectives and that these perspectives alter the way ideas and objects are viewed and valued
Ask students to find the differing roles, knowledge, and opposing viewpoints relating to the topic

18. Introducing the icons Define the icon Relate to previous knowledge
Apply to new knowledge
Integrate into the real world

19. Reflection
Think about a lesson you have taught within the past 2 weeks…
Where have you used any of the Depth & Complexity icon strategies?
Can you give some examples?
(Think-Pair-Share)
Questions

20. Just a few activities Math Lessons
McCall Crabbs and Harby Reading Passages
Quality Literature

21. Use the Icons Within Your Lessons
“Look for (appropriate icon) in our lesson today on (content area).”
Use the Big Idea to summarize or end lessons.
Label your daily agenda and lesson plans with the icons.
Have students label all work with the appropriate icons.
Label all classroom work and charts with the icons.

22. Classroom examples using depth and complexity

24. How would you use the following icons?

25. Post a set of the icons clearly in your room
This prompts integration into discussions, and shows students you value the icons as intellectual tools.

26. But remember,
we are not teaching the icons, we are teaching concepts to new levels of depth and complexity using pictures to stand for the thinking strategies.

27. Your turn!
Look at your lesson plans and label the areas where you could use the D & C icons. Try to use at least 3 icons.

28. Thank You for attending!!
Questions / Comments?
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Thank You for attending!!