How to Use Bloom's Taxonomy in Kindergarten

Bloom's Taxonomy is widely accepted and used by many educators as a way to design lesson plans and evaluate the effectiveness of the learning environment. Normally represented in pyramid form, the categories of Bloom's Taxonomy are: remembering, understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating and creating. Bloom's Taxonomy can easily be overlooked for students in kindergarten because the students are so young. However, Bloom's Taxonomy can be applied to kindergarten students in a few simple steps.

Test a student's ability to remember concepts by asking him to repeat information back to you. Remembering is the foundation for learning in Bloom's Taxonomy. Ask simple questions with one word answers to build confidence. Ask more difficult questions that test the student's memory as he becomes more comfortable. For instance, when you teach what sound the letter "M" makes, ask the student to repeat the M sound.

Allow a student to explain the concept to you to show that she understands. Testing a student's understanding will help you gauge if the student can explain ideas. In the example of the sound the letter "M" makes, ask the student to explain how another student should go about making the sound.

Ask the student to apply the information she has learned in a new way. Provide an opportunity for the student to draw a picture of what the concept looks like. For example, ask the student what words begin with the letter "M." Or, ask the student to write the letter M on a piece of paper and then say aloud what sound it makes.

Request the student to combine the concept with previous concepts he has learned. Analyzing allows the student to compare and contrast how the new concept works in relation to other concepts. Ask the students how the sound "M" and the sound "A" are different, if you are teaching the sounds letters make.

Evaluate the student's understanding by testing her on the information learned. Ask the students specific questions, and ask them to support why they believe they have the correct answer. If you're testing a student on letter and sound comprehension, ask the student to distinguish between two different sounds when given. For example, hold up a card with the letter "M" and say "E" and ask the student if that is the correct sound. Ask the student to explain why "E" is wrong.

Ask the student to create a project to show that he or she knows and can use the material effectively. In the case of letters and sounds, ask the students to come up with a string of five letters and then ask them to say aloud the sounds each letter in their chain makes. You can evaluate the effectiveness of Bloom's Taxonomy by determining if the student knows the material well enough to create something.