1.1 Bloom’s Taxonomy Table
Using Bloom’s Taxonomy in the Curriculum Area of Ecosystems
| Objective | Question | Resources/Web 2.0 tool |
| Knowledge | What is an ecosystem? |
National Geographic encyclopaedic entry. Dictionary – print or online or basic textbook, eg. Wordnik, Visuword, specialist glossary, … |
| Knowledge | Define an ecosystem and list the varieties that are found in South Australia. |
Word document with SA regions downloadable at Landscape SA website. |
| Comprehension | List the different parts of the ecosystem and explain what they do. | Popplet |
| Comprehension | Compare a marine ecosystem with one from another area of our state. |
The Rock Pool for information about marine ecosystems and environments in SA. Venn Diagram app. |
| Application | Using a diagram, show how the water cycle operates in an ecosystem. |
A video at ABC Education about the Water Cycle. |
| Application | Demonstrate what happens when humans interfere with the water cycle. | Sway OR Slides |
| Analysis | Contrast the natural water cycle with that used by our community. | Venn Diagram OR Compare & Contrast Map if writing an analysis. |
| Analysis | Examine an ecosystem that has been damaged by human interference. Avoided how? | Educational information about the Murray River at murrayriver.com.au/education/. |
| Synthesis | Identify an unspoilt ecosystem and design a way of preserving it. | Information about Australian National Parks here. |
| Synthesis | How would preserving our local ecosystems enhance our environment? | ? |
| Evaluation | Is it reasonable that people pollute our waterways? Defend your answer. |
A video example of water pollution at ABC Education. |
| Evaluation | Assess the impact of pollution in our local waterways. | Information/lessons about the importance of water quality from the Murray-Darling Basin Authority. |
I found it difficult to resource or suggest a Web 2.0 tool for the Synthesis questions. I wonder why this might be. You could use any number of digital tools to present a design for the preservation of an unspoilt ecosystem. This choice might come down to personal preference. And the second question requires the answerer to make some complex cause and effect connections between ecosystems and the environment.
Even from Year 1 in the Australian Curriculum, students are asked to ‘Reflect on learning to propose how to care for places and sites that are important or significant’. Here, they are already beginning to work at that higher level of Bloom’s. It would be very simple and structured, though. Once you start moving beyond the application of ideas, you’d definitely be looking at older grade levels for these particular questions.