Difficulty 1
A student names the main character and setting of a story. What information must the student recall?
ANSWER
The character's identity and where the story takes place.
QUESTION (CATEGORY 2 — $100)
A student explains a story's main idea in their own words. What makes this different from copying a sentence from the story?
ANSWER
The student demonstrates understanding by explaining the idea in their own words.
QUESTION (CATEGORY 3 — $100)
After learning about metaphors, a student identifies one in an unfamiliar poem. What has the student done with the concept?
ANSWER
Applied the concept to a new example.
QUESTION (CATEGORY 4 — $100)
A student compares two characters and identifies three important differences. What is the student doing beyond simply summarizing?
ANSWER
Analyzing similarities and differences.
QUESTION (CATEGORY 5 — $100)
A student recommends one of two endings for a story and gives a reason. What would make the recommendation more convincing?
ANSWER
A clear reason supported by details from the story.
A student lists the six levels of Bloom's Taxonomy from memory. Which level is demonstrated?
Remember
QUESTION (CATEGORY 2 — $200)
One student summarizes why a character leaves home. Another identifies the exact paragraph where the character leaves. Which demonstrates understanding, and why?
ANSWER
The student who explains why the character leaves, because the student explains meaning rather than locating a detail.
QUESTION (CATEGORY 3 — $200)
A student learns a comma rule and then corrects punctuation in an unfamiliar paragraph. Why is this more than memorizing the rule?
ANSWER
The student uses the rule to solve a new problem.
QUESTION (CATEGORY 4 — $200)
A narrator praises a character but repeatedly describes that character's cruel actions. What relationship should a reader investigate?
ANSWER
The contradiction between the narrator's praise and the character's behavior.
QUESTION (CATEGORY 5 — $200)
Which is a stronger judgment of an argument: 'I agree with it' or 'Its evidence is relevant, credible, and sufficient'? Why?
ANSWER
The second, because it evaluates the argument using specific criteria.
QUESTION (CATEGORY 1 — $300)
A student must find the exact sentence in which a character reveals a secret. What thinking skill is required, and why?
ANSWER
Remembering, because the student must retrieve a specific detail from the text.
QUESTION (CATEGORY 2 — $300)
A student says, 'The storm represents the character's fear.' What must the student explain to support this interpretation?
ANSWER
How details from the story connect the storm to the character's fear.
QUESTION (CATEGORY 3 — $300)
A character's decision reminds you of a decision made by a character in another story. How could you apply what you learned from the first story to interpret the second?
ANSWER
Use the first character's situation or choices to compare and interpret the second character's decision.
QUESTION (CATEGORY 4 — $300)
A story ends with a character smiling after losing everything. Give two possible interpretations and one detail that could help distinguish between them.
ANSWER
Answers will vary. Students should propose two plausible interpretations and cite a relevant detail as evidence.
QUESTION (CATEGORY 5 — $300)
A classmate says a character made the right decision because 'it worked out.' What question could you ask to evaluate the decision more carefully?
ANSWER
Answers will vary. A strong question examines evidence, alternatives, consequences, fairness, or criteria for judging the decision.
Question: A student remembers the definition of irony but cannot identify an ironic moment in a story. What can the student do, and what skill still needs development?
ANSWER
The student can recall the definition but needs practice applying the concept to a text.
QUESTION (CATEGORY 2 — $400)
A student summarizes a story accurately but cannot explain its theme. Why is a summary not enough to demonstrate understanding of the story's deeper meaning?
ANSWER
A summary recounts events; explaining theme requires interpreting the story's message.
QUESTION (CATEGORY 3 — $400)
A student knows the definition of foreshadowing but labels every surprising event as foreshadowing. What should the student do to use the concept accurately?
ANSWER
Identify clues that hint at later events and explain how those clues connect to what happens later.
QUESTION (CATEGORY 4 — $400)
A student claims a character is selfish because the character refuses to help a friend. What additional evidence could strengthen or challenge this claim?
ANSWER
Evidence about the character's motives, circumstances, earlier behavior, and the consequences of the refusal.
QUESTION (CATEGORY 5 — $400)
A student says a poem is effective but cites only personal enjoyment. What criteria and evidence could make the evaluation more persuasive?
ANSWER
Criteria could include imagery, structure, word choice, tone, or impact, supported by specific examples from the poem.
QUESTION (CATEGORY 1 — $500)
Write a question about a story that can be answered only by recalling a specific detail. Explain why it tests recall rather than interpretation.
ANSWER
Answers will vary. The question must ask for a specific fact or detail, not an explanation of its meaning.
QUESTION (CATEGORY 2 — $500)
A student claims that a story is about freedom but offers only a plot summary. Design a task that would help the student demonstrate understanding of the theme.
ANSWER
Answers will vary. A strong task requires explaining the story's message and supporting it with textual evidence.
QUESTION (CATEGORY 3 — $500)
Design a short task that requires a classmate to apply irony to an unfamiliar situation. What must the classmate produce?
ANSWER
Answers will vary. The task must require recognizing or using irony in a new situation, not merely defining it.
QUESTION (CATEGORY 4 — $500)
Two students disagree about whether a narrator can be trusted. Describe a method for analyzing their competing interpretations before deciding which is stronger.
ANSWER
Compare textual evidence, look for contradictions and omissions, and determine which interpretation best accounts for the text.
QUESTION (CATEGORY 5 — $500)
A student argues that a story's ending is unsuccessful. How could the student defend that judgment while acknowledging a reasonable opposing view?
ANSWER
Use clear criteria and textual evidence, explain why the ending fails by those criteria, and fairly address evidence supporting the opposing view.