Bloom Taxonomy Strategy
My Name is Asher Lev
Purpose of Strategy
According to Bloom’s Taxonomy of Thinking Processes, there are six different levels of
learning. Unfortunately, as teachers we often neglect teaching to all of the different
learning levels. Most tests and homework assignments, for example, only assess students
on the most basic thinking levels. This strategy is designed to help us as teachers
remember in our unit plans to ask questions which help students think on each of
Bloom’s levels.
Rationale
Generally, it isn’t practical to have students think on all six levels of understanding
within a single class period. But it is important that we help students think on every level
in each unit we teach. Consequently, I suggest that teachers plan to ask questions from
each of Bloom’s levels of understanding in their unit plans. Still, we must remember that
students must first have an understanding on a basic level before they can think on higher
levels.
Example questions (from My Name is Asher Lev)
Knowledge
• What is Asher’s gift?
• What does Asher’s father think about his gift?
• Where is the story set?
• Who is Asher’s artist Mentor?
• List the some of the painters which influenced
Asher’s work.
• What causes Asher’s mother to have a nervous
breakdown?
Comprehension
• Why are Asher’s Brooklyn Crucifixions so
significant?
• Explain what happens when Asher draws a picture of
the Rebbe in his Chumash. Why is that so serious?
• Why does Asher begin drawing again?
Application
• Asher creates his Brooklyn Crucifixions because he believes that crucifixion
is the most intense image of human suffering. Do you think that image has
changed today? Illustrate your own image of suffering.
Romrell, BYU 2002
Analysis
• Compare Asher’s attitude to his father’s. What are their values, and how are
those values different? How does Asher’s mother compare to Asher and his
father?
• How is Asher’s attitude toward religion different from Jacob Kahn’s?
• Analyze the Rebbe and his role in the novel. How is the Rebbe’s attitude
toward Asher’s gift different from everyone else’s?
Synthesis
• What might have happened if Asher had gone to Europe with his father?
Would his artistic career have unfolded the same way?
• If Stalin hadn’t died, do you think Asher would have returned to his drawing?
What kind of event might have sparked his gift had Stalin not died?
• There is a sequel to My Name is Asher Lev. What do you think it might be
about? Do you think Asher will ever find balance between his gift, his family,
and his religion? Why/Why not?
Evaluation
• Though Asher is rebellious, selfish, and callous to the needs of his family and
religion, he is still a sympathetic character. What do you think about Asher’s
behavior? Do you think he did the right thing?
• Asher is described as the orthodox Jewish artist in his show. Do you think
Asher stays true to his religion, or does he ultimately compromise his beliefs
through his painting?
Assessment
One of the problems with higher
thinking questions is that they usually
don’t have single right answers.
Consequently, Applications, Analysis,
Synthesis, and Evaluation answers
aren’t as easy to grade as the
Knowledge and Comprehension variety.
Consequently, teachers should develop
rubrics that define the factors of good
answers such as originality,
completeness, and organization. Then,
students can know what is expected of
them, and teachers can communicate
their expectations.
Romrell, BYU 2002