Try this new approach to lesson planning and see what happens when you use Bloom’s Taxonomy to define an objective and then plan backwards from there

Defining an Objective and Planning Backwards

If we know the goal towards which our lesson is aiming, then we are in a position to marshal our efforts squarely in pursuit of that goal.

Given as how we are concerned with the application of Bloom’s Taxonomy to lesson planning, that goal is likely to concern the development of mastery, or at least partial mastery, over the lesson content.

Having the objective defined means we can create a lesson that is more closely tied to helping learners develop mastery than might otherwise be the case.

This is because we can work back from the objective, including within the lesson all the steps necessary to ensure learners can achieve it.

If we don’t have an objective, or if our objective is ill-defined, then it follows that the lesson elements we plan are less likely to achieve what we want them to achieve.

They may do, or they may not; the chance of success is lowered by the lack of a clear goal towards which we can direct our efforts.

For example, if we define our learning objective as:

LO: To create an alternative ending to the story of Little Red Riding Hood

We can easily work back from here, identifying the various things learners need to be able to do, know and understand to fulfil the objective.

Mirroring the Taxonomy

That these will mirror the levels of the taxonomy is inevitable, given that our objective is predicated on synthesis (hence the word ‘create’), and that to synthesise effectively, you first need to have mastered, at least to some extent, the preceding levels of the taxonomy:

Level 1: Knowledge
Level 2: Comprehension
Level 3: Application
Level 4: Analysis
Level 5: Synthesis
Level 6: Evaluation

First, learners will need to know the story of Little Red Riding Hood (knowledge).

Then they will need to understand how the plot works (comprehension) and be able to apply this understanding to different aspects of the story (application).

After which, they will need to compare the structure of the story to other stories with which they are familiar (analysis).

When they have reached this point, they will be well placed to achieve the objective by creating an alternative ending of their own.

This example illustrates how a challenging objective based on one of the highest levels of the taxonomy can act as the peak of a pyramid, beneath which lies the foundations of learning that are layered up during the lesson.

Again, this demonstrates why challenging objectives are so important.

If we start with a simple, relatively easy to achieve objective, then we are going to be planning backwards from a fairly weak endpoint, leading to less learning, smaller foundations and diminished progress.

An Alternative Approach

It is worth noting that defining an objective from which to work backwards does not have to involve stating that objective in its final form.

Some teachers find that codifying the objective at the start of the planning process can inhibit creative thinking.

This is because the parameters of what is possible have been too closely defined (in their eyes) to allow exploration and development of different ideas.

However, teachers who choose not to fully state the objective at the beginning of the planning process are still likely to have a good idea in their minds of what the objective is – where they want learners to be at the end of the lesson and how this relates to the taxonomy.

That this is not fixed in a sentence or question does not mean that it doesn’t exist.

Rather, the teacher is choosing to allow themselves an element of leeway while they plan, which they feel wouldn’t be available if the objective was fixed at the start.

This is a perfectly acceptable approach.

The only risk is that, if you do not spend some time thinking through the general nature of your objective before you begin, then you may end up with a lesson that is somewhat uneven in its pursuit of mastery.

This is because you will not have done enough analysis at the start to ensure you have a sufficiently clear idea of where you want the learning to go (even if this idea is not set in stone through the fixing of the objective in writing).

In summary, defining a challenging objective based on one of the top levels of the taxonomy is an excellent starting point for lesson planning.

The definition can be full and fixed or partial and flexible.

In the latter case, sufficient analytical thought should be done to ensure it retains its usefulness in directing and underpinning the lesson elements.

When you have your objective, you can plan backwards from there, working out the lesson elements that will ensure your learners can successfully achieve it.