Depth of Knowledge Question Stems | Math Edition

These Depth of Knowledge question stems are a perfect way to prep for math test review at any grade level. This set of DOK question stems include 116 cards that are perfectly made for a key ring. Guiding questions are for DOK Levels 1-4 are perfect for before, during and after instruction. Question stems can be used to help prepare lesson plans, whole group activities, guided math groups, assessments or projects.

What is ‘depth of knowledge’?

Depth of knowledge (DOK) is a term that refers to the level of understanding that is required to answer a question or preform a task. There are four DOK levels: Level 1 (recall), Level 2 (Skills/Concepts), Level 3 (Strategic Thinking) and Level 4 (Extended Thinking). The DOK question stems helps us to conceptualize the different thought processes necessary for correctly solving a problem. By breaking down the levels of the thought process, we can further pinpoint what our students understand.

How do I use the DOK question stems?

• Use when you write your lesson plans! Failing to plan is planning to fail! Until I had a solid grasp of the different DOK levels, I had to have my questions stems close by and I had to plan for specific questions I wanted to incorporate into my lessons. Literally…write them down!
• Keep them close to you during guided math or small group discussions. Though I planned for my guided math groups, I found that there were times that ‘teachable moments’ came up. I loved having them close so that I could reference them if needed.
• Let your students use them! I started out by allowing my high flyers/early finishers to use the question stems to create review questions for their classmates. This is a win-win! They are being pushed to create questions on the content we’re covering….AND they come up with some of our review so that I don’t have to. It is a great way to allow students to be in charge of their own learning. I’ve slowly moved towards allowing all students the opportunity to use them. I am always impressed with what they can come up with.
  

Our state assessment started using DOK levels for their questions a few years ago. As I started researching about the DOK levels, I quickly realized that I, a seasoned teacher, was not adequately reading the Level 3 and Level 4 questions on a regular basis.

When I started using DOK question stems, not only did I gain a deeper understanding of the ways in which my students will be assessed, my students had the opportunity to extend their learning by using higher order thinking skills. I saw huge improvements in not only my test scores, but more importantly, my students ability to think critically and push their brains to thinking differently than they had before.