Lower-Order Thinking Questions
Remember (LOTS)
• Who are the main characters?
• When did the event take place?
• What is the setting of the story?
• Where would you find _________?
• How do you __________?
• What is __________?
• How do you define _________?
• How do you spell ________?
• What are the characteristics of _______?
• List the _________ in proper order.
• Name all the ____________.
• Describe the __________.
• Who was involved in the event or
situation?
• How many _________ are there?
• What happened first? Next? Last?
Apply (LOTS)
• How do you solve ___________?
• What method can you use to __________?
• What methods or approaches won’t work?
• Provide examples of _____________.
• How can you demonstrate your ability to
__________.
• How would you use ___________?
• Use what you know to __________.
• How many ways are there to solve this
problem?
Understand (LOTS)
• Can you explain why ___________?
• What is the difference between
_________ and __________?
• How would you rephrase __________?
• What is the main idea?
• Why did the character/person
____________?
• What’s happening in this illustration?
• Retell the story in your own words.
• Describe an event from start to finish.
• What is the climax of the story?
• Who are the protagonists and
antagonists?
• What does ___________ mean?
• What is the relationship between
__________ and ___________?
• Provide more information about
____________.
• Why does __________ equal ___________?
• Explain why _________ causes __________.
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• What can you learn from ___________?
• How can you use ________ in daily life?
• Provide facts to prove that __________.
• Organize the information to show
__________.
• How would this person/character react
if ________?
• Predict what would happen if __________.
• How would you find out _________?
 Higher-Order Thinking Questions
Analyze (HOTS)
• What facts does the author offer to support
their opinion?
• What are some problems with the author’s
point of view?
• How does the author use symbolism in this
text?
• What common features do these
characters share?
• How does the setting affect the characters
and plot?
• Compare and contrast two main characters
or points of view.
• What was a character’s motivation for a
specific action?
• Discuss the pros and cons of _________.
• How would you classify or sort ___________?
• What are the advantages and
disadvantages of _______?
• How is _______ connected to __________?
• What caused __________?
• What are the effects of ___________?
• How would you prioritize these facts or
tasks?
Create (HOTS)
• How can you verify ____________?
• Design an experiment to __________.
• Defend your opinion on ___________.
• How can you solve this problem?
• Create a new character for the story, then
describe their background and impact.
• How would you turn this story into a movie?
What changes would you make to the plot and
why?
• Rewrite a story with a better ending.
• How can you persuade someone to __________?
• Make a plan to complete a task or project.
Evaluate (HOTS)
• Is _________ better or worse than _________?
• What are the best parts of __________?
• How will you know if __________ is
successful?
• Are the stated facts proven by evidence?
• What are the potential drawbacks?
• Was ______________ justified in their actions
and choices?
• How does historical context affect your
view of the person’s actions?
• Is the source reliable?
• What makes a point of view valid?
• Are any perspectives or points of view
missing?
• Did the character/person make a good
decision? Why or why not?
• Which _______ is the best and why?
• What biases can you identify in this text?
• How effective are/were the laws or policies
in achieving their goals?
• What are the biases or assumptions in an
argument?
© We Are Teachers. Teachers may make copies of this for school and classroom use.
• How would you improve __________?
• What changes would you make to
___________ and why?
• How would you teach someone to _________?
• What would happen if _________?
• What alternative can you suggest for
_________?
• Write a new policy to solve a societal
problem.
• How would you handle an emergency
situation like ____________?