Costa’s Levels of Questioning and Thinkingfor Cornell Notes
❖LEVEL ONE: “what you can GOOGLE” EASY
These are questions that ask simple factual questions. Answers to these type
of questions are found in the text. Questions include recalling information or
understanding the meaning of the text.
Key words include –
define describe identify
name list observe
recite scan locate
Where did __? What is __? Give an example of __?
When did __? This leads to __? Who was __?
❖LEVEL TWO: “what you need to use your NOODLE” COMPARE
These are questions that ask you to analyze the information, to think deeper about the information, and to see how the information relates to other topics or ideas.
Answers to these questions will be found in the text.
Key words include –
analyze compare contrast
infer group sequence
explain What was important about ____?
What other ways could this ____ be interpreted?
What information proves your point about ____ ?
❖LEVEL THREE: “what you need to DOODLE” OPINION
These are questions that ask you to take the information and use it to create new
ideas or ask you to form a judgment about the information. Answers to these
questions will probably NOT be found in the text.
Key words include –
evaluatehypothesizeimagine
predictguess based on….
Apply the principle of ___ to the information – how will it change?
Design a __ to show __.
Describe what would happen if __?
What would __ be like if __ was changed?
In what way would ______be important to affect our world?
Assume that ___; how would this change ___?
Reflections for your Cornell Notes!
You will choose any 3 of the following questions to answer as your reflection for the
cornell notes we take in class.
Sentences must be :
-complete
-minimum of 12 words per sentence
-show logic
-express good thinking
-be well thought out
Question Bank-
1. Explain what you thought were the 3 most important ideas from
today’s notes.
2. Explain what was most confusing or difficult for you to understand
in the notes today.
3. Pick a comment made from today’s notes. Write your opinion or
make another comment about what was said. This is open-ended!
4. What questions do you have from today’s notes? (this will NOT be
a repeat of any of your CN questions!)
5. Make a prediction about what we will be discussing in our next class.
6. What can your teacher do to make the notes more understandable?
7. What do you need more review on? Explain, in detail.
8. If you had been the teacher, how would YOU have taught the ideas?