To help students practise expressing their ideas in increasingly complex ways it may be useful to consider using the IB command terms in the same sort of structure as Blooms taxonomy.  Looking at these command terms it is clear that there is a clear link between the two.

This would give a logical progression of difficulty, for teachers and students to build their confidence in the objective 3 points in the IB Biology Guide.  Students can build confidence in their knowledge through a progression of increasingly difficult tasks based on IB command terms.

Blooms taxonomy can be simply expressed in the following six terms, increasing in complexity. Suggestions of IB command terms for each stage are in brackets.

1.       Knowledge (Define, Draw, Label, List, State)      

2.       Comprehension (Annotate, Describe Outline)

3.       Application (Apply, Identify, Show, Determine)

4.       Analysis (Distinguish, Analyse, Compare, Discuss, Explain)

5.       Synthesis (Construct, Design, Predict)

6.       Evaluation (Comment, Deduce, Evaluate)

As teachers we simple suggest a series of questions for the more difficult points in the IB Biology guide. To help students get to grips with each point take one command term from each bullet point, up to the command term in the point itself.

For Example

Explain the need for Enzymes in digestion (obj. 3)

1.       List the enzymes used in human digestion.

2.       Describe the role of enzymes in digestion.

3.       Apply your knowledge of enzymes used in human digestion to explain how Lactose free milk can be manufactured.

4.       Explain the need for Enzymes in digestion.

Discuss the ethical issues associated with IVF. (obj. 3)

1.       State two potential risks and two benefits associated with IVF

2.       Outline the arguments for and against IVF

3.       Apply the precautionary principle to the development of a new IVF treatment

4.       Discuss the ethical issues associated with IVF.