550- engaging all students
Nicole36
ELM550-QuestioningStrategiesforIntegratedLearning.pptxQuestioning Strategies for Cross-Curricular Learning
Integrating Social Studies and Visual Arts
Grade 3: The Cultural Storytelling Activity
Professional Development Workshop
Depth of Knowledge Overview
Webb's Depth of Knowledge (DOK) Levels
Level 1: Recall and Reproduction
Level 2: Skills and Concepts
Level 3: Strategic Thinking
Level 4: Extended Thinking
Framework guides questioning complexity
Aligns questions with learning objectives
The DOK model of Webb provides a basis for asking questions through cognitive complexity and allows the students to progress from recalling information to deep thinking processes. The DOK model is esstenial in the Grade 3 Cultural Storytelling task since it provides inquiry in line with the Tennessee standards for social studies and visual arts. DOK is used to design questions for levels of difficulty increase to promote better understanding of cultural aspects and arts. According to Bryce and Kuritsky (2025), structured discussion about visual texts improves comprehension and engagement, making DOK an important tool for inquiry.
DOK Level 1 – Recall
Recall and Reproduction
Remember facts, definitions, and basic concepts
Questions ask who, what, when, where
Students retrieve information from memory
Example: "What colors do you see?"
Example: "What clothing appears in the image?"
One correct answer typically expected
Level 1 questions require the students to recall information that they know. In Cultural Storytelling task, these questions help the students in identifying the cultural aspects like language, dress code, food, art, beliefs, custom and music with images. The recall questions draw on prior knowledge and provide basic understanding before any further analysis is done. The teachers use these questions for pre-assessment of the prior knowledge of the students. According to Isaksen (2023), the development of the creative abilities starts with knowledge building, therefore making recall questions very important.
DOK Level 1 – Probing Questions
Recall Questions for Cultural Storytelling Activity
What language do you see written in this artwork?
What foods appear in this primary source image?
What clothing are people wearing in the picture?
What colors did the artist use in this artwork?
What shapes can you identify in this cultural image?
These five recall questions relating to language, food, clothes, colors, and shapes serve as pre-assessment tools that tap into the existing knowledge of the students before engaging in the task. The students analyze primary source pictures and recognize visible cultural components, complying to Social Studies Standard 3.14. According to Bryce and Kuritsky (2025), when visual texts are used to engage the students in a systematic observation of them, learning takes place, preparing the students for argumentation based on the evidence. The teacher records the responses of the students and determines where their knowledge is lacking to plan the lessons.
DOK Level 2 – Skills and Concepts
Skills and Concepts
Apply knowledge and conceptual understanding
Questions ask how, classify, compare, interpret
Students make connections and organize information
Example: "How would you classify these symbols?"
Example: "How does this art represent culture?"
Requires reasoning beyond simple recall
The Level 2 questions require that students apply their knowledge, categorize information, and create connections between concepts. In the current activity, students are asked to analyze cultural aspects of various groups, understand the usage of colors and textures in artwork, and sort out information about cultural beliefs (TN.gov, n.d.). These questions go beyond simple recalling and allow students to realize the connections between social studies content and art. According to Isaksen (2023), choice-based approaches lead to increased motivation and higher levels of learning, and Level 2 questions help achieve this goal.
DOK Level 2 – Probing Questions
Skills and Concepts Questions
How does this artwork show cultural beliefs?
How would you compare clothing across cultures?
What patterns do you notice in this artwork?
How does the artist use texture to communicate?
How are these cultural elements connected to each other?
The five questions require students to group, compare, and interpret the cultural aspects through small group discussions. The students will be tasked to discuss the way in which artworks describe beliefs, compare clothing across various cultures, recognize any patterns, and identify cultural aspects. According to Bryce and Kuritsky (2025), discussion on visual texts helps increase comprehension and engagement. This makes these prompts very useful tools for formative assessments. The instructors will move around during the discussion session to check whether the concept is understood.
DOK Level 3 – Strategic Thinking
Strategic Thinking
Reason, plan, and use evidence
Questions ask why, what if, how would you
Students justify answers with supporting evidence
Example: "What evidence supports your conclusion?"
Example: "How would you design a cultural artwork?"
Multiple valid answers and approaches exist
Questions at level 3 demand reasoning, planning, and justification based on facts. Students will think strategically about how the artist communicates culturally related ideas and justify their findings by using visual facts. In this lesson, students will make decisions in designing their art work and justify how they use cultural elements in it. These questions promote critical thinking and problem-solving skills. According to Isaksen (2023), choice-based art education develops creativity through decision-making processes. Level 3 questions help students get ready for gallery walks where they explain how their art communicates culture.
DOK Level 3 – Probing Questions
Strategic Thinking Questions
What evidence shows this artwork represents culture?
How would you design art to show your culture?
Why did the artist choose these specific colors?
What would happen if the artist changed this element?
How can you use art principles to show beliefs?
The five questions on strategic thinking demand students to provide visual evidence to support their arguments, create artworks to describe the culture and make analysis of the decisions made by the artists. They are used during gallery walks and when giving feedback among peers and encourage respectful communication and reasoning (Bryce & Kuritsky, 2025). The students give reasons as to why artists chose certain colors or what happens when certain elements are changed to develop problem solving skills. Teachers use the answers given by students formatively to see whether the students can connect the two concepts.
DOK Level 4 – Extended Thinking
Synthesize, create, and apply across contexts
Questions require investigation and multiple sources
Students design, produce, and evaluate original work
Example: "How can art promote cultural understanding?"
Example: "Create artwork representing multiple cultures"
Takes extended time and complex reasoning
Level 4 questions involve synthesis, creation, and application across different situations. The students create original art, evaluate complicated cultural concepts and integrate perspectives from both local and international levels. In this exercise, the student create art reflecting cultural concepts and think about how art helps promote mutual understanding between different cultures (TN.gov, n.d.). The tasks take much time and require complex thinking. According to Bryce and Kuritsky (2025), arts integration should promote justice and freedom, and the level 4 tasks motivate the students to think about how visual art promotes mutual respect among different cultures.
DOK Level 4 – Probing Questions
Extended Thinking Questions
How can visual art promote understanding across cultures?
How would you combine three cultures into one artwork?
What cultural story would you tell through your art?
How does your artwork connect local and global cultures?
How can art inspire others to respect cultural diversity?
The five creative questions for extended thinking allow the students to combine their cultural knowledge with the integration of several cultural traditions into their artworks. In case of being used as a summative assessment tool, these prompts measure students' abilities to establish connections between the local and global views via their creative work (TN.gov, n.d.). The students are required to present their works and explain how they have managed to communicate the cultural significance of their artworks both visually and verbally.
Digital Tools and Assessment Strategies
Padlet: Students post questions and reflections digitally
Supports inquiry, discussion, and peer feedback
Flipgrid: Students record video responses to questions
Builds communication and critical thinking skills
Formative: Gallery walk with sticky-note questions
Summative: Artwork presentation with reflection questions
The Padlet tool provides a platform for writing reflections and questioning each other’s opinions, whereas Flipgrid allows recording of reasons for making art choices. All these tools help create an environment of inquiry and thinking critically (Bryce & Kuritsky, 2025). Assessment on the formative level includes gallery walks as well as asking questions on sticky notes. It helps students to provide their feedback and ask thoughtful questions about their peers’ artworks. The summative assessment includes presenting the students’ artworks with reflection questions that measure culture comprehension and artistic skills.
References
Bryce, N., & Kuritsky, S. (2025). Perspectives on practice: Infusing literacy and the arts to learn history: Advancing pedagogical pursuits toward justice and freedom. Language Arts, 102(3), 199–204. https://doi.org/10.58680/la20251023199
Isaksen, S. G. (2023). Developing creative potential: The power of process, people, and place. Journal of Advanced Academics, 34(2), 111–144. https://doi.org/10.1177/1932202x231156389
TN.gov. (n.d.). Tennessee Social Studies Standards. Www.Tn.Gov. Retrieved September 16, 2026, from https://www.tn.gov/education/districts/academic-standards/social-studies-standards.html
