The Depth and Complexity icons are meant to increase the depth and complexity of the questions we ask students. However, I used them poorly for years.
My use of Depth and Complexity was actually quite shallow and simple! When you visit classrooms, you will want to look for this mistake.And this problem is common.
Every Thursday, I send out an example of my early errors with Depth and Complexity. Sign up here for free.
What Are The Depth and Complexity Icons?
There are 11 prompts of Depth and Complexity. Each helps students to look at content from a different angle. Each prompt has an icon. These icons give students a visual shortcut.
I use emoji for my Depth and Complexity icons. They’re copyright-free and accessible in any app on any device.
The 11 Icons
Yeah, there are a lot. But there’s no need to use them all especially at first. Get comfortable with three at first. Your students will thank you!
| Icon | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 🏛️ | Big Idea | An overarching idea about a topic. |
| 🌻 | Essential Details | The most important specifics about a topic. |
| 👄 | Language of the Discipline | The vocabulary an expert would use to discuss their field. |
| 🚦 | Rules | The laws, hierarchies, norms, etc. within a topic. Breaking a rule leads to a consequence. |
| 🌀 | Patterns | Expected repetition within a field. These can break without necessarily creating a problem. |
| ⚖️ | Ethics | The problems, ambiguities, or dilemmas of a topic. |
| ⏳ | Change Over Time | How has a topic changed over long periods of time? |
| 👓 | Multiple Perspectives | How do different people view this topic? |
| ❓ | Unanswered Questions | More than “What questions do you have?” Push students to ask what we don’t yet know — or what can’t be known. |
| 📚 | Across Disciplines | How does this topic intersect other fields? Where do language arts and math appear? |
| 📈 | Trends | How a topic is changing now and why. My least favorite prompt. |
I introduce these slowly via email. Sign up for my Depth and Complexity introductions here.
Get the Depth and Complexity Mailer
What’s The Biggest Misconception With Depth and Complexity?
The biggest problem your teachers will make isI made was pairing a Depth and Complexity icon with a low level of Bloom’s Taxonomy.
⚠️ Beware asking a poor question and just plopping a Depth and Complexity icon in.
Look at my three questions. Despite including Depth and Complexity, they all just ask for a list.
- What are the 🚦 rules you’d follow in this math problem: 12 – 3 × 4?
- What are the 🌼 details of the setting in The Three Little Pigs?
- What 👄 language do we use in biology?
I don’t even need to use a complete sentences to answer those questions! These are shallow, not deep at all.
Depth & Complexity Icons + Bloom’s Taxonomy
The key is to pair Depth and Complexity Icons with higher levels from Bloom’s Taxonomy.
- Compare/Contrast: How is Edgar Allen Poe’s 👄 language different from Lewis Carrol’s?
- Evaluate: Which author most effectively uses 👄 language to create their tone?
- Synthesize: What would happen to the tone if we used some of Carrol’s 👄 language in The Raven?
We’re not just listing vocabulary words here. Each question pushes students higher up Bloom’s Taxonomy. And (yes) this comes from a task at Byrdseed.TV.
Depth and Complexity PDFs… and More
Ok! Let’s take a break here and I’ll point you to a few Depth and Complexity resources I’ve helped create:
- Grab this Depth and Complexity PDF
- Check out student videos for each icon at Byrdseed.TV
- Or use Depth and Complexity Intro Videos for professional development.
If you’d like to continue on, I also have an article about introducing Depth and Complexity Icons to students.