Florida’s revised science standards emphasize teaching and learning the most important K-12 science concepts in depth at each grade level. After adoption of the new science standards, the Florida Center for Research in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (FCR-STEM) at Florida State University convened a group of Florida science teachers, district science supervisors, science education faculty, and scientists to rate the cognitive demand of each benchmark. Meeting in teams for each body of knowledge, they reviewed and discussed each benchmark, then reached consensus on level of cognitive complexity using a classification system adapted from the “depth of knowledge” system developed by Dr. Norman Webb at the University of Wisconsin.

Cognitive complexity refers to the cognitive demand of tasks associated with the benchmark. The depth of knowledge levels (Webb, 1999) reflect the relative complexity of thinking that a given benchmark demands of students — what it requires the student to recall, understand, analyze, and do. Florida’s depth of knowledge rating system focuses on expectations of students at three levels:

Low Complexity
Low complexity benchmarks rely heavily on the recall and recognition of previously learned concepts and principles. These benchmarks typically specify what the student is to do, which is often to carry out a procedure that can be preformed mechanically. It is not left to the student to come up with an original method or solution. Skills related to low complexity benchmarks include the following. 

• Identify a common example or recognize a concept
• Retrieve information from a chart, table, diagram, or graph 
• Recognize a standard scientific representation of a simple phenomenon
• Calculate or complete a familiar single-step procedure or equation using a reference sheet

Moderate Complexity
Benchmarks in the moderate complexity category involve more flexible thinking and choice among alternatives. These benchmarks require a student response that goes beyond the habitual, is not specified, and ordinarily has more than a single step or thought process. The student is expected to decide what to do – using informal methods of reasoning and problem solving strategies – and to bring together skills and knowledge from various domains. Skills related to moderate complexity benchmarks include the following.

• Apply or infer relationships among facts, terms, properties, or variables 
• Describe examples and non examples of scientific processes or concepts 
• Predict or determine the logical next step or outcome 
• Compare or contrast structures or functions of different organisms or systems 
• Choose the appropriate formula or equation to solve a problem and then solve it 
• Apply and use concepts from a standard scientific model or theory

High Complexity
High complexity benchmarks make heavy demands on student thinking. Students must engage in more abstract reasoning, planning, analysis, judgment, and creative thought. These benchmarks require students to think in an abstract and sophisticated way, often involving multiple steps. Skills related to high complexity benchmarks include the following.

• Construct models for research 
• Generalize or draw conclusions 
• Design an experiment 
• Explain or solve a problem in more than one way 
• Provide a justification for steps in a solution or process 
• Analyze an experiment to identify a flaw and propose a method for correcting it 
• Interpret, explain, or solve a problem involving complex spatial relationships 
• Predict a long term effect, outcome, or result of a change within a system

Webb, N.L., 1999, Alignment Between Standards and Assessment, University of Wisconsin Center for Educational Research.