Depth and Complexity

Depth-  Exploration of content within a discipline. Teachers and students dig deeper into the curriculum. The deeper students go with a subject, the broader it gets.

Depth allows exploration of the discipline by going past facts and concepts into generalizations, principles, theories, and laws.

Complexity- Examining a big idea, issue/problem, or topic for greater breadth of understanding.

Elements of Depth and Complexity (Icons)

Language of the Discipline

Vocabulary terms that are specific to the content or discipline.

•What vocabulary is used?
•What tools are used?
•What methods are used?
•What service is provided?
•What products are made?

What terms or words are specific to the work of the _________________? (disciplinarian)
What tools does the __________ use? (disciplinarian)

   Details

Defining features or characteristics.

•Who..? What..?
•When…? Where..?
•Why…? How…?

What are its attributes?
What features characterize this?
What specific elements define this?
What distinguishes this from other things?

  Patterns

Elements that reoccur.

•What patterns do you notice?
•Can you predict what will come next?
•Why do you think so?

What are the recurring events?
What elements events, ideas are repeated over time?
What was the order of events
How can we predict what will come next?

   Trends

•Identify cause & effect relationships
•What are influencing factors?

What ongoing factors have influenced this study?
What factors have contributed to this study?

Unanswered Questions

•What words don’t you understand?
•What is unclear?
•What information is missing?

What is still not understood about this area/ topic/ study/ discipline?
What is yet unknown about this area/ topic/ study/ discipline?
In what ways is the information incomplete or lacking in explanation?

      Rules

•What are the rules?
•How it is structured?

How is this structured?
What are the stated and unstated causes related to the description or explanation of what we are studying?

        Ethics

Who believes the behavior or action to be right or wrong and why?

What dilemmas or controversies are involved in this area/ topic/ study/ discipline?
What elements can be identified that reflect bias, prejudice, discrimination?