A teacher developing a unit about nutrition wishes to sequence instructional objectives to reflect progressively higher levels of cognitive skills. Which of the following objectives represents the highest level of cognitive skills?

The choice that represents the highest level of cognitive skills is the objective that involves assessing the role of societal and peer pressure in influencing students' selection of foods. This objective requires students to engage in higher-order thinking skills, such as analyzing complex social dynamics and evaluating how external factors impact individual choices. It goes beyond simple recall or description, pushing students to synthesize information and apply their understanding of nutrition in a real-world context.

In contrast, identifying healthy foods or listing food groups involves basic knowledge and comprehension, which are lower levels of cognitive skills according to Bloom's taxonomy. Describing the benefits of good nutrition represents a level of understanding, but it still stays within the realm of explanation rather than deeper analytical thinking. The selected objective encapsulates critical thinking and evaluation, making it the most advanced in this context.