The development of cartographic competence is an important objective of contemporary geography education, as it enables students to interpret spatial information, analyze geographical phenomena, and apply higher-order thinking skills through map-based learning. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of methods for improving the cartographic competence of secondary school students using learning tasks structured according to Bloom's taxonomy. A quasi-experimental research design was conducted with 94 students aged 13–14 from Secondary School No. 167 in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Participants were divided into experimental and control groups. Three levels of cartographic tasks aligned with Bloom's taxonomy were developed to assess students' map-reading, analytical, synthesis, and evaluation skills. The experimental group received structured instruction based on taxonomy-oriented map activities and project-based learning, while the control group followed conventional geography instruction. Comparative analysis of the results showed that the experimental group achieved higher performance across all cognitive levels. The largest difference between the groups was observed at the synthesis and evaluation level, where the experimental group outperformed the control group by 34 percentage points. The findings indicate that the systematic integration of Bloom's taxonomy into cartographic instruction effectively enhances higher-order thinking skills, including analysis, synthesis, evaluation, and independent problem-solving. In addition, project-based cartographic activities contribute to the development of practical mapping skills and cartographic literacy. The study demonstrates the pedagogical value of taxonomy-based instruction within the updated geography curriculum of Kazakhstan and highlights its potential to strengthen students' critical thinking and spatial reasoning. The proposed approach provides a practical methodological framework for improving cartographic competence and promoting more effective geography learning in secondary schools.