Chapters 7 and 8 Item Writing Exercise for Elementary Teachers 3–6

Intermediate Level Item Writing Practice

Directions:

In this exercise, you will practice writing items. You are given learning objectives and you will write items to measure the objectives. For each item type, you have an example. Then you write an item that measures the same objective, using the same type of item. You may want to modify the item format slightly. However, make certain that the resulting item still measures the objective. Remember that an important key to writing good items is to find an item format that works, and then create several items in the same format, measuring the same learning objective. Review pages 258–298 and 301–331 before you begin your work.

Reading Literature

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

By Jane Taylor (in Rhymes for the Nursery by Jane and Ann Taylor, 1806)

Chapters 7 and 8 Item Writing Exercise for Elementary Teachers 3–6

Twinkle, twinkle little star,

How I wonder what you are!

Up above the world so high,

Like a diamond in the sky.

When the blazing sun is gone,

When he nothing shines upon,

Then you show your little light,

Twinkle, twinkle all the night.

Then the traveler in the dark

Thanks you for your tiny spark,

He could not see which way to go,

If you did not twinkle so.

In the dark blue sky you keep,

And often through my curtains peep,

For you never shut your eye,

'Till the sun is in the sky.

As your bright and tiny spark

Lights the traveler in the dark,

Though I know not what you are,

Twinkle, twinkle little star.

Chapters 7 and 8 Item Writing Exercise for Elementary Teachers 3–6

TRUE-FALSE ITEMS

Look at the learning objective and the related item.

Learning objective: Students will learn to identify where and how figurative language (simile, metaphor, personification, etc.) is used in text.

EXAMPLE ITEM

T F "For you never shut your eye" is an example of personification.

Now, write another true-false item to assess the objective. Review the information on pages 287 to 289 as you write your item.

T F

MULTIPLE-CHOICE ITEMS

Look at the learning objective and the related item.

Learning objective: Students will learn how authors use literary devices (metaphor, simile, alliteration, personification, etc.) to create an effect.

EXAMPLE ITEM

Why does the author of this nursery rhyme repeat the word "twinkle" throughout the poem?

A. The poet wanted to give the poem a sparkling sound.

B. The poet wanted to help poor readers read the poem.

C. The poet couldn't think of other words to use in the poem.

Now, write another multiple-choice item to measure the objective. Remember to ask how the author used a literary device to create an effect. Remember to make your answer choices similar in length, grammatical structure, and focus. Review the information pages 258 to 272 as you write your item.

A.
B.
C.

ESSAY ITEM

Look at the learning objective and the related item.

Learning objective: Students will learn to identify where and how figurative language (simile, metaphor, personification, etc.) is used in the text.

Re-read the poem. List three examples of personification from the poem. Explain how each example shows personification.

Scoring rule:

4 points Response includes three valid examples of personification from the poem; explanation for each example shows solid understanding of personification.

3 points Response includes two or three valid examples of personification from the poem; explanation shows solid understanding of personification. If three examples are given, not all examples are explained.

2 points Response includes two valid examples of personification from the poem. Explanation, if given, shows little understanding of personification.

1 point Response is an attempt to identify and explain personification. Response shows either definitional understanding, OR one valid example without explanation.

0 points Response shows no understanding of personification.

Sample response:

One example of personification in the poem is “In the dark blue sky you keep, and often through my curtains peep.” In this example, the star is like a person peeping into a room. Another example of personification is “When the blazing sun is gone, when he nothing shines upon.” In this example, the sun is a character that seems to decide not to shine on anything. The last example of personification is “For you never shut your eye, ’Till the sun is in the sky.” In the example, the star is like a person with eyes open.

Now, write another essay item for the objective, including the scoring rule and a sample answer. Be sure that you are asking the student to “identify how figurative language is used in the text.” Remember to put all expectations related to the objective in the item stem. Review the information pages 303 to 324 as you write your item.

Item:

Scoring rule:

Sample answer:

Language Arts (Reading Informational Text)

Passage 1

The Native American exerts his spirit upon the world by means of religious activity. He rises above himself, in a sense. He expands his awareness to include all of creation. And in this, he is restored as a man and as a race. Nothing in his universe is exclusive of him. He is part of all that is, and forever was, and will be.

Passage 2

Do you all see me?. . . Do you all help me?

My words are tied in one with the great mountains,

with the great rocks, with the great trees,

in one with my body and my heart.

Do you all help me with supernatural power,

and you, day, and you, night!

All of you see me one with the world.

Yokuts' Prayer

MULTIPLE-CHOICE ITEM

Look at the learning objective and the related item.

Learning objective: Students will learn to discriminate between primary and secondary sources.

Passage 2 is a primary source because

A. It gives one writer's personal opinion about nature.

B. It is a direct translation of a Native American prayer.

C. It gives factual information about Native Americans.

Now, write another multiple-choice item to measure the objective. Be sure to focus on discrimination between sources. Remember to make your answer choices similar in length, grammatical structure, and focus. Review the information pages 258 to 272 as you write your item.

A.

B.

C.

Look at the learning objective and the related item.

Learning objective: Students will learn how to use information from multiple sources to develop an idea.

What is one idea that is in both passages?

A. Native Americans believe they are connected to all of nature.

B. Native Americans write poetry to express their feelings about life.

C. Native Americans are often lonely because of their religion.

YOUR CHOICE

Now, write another item to measure the objective. Be sure to ask students to use information from both sources to develop an idea. You may use a multiple-choice or short-answer item format.

If you use a multiple-choice format, remember to make your answer choices similar in length, grammatical structure, and focus. Review the information pages 258 to 272 as you write a multiple-choice item.

If you use a short-answer format, remember to give all expectations in the item stem, create a scoring rule, and a sample answer. Review the information pages 272 to 281 as you write a short-answer item.

Mathematics

Graph 1: Comparisons of Annual Precipitation for Regions in the United States

Graph 2: Regional Annual Rainfall for the Years 1995 through 2001

TRUE-FALSE ITEMS

Look at the learning objective and the related item.

Learning objective: Students will learn how to read and interpret graphs, charts, and tables.

Look at Graph 2. Then answer the question.

T F For Region 1, it rained about 47 inches in 1997.

Now, write another true-false item to measure the objective. Make sure that you ask students to read or interpret information in one or both graphs. Also, be sure that the statement is absolutely true or absolutely false. Review the information pages 287 to 289 as you write your item.

T F

SHORT-ANSWER ITEMS

Look at the learning objective and the related items.

Classroom objective: Students will learn how to integrate information from multiple sources including graphs, charts, tables, and informational text.

Use the information in both graphs to do questions 1 and 2.

1.  What is one region of the United States that could be Region 2 in Graph 2? Be sure to:

• Support your answer with enough data from both graphs to convince the reader that you are right.

• Say which graph your data are from.

• Show computations that you use, if you use any.

Scoring rule:

3 points Response shows ability to integrate information from the two graphs. Student selects either the West or the High Plains region. Support includes the average rainfall for the region from Graph 1, and either one measure of central tendency (median or mean) for rainfall based on the data in Graph 2 OR several points of data from Graph 2.

2 points Response shows partial ability to integrate information from the two graphs. Student selects either the West or the High Plains region. Support includes one data point from each graph. Neither range nor central tendency are used in reference to Graph 2.

1 point Response shows ability to accurately read information from graphs but not how to integrate information from multiple graphs.

0 points Response shows no understanding of how to read graphs or integrate information from graphs.

Sample answer:

The region shown in Graph 2 is probably the West. In Graph 1, the average rainfall for the Western region is about 18 inches. The mean rainfall for the region shown in Graph 2 is (between 17 and 19 depending on the numbers extracted from Graph 2) inches.

Now, write another short-answer item to measure the objective, including the scoring rule and a sample answer. Be sure that you are asking the student to integrate information from both graphs. Remember to include all expectations related to the objective in the item stem. Review the information pages 272 to 281 as you write your item.

Item:

Scoring rule:

Sample answer: