Magellan Example
POOR
(Actual item given to a grade 4 class)
world culture is that he was the
first person to
a) circumnavigate the globe
b) discover the Atlantic Ocean
c) land on American soil
d) look for the Fountain of Youth
primary, contribution, culture, circumnavigate
|  |
BETTER
1. Magellan was the first person to
a) go around the world
b) discover the Atlantic Ocean
c) land on American soil
d) look for the Fountain of Youth
|
- most kids knew who Magellan was, but it became a vocabulary test
- if you are new to a grade, there are books, vocabulary tables available...
- Unnecessary wording and details should be eliminated from both the
stem and alternatives
- key words from a reading passage or data set should not be repeated
in the stem or in an alternative