Description of the subject and its major goals
The second grade history and social science curriculum introduces students to the
heritage and contributions of different cultures (such as Ancient China, Ancient Egypt, and the
American Indians). This helps develop students’ appreciation for cultures different than the
dominant one in which they live. The curriculum also introduces students to the idea that the
United States itself has many different ethnic origins, customs, and traditions that contribute to
our communities and that are united by common principles; this develops students’ appreciation
for diversity. After going through the curriculum students should be able to identify specific
American individuals who helped improve the lives of American citizens and the communities in
which they live. More general aims of the curriculum include the development map skills and
the understanding of basic economic concepts.
Description of the specific unit
The second grade unit on Egypt encompasses the contributions Ancient Egypt made to
the world in terms of architecture, inventions, and language. By the end of the unit students will
know that Ancient Egyptians were responsible for the written language of hieroglyphics; the
inventions of papyrus, the 365-day calendar, and the clock; and the architectural style of the
pyramid. The unit also covers the location of Egypt on a world map, the climate of the country,
and adaptations that people made when they moved to that region of the world.
Description and explanation of intended learning outcomes being assessed within your unit,
identifying those being assessed by the test and those being assessed through other
assessments
The test itself will measure all but one of the intended learning outcomes (see the table of
specifications on page 6). The intended learning outcomes on the assessment include: an
analysis of how the contributions of ancient Egypt influenced the present world in terms of
architecture, inventions, the calendar, and written language; the knowledge and application of
information from print and non-print sources; the knowledge, analysis and synthesis of
information about Ancient Egypt; knowledge of where Egypt is on a world map; an analysis of
the climate, land, and plant life of these regions; and comprehension of how people in these
regions adapt to their environment. The intended learning outcome of applying information
about Egypt will be assessed with a short story that students write with a partner. In this short
story students will use the information they learn about Ancient Egypt to write about a “day in
the life” of a child living in Ancient Egyptian times.
Overview description of characteristics of the classroom/school context, including relevant
characteristics of your students
Matoaka Elementary School opened one and half years ago and is considered the “private
school” of the Williamsburg James City County School System. The school has small class sizes
and a very small population (approximately 2%) of students who receive free and reduced lunch.
In my particular classroom there are 17 students, three of which have IEP’s for speech. Five of
the students in my class are advanced and four students struggle academically (mostly with
reading and writing). The small class size makes easier to monitor students to make sure they
are following directions and not struggling too much with the test. Since only four students
struggle, it is easier to give each student the extra support they need.
The students in the class get along well together and there are no serious behavioral
problems. The class is a little talkative but they will work quietly when they are asked. In order
to keep students from talking during the test on Ancient Egypt, they will set up “offices” (two
manila folders taped together that block off desks on both sides and to the front). These folders
not only provide a physical barrier, they also keep students mentally aware of proper testing
conduct (no talking, keep your hands to your self, eyes on your paper only).
Purpose(s) or use(s) of the test
This is a summative assessment that will be used to tie together a unit about Ancient
Egypt. The twenty-five question test compiles two weeks worth of information for students to
see in one place at one time. The test also shows the instructor, students’ parents, and the
students themselves what they have learned and retained throughout the unit about Ancient
Egypt. The test can also be used for formative assessment; during the administration of the test
the instructor will take observational notes of students’ behavior (attention span; signs of stress,
boredom, or confusion; requests to leave the test for bathroom/water breaks). The instructor will
use these notes to determine if the test is too long, too difficult, or not engaging enough.
Intended learning outcomes and standards
History/Social Science Standard of Learning 2.1
The student will explain how the contributions of ancient China and Egypt have influenced the
present world in terms of architecture, inventions, the calendar, and written language.
Intended Learning Outcomes
The student will:
Locate and use information from print and non-print sources.
Gather, classify, and interpret information.
Use resource materials.
Collect, organize, and record information.
Know the terms ancient, architecture, and contribution
History/Social Science Standard of Learning 2.4
The student will develop map skills by
a) locating China and Egypt on world maps;
c) comparing the climate, land, and plant life of these regions;
d) describing how people in these regions adapt to their environment.
Intended Learning Outcomes
The student will:
Locate regions on maps and globes.
Locate and use information from print and non-print sources.
Use resource materials.
Collect, organize, and record information.
Gather, classify, and interpret information.
The student will know the terms climate, land, and environment
Discussion of construct validity
Construct validity measures how accurately an assessment aligns with the theoretical
framework, intended learning out comes, standards and objectives. Since this assessment is
configured specifically around the standards of learning and intended learning outcomes for
second grade social studies, the test should have high construct validity. To ensure that this
assessment does indeed have high construct validity, a table of specifications (see page 6) was
created. All of the unit’s objectives were recorded on the table of specifications along with the
cognitive level(s) on which the objectives were to be assessed. Once the test was created, the
items were mapped on the table of specifications to make sure that each objective was addressed
and to make sure that no items measured an objective that was not covered in the unit.
Discussion of content validity
Content validity is concerned with adequately sampling the standards or objectives of a
unit and not sampling the standards or objectives that are not taught during the unit. The
objectives for this unit on Egypt were converted into a table of specifications. To ensure that
each objective was met, questions from the test were mapped on the table of specifications.
Mapping the test questions on the table of specifications also shows when a question measures
something that was not included in the objectives. There are no questions on this assessment that
measure an objective not specifically set forth in the unit. Second graders will lose focus if the
test is much longer than 25 questions so objectives must be assessed efficiently and without
unnecessary questions.
Rationale for test item types – include both select-response and supply-response items in
your assessment
This test includes both select- and supply-response questions. Select-response items
include matching and multiple choice questions. These questions are good for students in second
grade because second graders don’t have the attention span to take a long test and selectresponse questions take less time than supply-response questions. The test will also have supplyresponse questions in the form of fill in the blank questions, map labeling questions, short
answer questions, and one question in which students fill out a blank chart. Supply-response
questions take longer for students to answer, but they more easily test the higher levels of
knowledge such analysis, application, and synthesis.
Discussion of potential threats to reliability for this test, including issues related to item
construction, issues related to test administration, and plans for item analysis
There is potential for systemic error and random error in any testing situation and both
these types of error threaten the reliability of the test. Systematic error is unintentionally built
into the assessment by the teacher. Culturally biased language, inappropriate reading level,
mechanical and grammatical mistakes, unclear directions, poor layout, and subjective scoring all
contribute to systematic error. On this particular test, layout could cause a problem on the
matching portion because students may have a difficult time drawing clear lines; this is remedied
by having students also write the letter of the correct answer in a blank beside the number. Two
other second grade teachers will peer-review this assessment before it is given to help reduce any
systematic error resulting from mechanical or grammatical mistakes, unclear directions, and poor
layout; fellow second grade teachers will also assist in grading questions twenty-four and
twenty-five to reduce subjectivity in scoring. The test will be read aloud to ensure that reading
level does not contribute to systematic error and students will be allowed to ask questions if they
do not understand something on the test.
Random error is not controllable by the teacher and is affected by student illness,
distractedness, unhappiness, giddiness, a fire alarm, intercom announcements, a wobbly desk, or
fellow students being distracting. Random error depends on individual students’ situations and
should be considered when teachers are grading an assessment
After students’ tests are scored, an item analysis will be conducted to see what
objectives/items were understood or not understood by students. On this test systematic error
could result during the item analysis for objectives that are measured by only one item (item 2
and item 5); however since the objectives measured in both items are measured at higher
cognitive levels (with multiple items) the threat to reliability is lowered. If problem questions
arise during item analysis (questions that everyone missed, for example) they will be examined
and possibly thrown out.
Discussion of potential for predictive validity
When two assessments that measure the same outcome are given at different periods of
time, there is the potential for predictive validity. If the first assessment predicts how well
students perform on the second assessment, predictive validity is high. Since this particular test
is the final (summative) assessment for the unit on Ancient Egypt, it will not provide predictive
validity for any other classroom tests. If second grader students took the Virginia Standards of
Learning tests, this unit test would provide predictive validity for how well students would
perform on that part of the History/Social Science Standards of Learning test.
Description of scoring and grading procedures
Questions one through twenty-three have objective answers and can easily be marked
correct or incorrect, questions twenty-four and twenty-five are marginally subjective but rubrics
are included to determine the allotment points; the rubrics are listed below. Questions one
through twenty-two are worth two points each, question twenty-three is worth four points,
question twenty-four is worth eight points, and question twenty-five is worth four points. Each
point is weighted the same amount and students’ final grades will be calculated by finding the
percentage of how many points they got out of the 60 point total.
1 point will be awarded for each correctly identified contribution. The following
are acceptable answers:
-clocks
-papyrus paper
-hieroglyphics
-365-day calendar
-pyramids
1 point will be awarded for each correctly identified way in which the
contribution affects the student. The following are acceptable answers:
-clocks help tell time
-papyrus is similar to the paper we write on today
-hieroglyphics are form of writing similar to our alphabet
-the 365-day calendar helps us know the date
-today some buildings are shaped like pyramids
1 point—contribution is actually from Ancient Egypt (see above rubric)
1 point—drawing shows a way the contribution affects daily life (see above
rubric)
1 point—drawing is neat
1 point—drawing is colored
Table of Specifications
Cognitive Levels
Content
Knowledge
The ways in which the contributions of ancient
China and Egypt influenced present world
architecture, inventions, the calendar, and
written language
Various information from print and non-print
sources (resource materials)
Information (about the contributions of Ancient
Egypt)
Comprehension
Analysis
x
x
2
24, 25
x
x
5
1, 3
x
x
x
8, 10, 11
7**, 9**
Short Story
4, 6
12, 13
x
Map of Egypt
16, 17, 18,
19
x
Climate land and plant life of Egypt
15, 21
x
How people in Egypt adapt to their
environment
Synthesis
x
x
The terms ancient, architecture, contribution
Application
14, 20, 22, 23
Evaluation
History/Social Science Standards of Learning
2.1 The student will explain how the contributions of ancient China and Egypt have influenced the
present world in terms of architecture, inventions, the calendar, and written language.
2.4 The student will develop map skills by
a) locating China and Egypt on world maps;
c) comparing the climate, land, and plant life of these regions;
d) describing how people in these regions adapt to their environment.
**These questions present information in a novel way. For number six, students will never have seen a
pyramid described in this way so they will have to analyze the description to figure out what the figure
could be. For number eight, students will have been told that they made papyrus is Egyptian paper, but
they will never specifically have been told that Egyptians wrote on it. Since this is a novel way to present
information, it requires students to think on the analysis level.