Process Strand 7: Communicates Understanding - Item Specification (8-2005)

CU02 (Organize, Represent, and Share Information) Organize numerical, measurement, geometric, probability and statistical, and/or algebraic information for a given purpose; use everyday and mathematical language to clearly and effectively express or present ideas and information involving number sense, measurement, geometric sense, probability and statistics, and/or algebraic sense; explain and/or represent mathematical ideas and information in ways appropriate for audience and purpose in a context that is relevant to seventh grade students and involves number sense, measurement, geometric sense, probability and statistics, and/or algebraic sense (4.2.1, 4.2.2, 4.2.3)

Item Formats:

· Short-Answer and Extended-Response items may be used to assess this learning target.

Stimulus, Stem, and Prompt Rules:

· Stimulus may include mathematical information embedded in pictures, symbols, text, tables, charts, graphs, diagrams, and models.
· Mathematical information from data sources such as magazines, newspapers, menus, brochures, schedules, tax tables, or billing statements may be used.
· Grids and/or circles will be provided for items requiring students to represent information graphically.
· Extended-Response items that ask students to create a graph will provide a grid and space for a title, labels for the axes, and scales and/or categories to be labeled.
· Stimulus may include ideas from number sense, measurement, geometric sense, probability and statistics, and algebraic sense.

Mathematical Vocabulary and Terms:

· All vocabulary and terms allowed or restricted in content strand specifications apply to Communicates Understanding items.
· Terms that may be used: audience, organize, Venn diagram
· Terms that may be used with definitions or examples:
· Terms that may not be used: continuous, discrete, tabular

Item Characteristics:

a) Items may ask students to clearly organize mathematical data in a useful format for a given purpose.
b) Items may ask students to clearly explain or represent mathematical information using pictures, tables, bar graphs, line plots, pictographs, circle graphs, line graphs, histograms, scatter plots, stem-and-leaf plots, box-and-whisker plots, 2-dimensional drawings, or other appropriate forms including titles and labels, appropriate and consistent scale(s), and accurate data display, for a given audience and/or purpose.
c) Items may ask students to clearly explain or describe mathematical ideas, facts, properties, procedures, or strategies in a way that is appropriate for a given audience and/or purpose using both everyday and mathematical language and notation.