Content Strand 3: Geometric Sense - Item Specification (8-2005)

GS01 (Properties and Relationships) Demonstrate understanding of the concept of similarity and the characteristics of circles and rectangular prisms; use the characteristics of angles, polygons, circles, and rectangular prisms to draw, describe, and compare objects and figures (1.3.1, 1.3.2)

Item Format:

· Multiple-Choice and Short-Answer items may be used to test this learning target.

Stimulus, Stem, and Prompt Rules:

· Stimulus may include illustrations of 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional figures or real-world objects.
· Stimulus will include a box drawn in figures to mark right angles, hash marks on line segments to indicate equal lengths, and the symbol to indicate perpendicular lines.
· Items may use geometric properties such as congruence, component shapes, number of sides, number of angles, number of faces, number of edges, size or shape of bases, equal lengths, lines of symmetry, parallel lines, perpendicular lines, and similarity.

Mathematical Vocabulary and Terms:

· Terms that may be used: acute, angle, circle, circumference, component, cube, diagonal, diameter, dimensions, edge, equilateral, face, figure, hexagon, interior, intersecting, isosceles line, line segment, obtuse, octagon, parallelogram, pentagon, perpendicular, polygon, prism, quadrilateral, radius/radii, rectangle, rhombus, right angle, side, similar, square, 3-dimensional figure, trapezoid, 2-dimensional figure, triangle, vertex/ vertices
· Terms that may be used with definitions or examples: compare (tell how they are alike and/or how they are different)
· Terms that may not be used: plane figure, solid figure
· Students are expected to know: sum of 3 angles of triangle equals 180°

Item Characteristics:

a) Items may ask students to identify, describe, and/or draw angles, polygons, circles, or rectangular prisms using geometric properties.
b) Items may ask students to compare and sort, according to their geometric properties.
c) Items may ask students to describe the relationship between radius, diameter, and/or circumference.
d) Items may ask students to identify, describe, or compare similar figures.
e) Items may ask students to produce a simple scale drawing.
f) Items may ask students to explain how a scale drawing illustrates similarity.
g) Items may ask students to differentiate between similar and congruent figures.
h) Items may ask students to find the missing angle when given all other angles in a triangle or quadrilateral.