One of These Things Is Not like the Others

I substitute-taught a first-grade class some years ago in which I was asked to correct student work that included a "One of these things is not like the others; which one doesn't belong?" question.

The words were

CHAIR     TABLE      BED      BICYCLE

Which one doesn't belong?

"Bicycle," said the first student.
"Why is it bicycle?" I asked.
"I don't know," he said. "It just seems different."
"Go back and think about it," I suggested.

"Table," said the second student.
"Why is it table?" I asked.
"Because it's the only one you don't sit on," she said.
"Good," I said.

"Bicycle," said the third student.
"Why is it bicycle?" I asked.
"Because it's the only one you have to hold onto when you use it," he said.
"Good," I said.

"Bicycle," said the fourth student.
"Why is it bicycle?" I asked.
"Because it's the only one with wheels," he said.
"Good," I said.

I went home and told a member of my family about this funny question I had to grade, and he responded without stopping to think that "Chair" would be an equally valid option, because it's the only word of the lot without an E in it.

Not a single student in the class used the word "furniture."

K-8 Standardized Achievement Tests: what's out there

I belong to an education mailing list in which someone recently asked about standardized achievement tests for K-8.

Here's the list of what respondents are using.

A couple of principals spoke highly of:

NWEA (and its CPAA and MAP)

Principals also mentioned that they use:

Terra Nova

Stanford Achievement Tests, version 10

CTP

Star 360

Reading A-Z (which is a whole curriculum)

A couple of us said we've seen the Iowas and we don't recommend them.