Tier 1 Instructional Strategies To Improve K-4 Reading Comprehension
Category: Student Learning
Instrument Overview
Expert Notes AvailableView expert commentary on strengths and cautions for this instrument
Strengths
Uses an interview-based, developmentally appropriate format (with visual prompts and open-ended questions) to elicit young children’s ideas without requiring reading, writing, or prior scientific terminology, making it well-suited for capturing authentic thinking in pre-literate learners
Cautions
Relies on one-on-one, interview-based administration, which can be time-intensive and requires skilled interviewers to ask questions consistently and interpret children’s responses accurately
The Conceptual Assessment of Children’s Ideas about Evolution (CACIE) is a standardized, interview-based assessment tool designed to measure young children’s understanding of key evolutionary concepts.
The assessment focuses on children’s ideas about the core evolutionary principles of variation, inheritance, and selection, using a structured framework of ten key concepts.
CACIE is designed to be developmentally appropriate. It uses simple language, short questions, and visual supports (illustrations of plants and animals) to help children understand and respond. The tasks are presented through an interview format that includes guiding questions and follow-ups to capture children’s reasoning.
Organization
Topic
Collection Category(ies)
Content
Grades
Kindergarten
Languages
English
Respondent
Student
Administration Information
Length
20 items, 20 mins
Access and Use
Price
No fee
Psychometrics (additional guidance)
Item Type
Open response
