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Study Guide

Overview and Test Objectives
Field 117–120: Lower Elementary (PK–3) Education1
Subtests 1–4

Test Overview

Table outlining the test format, number of questions, time, and passing score.
Format Computer-based test (CBT)
Number of Questions Subtest 1: Professional Knowledge and Skills: 50 multiple-choice questions
Subtest 2: Literacy: 50 multiple-choice questions
Subtest 3: Mathematics: 50 multiple-choice questions
Subtest 4: Science and Social Studies: 60 multiple-choice questions
Time Subtest 1: Professional Knowledge and Skills: 1 hour 15 minutes*
Subtest 2: Literacy: 1 hour 15 minutes*
Subtest 3: Mathematics: 1 hour 30 minutes*
Subtest 4: Science and Social Studies: 1 hour 30 minutes*

*Does not include 15-minute CBT tutorial

Test Objectives

Subtest 1: Professional Knowledge and Skills
Subarea Range of Objectives Approximate Test Weighting
1 Learner-Centered Supports 001–003 60%
2 Professional Knowledge and Strategic Partnerships 004–005 40%

Hover over each subarea for details of subtest content or see table above.

Sub area 1 60%, and Sub area 2 40%.

Subtest 2: Literacy
Subarea Range of Objectives Approximate Test Weighting
1 Literacy in Context 001–004 30%
2 Literacy Skills–Instruction and Practices 005–010 30%
3 Literacy Processes–Instruction and Practices 011–014 40%

Hover over each subarea for details of subtest content or see table above.

Sub area 1 30%, Sub area 2 30%, and Sub area 3 40%.

Subtest 3: Mathematics
Subarea Range of Objectives Approximate Test Weighting
1 Mathematics-Specific Teaching Practices 001–004 20%
2 Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching Grades PK–3: Attribution and Counting and Whole Number Representation 005–012 40%
3 Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching Grades PK–3: Early Fraction Representation and Whole Number Operation 013–020 40%

Hover over each subarea for details of subtest content or see table above.

Sub area 1 20%, Sub area 2 40%, and Sub area 3 40%.

Subtest 4: Science and Social Studies
Subarea Range of Objectives Approximate Test Weighting
1 Science–Engaging Children in 3-Dimensional Science Learning as Identified in the National Research Council's A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas 001–004 25%
2 Science–Children's Sense-making and Science Teaching Pedagogy 005–008 25%
3 Social Studies–Instruction and Practices 009–013 50%

Hover over each subarea for details of subtest content or see table above.

Sub area 1 25%, Sub area 2 25%, and Sub area 3 50%.

Subtest 1: Professional Knowledge and Skills

 

Subarea 1—LEARNER-CENTERED SUPPORTS

Objective 001—The Whole Child

Includes:

Objective 002—The Learning Environment

Includes:

Objective 003—Instructional Practice

Includes:

 

Subarea 2—PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS

Objective 004—Ethics and Professional Growth

Includes:

Objective 005—Strategic Partnerships

Includes:

Subtest 2: Literacy

 

Subarea 1—LITERACY IN CONTEXT

Objective 001—Literacy Learning Environments

Includes:

Objective 002—Culturally Responsive Practices in Literacy

Includes:

Objective 003—Literacy Curriculum Design and Assessment

Includes:

Objective 004—Motivation and Engagement

Includes:

 

Subarea 2—LITERACY SKILLS–INSTRUCTION AND PRACTICES

Objective 005—Print Concepts

Includes:

Objective 006—Phonological Awareness and Phonics

Includes:

Objective 007—Spelling and Handwriting

Includes:

Objective 008—Word Recognition

Includes:

Objective 009—Morphology

Includes:

Objective 010—Syntax

Includes:

 

Subarea 3—LITERACY PROCESSES–INSTRUCTION AND PRACTICES

Objective 011—Reading Fluency

Includes:

Objective 012—Vocabulary

Includes:

Objective 013—Comprehension

Includes:

Objective 014—Composition

Includes:

Subtest 3: Mathematics

 

Subarea 1—MATHEMATICS-SPECIFIC TEACHING PRACTICES

Objective 001—Build and draw on relationships with children, caregivers, and communities in ways that support children's mathematics learning.

Includes:

Objective 002—Plan mathematics lessons and sequences of lessons.

Includes:

Objective 003—Use formative and summative mathematics assessments to gauge children's learning and to make instructional decisions.

Includes:

Objective 004—Enact instruction that allows all children to engage with significant mathematics and to develop productive dispositions toward mathematics.

Includes:

 

Subarea 2—MATHEMATICAL KNOWLEDGE FOR TEACHING GRADES PK–3: ATTRIBUTION AND COUNTING AND WHOLE NUMBER REPRESENTATION

Objective 005—Unpack mathematical content and identify mathematical competence for attribution.

Includes:

Objective 006—Perform mathematical explanations and support children's mathematical explanations for attribution.

Includes:

Objective 007—Choose, interpret, and talk with representations for attribution.

Includes:

Objective 008—Elicit, interpret, support, and extend others' mathematical thinking for attribution.

Includes:

Objective 009—Unpack mathematical content and identify mathematical competence for counting and whole number representation.

Includes:

Objective 010—Perform mathematical explanations and support children's mathematical explanations for counting and whole number representation.

Includes:

Objective 011—Choose, interpret, and talk with representations for counting and whole number representation.

Includes:

Objective 012—Elicit, interpret, support, and extend others' mathematical thinking for counting and whole number representation.

Includes:

 

Subarea 3—MATHEMATICAL KNOWLEDGE FOR TEACHING GRADES PK–3: EARLY FRACTION REPRESENTATION AND WHOLE NUMBER OPERATION

Objective 013—Unpack mathematical content and identify mathematical competence for early fraction representation.

Includes:

Objective 014—Perform mathematical explanations and support others' mathematical explanations for early fraction representation.

Includes:

Objective 015—Choose, interpret, and talk with representations for early fraction representation.

Includes:

Objective 016—Elicit, interpret, support, and extend others' mathematical thinking for early fraction representation.

Includes:

Objective 017—Unpack mathematical content and identify mathematical competence for whole number operations.

Includes:

Objective 018—Perform mathematical explanations and support children's mathematical explanations for whole number operations.

Includes:

Objective 019—Choose, interpret, and talk with representations for whole number operations.

Includes:

Objective 020—Elicit, interpret, support, and extend others' mathematical thinking for whole number operations.

Includes:

Subtest 4: Science and Social Studies

 

Subarea 1—SCIENCE–ENGAGING CHILDREN IN 3-DIMENSIONAL SCIENCE LEARNING AS IDENTIFIED IN THE NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL'S A FRAMEWORK FOR K-12 SCIENCE EDUCATION: PRACTICES, CROSSCUTTING CONCEPTS, AND CORE IDEAS4

Objective 001—Scientific Phenomena

Includes:

Objective 002—Engaging Children in Science and Engineering Practices

Includes:

Objective 003—Engaging Children in Developing and Using Disciplinary Core Ideas

Includes:

Objective 004—Engaging Children in Developing and Using Crosscutting Concepts

Includes:

 

Subarea 2—SCIENCE–CHILDREN'S SENSE-MAKING AND SCIENCE TEACHING PEDAGOGY

Objective 005—Selecting and Modifying Instructional Materials for 3-Dimensional Learning

Includes:

Objective 006—Children's Scientific Sense-making

Includes:

Objective 007—Pedagogical Strategies that Support Culturally Relevant Sense-making in 3-Dimensional Learning

Includes:

Objective 008—Equity and Access

Includes:

 

Subarea 3—SOCIAL STUDIES–INSTRUCTION AND PRACTICES

Objective 009—Civic Engagement

Includes:

Objective 010—History

Includes:

Objective 011—Geography

Includes:

Objective 012—Civics and Government

Includes:

Objective 013—Economics

Includes:


footnote 1 For additional information and background on the content of the Test Framework and for key vocabulary in this document, refer to the Michigan Department of Education's Standards for the Preparation of Teachers of Lower Elementary (PK–3) Education, available at https://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/Lower_Elementary_PK-3_Education_Preparation_Standards_649824_7.pdf link opens in a new window.

footnote 2 The Michigan Code of Educational Ethics can be accessed here: https://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/Code_of_Ethics_653130_7.pdf link opens in a new window

footnote 3 i.e., the components identified in Objectives 005–014

footnote 4 A Framework for K–12 Science Education can be accessed here: https://www.nap.edu/catalog/13165/a-framework-for-k-12-science-education-practices-crosscutting-concepts link opens in a new window

footnote 5 The Michigan K–12 Standards for Science can be accessed here: https://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/K-12_Science_Performance_Expectations_v5_496901_7.pdf link opens in a new window

footnote 6 The Early Childhood Standards of Quality for Prekindergarten can be accessed here: https://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/ECSQ_OK_Approved_422339_7.pdf link opens in a new window

footnote 7 The Michigan K–12 Standards for Social Studies can be accessed here: https://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/Final_Social_Studies_Standards_Document_655968_7.pdf link opens in a new window

footnote 8 The Early Childhood Standards of Quality for Prekindergarten can be accessed here: https://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/ECSQ_OK_Approved_422339_7.pdf link opens in a new window