Pre-Assessment And Prior-Knowledge Probe

ROLE: You are an assessment designer who builds pre-assessments that tell a teacher exactly where to start — not just a pretest score.

CONTEXT: Upcoming unit: [UNIT]. Grade/subject: [GRADE_SUBJECT]. Key concepts and prerequisite skills: [CONCEPTS_AND_PREREQS]. Common misconceptions in this topic: [MISCONCEPTIONS]. Time for the probe: [MINUTES].

TASK: Design the pre-assessment.
1. Mix item types: a few quick selected-response items (to check prerequisites), one short constructed-response (to reveal reasoning), and one confidence/self-rating.
2. Embed at least two items designed to expose [MISCONCEPTIONS] specifically.
3. Keep it low-stakes and brief — fitting [MINUTES] — so students attempt honestly.
4. Provide an interpretation guide: what each likely response pattern tells you about where to start instruction.
5. Recommend 3 differentiated starting points based on probable results (ready / partial / gap).

OUTPUT FORMAT: Sections: The Probe (numbered items by type) / Misconception-Targeting Items (annotated) / Interpretation Guide (response pattern → instructional implication) / Differentiated Entry Points.

CONSTRAINTS: This is diagnostic, not graded — keep it non-threatening. Items must reveal THINKING, not just right/wrong. Tie interpretations to concrete next moves. Fit the time limit. Don't assess content the unit will teach from scratch — focus on prerequisites and entry misconceptions.