Science Task Prescreen
Task Title: Ecosystem Balancing Act: Predators, Prey, and Population Dynamics
Grade: High School
Date: 2024
SEP: Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking
DCI: LS2.A Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems, LS2.C Ecosystem Dynamics, Functioning, and Resilience
CCC: Scale, Proportion, and Quantity, Cause and Effect
Task Purpose: To assess students’ ability to use mathematical and computational representations (a predator-prey simulation model) to explain factors affecting carrying capacity and population dynamics in ecosystems.
Instructions
- Before you begin: Complete the task as a student would. Then, consider any support materials provided to teachers or students, such as contextual information about the task and answer keys/rubrics.
- Prescreen: Answer the following high-level questions to identify any major red flags (🚩) in your task. If you find one or more red flags, consider the purpose of the task and the evidence gathered to determine whether the task warrants a deeper dive.
Prescreen Questionnaire
| Question | Yes | No |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Is there a phenomenon or problem driving the task? | [x] | [ ] 🚩 |
| 2. Can the majority of the task be answered without using information provided by the task scenario? | [ ] 🚩 | [x] |
| 3. Can significant portions of the task be answered successfully by using rote knowledge (e.g., definitions, prescriptive or memorized procedure)? | [ ] 🚩 | [x] |
| 4. Does the majority of the task require students to use reasoning to successfully complete the task? | [x] | [ ] 🚩 |
| 5. Does the task require students to use some understanding of disciplinary core ideas to successfully complete the task? | [x] | [ ] 🚩 |
| 6. Do students have to use at least one science and engineering practice to successfully complete the task? | [x] | [ ] 🚩 |
| 7. Are the dimensions assessed separately in the majority of the task? | [ ] 🚩 | [x] |
| 8. Is the task coherent and comprehensible from the student perspective? | [x] | [ ] 🚩 |
Recommendation
Based on your assessment needs and the task purpose recorded above, make a recommendation about this task moving forward (choose one):
- Warrants further review.
- Should not be used.
Summary
Summarize your evidence and reasoning:
The task is anchored in the phenomenon of population cycles and ecosystem stability, avoiding rote memorization. Students must actively use a computational model (SEP) to manipulate variables and observe the cause-and-effect relationships (CCC) on the populations and carrying capacity (DCI). The questions require students to synthesize data from the simulation graphs rather than just recalling definitions. It effectively integrates the three dimensions and merits a full screening review.