Science Task Screener
Task Title: The Efficiency Engineer: Optimizing Electric Vehicles
Grade: High School
Date: April 17, 2026
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/scoring guidance.
- Using the Task Screener: Use this tool to evaluate tasks designed for three-dimensional standards. For each criterion, record your evidence for the presence or absence of the associated indicators. After you have decided to what degree the indicators are present within the task, revisit the purpose of your task and decide whether the evidence supports using it.
Criterion A. Tasks are driven by high-quality scenarios that are grounded in phenomena or problems.
i. Making sense of a phenomenon or addressing a problem is necessary to accomplish the task.
- Is a phenomenon and/or problem present?
Yes. The problem is designing an electric vehicle for a specific range target (550 km) while managing constraints on weight and speed.
- Is information from the scenario necessary to respond successfully to the task?
Yes. Students must use the simulation’s specific output (Range, Efficiency, Power Loss) to determine if their design meets the performance criteria.
ii. The task scenario is engaging, relevant, and accessible to a wide range of students.
| Features of scenarios | Yes | Somewhat | No | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scenario presents real-world observations | [x] | [ ] | [ ] | EV range is a common real-world design challenge. |
| Scenarios are based around at least one specific instance, not a topic or generally observed occurrence | [x] | [ ] | [ ] | Specific mission: design a long-range delivery vehicle. |
| Scenarios are presented as puzzling/intriguing | [x] | [ ] | [ ] | Touches on the “wicked problem” of balancing mass and energy. |
| Scenarios create a “need to know” | [x] | [ ] | [ ] | Students need to know how physics variables interact. |
| Scenarios are explainable using grade-appropriate SEPs, CCCs, DCIs | [x] | [ ] | [ ] | Aligned to HS-ETS1. |
| Scenarios effectively use at least 2 modalities | [x] | [ ] | [ ] | Textual scenario + physics simulation. |
| If data are used, scenarios present real/well-crafted data | [x] | [ ] | [ ] | Modeled on actual EV physics (drag/mass). |
| The local, global, or universal relevance of the scenario is made clear to students | [x] | [ ] | [ ] | Climate change and logistics relevance. |
| Evidence of quality for Criterion A: [ ] No | [ ] Inadequate | [ ] Adequate | [x] Extensive |
Criterion B. Tasks require sense-making using the three dimensions.
i. Completing the task requires students to use reasoning to sense-make about phenomena or problems.
Students must reason about why adding battery capacity actually decreases efficiency, but increases range (up to a point).
ii. The task requires students to demonstrate grade-appropriate dimensions:
Evidence of SEPs (Designing Solutions): Students explicitly propose solutions to sub-problems in Part 2 and a final integrated solution in Part 4.
Evidence of CCCs (Systems and System Models): The task requires tracking how changes in one part of the system (e.g., mass) impact the entire system output (range).
Evidence of DCIs (ETS1.C: Optimization): The entire task is an exercise in multi-criteria optimization under constraints.
iii. The task requires students to integrate multiple dimensions in service of sense-making and/or problem-solving.
Students optimize a system model (CCC/DCI) while designing an engineering solution (SEP).
iv. The task requires students to make their thinking visible.
The “Justification” in Part 4 requires students to explain their priority and trade-off decisions.
| Evidence of quality for Criterion B: [ ] No | [ ] Inadequate | [ ] Adequate | [x] Extensive |
Criterion C. Tasks are fair and equitable.
i. The task provides ways for students to make connections of local, global, or universal relevance.
Connected to sustainable transportation and energy independence.
ii. The task includes multiple modes for students to respond to the task.
Students provide a final parameter list, data outputs, and a written rationale.
Criterion D. Tasks support their intended targets and purpose.
Before you begin:
-
Describe what is being assessed: HS-ETS1-2 Engineering Design.
-
What is the purpose of the assessment?
- Summative
- Determining whether students can generalize their learning to a new context
| Evidence of quality for Criterion D: [ ] No | [ ] Inadequate | [ ] Adequate | [x] Extensive |
Overall Summary
The task perfectly targets HS-ETS1-2 by requiring students to break a complex problem into manageable sub-investigations before synthesizing a final design.
Final recommendation (choose one):
- Use this task (all criteria had at least an “adequate” rating)
- Modify and use this task
- Do not use this task