Science Task Screener
Task Title: The Concrete Jungle: Anole Lizard Adaptation
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 phenomenon is the rapid adaptation of toe pad size in Puerto Rican crested anole lizards living in urban environments (San Juan) compared to forest environments.
- Is information from the scenario necessary to respond successfully to the task?
Yes. Students must identify the specific selective pressures (smooth surfaces vs. textured bark) and observe the resulting population shifts in the simulation to provide evidence for their explanation.
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] | [ ] | [ ] | Based on real studies of Anolis cristatellus. |
| Scenarios are based around at least one specific instance, not a topic or generally observed occurrence | [x] | [ ] | [ ] | Focuses on San Juan urban lizards specifically. |
| Scenarios are presented as puzzling/intriguing | [x] | [ ] | [ ] | Asks why a specific trait (toe pads) changes so rapidly. |
| Scenarios create a “need to know” | [x] | [ ] | [ ] | Students need to know how the environment drives the change. |
| Scenarios are explainable using grade-appropriate SEPs, CCCs, DCIs | [x] | [ ] | [ ] | Aligned to HS-LS4-4 levels. |
| Scenarios effectively use at least 2 modalities (e.g., images, diagrams, video, simulations, textual descriptions) | [x] | [ ] | [ ] | Uses textual narrative and an interactive simulation. |
| If data are used, scenarios present real/well-crafted data | [x] | [ ] | [ ] | Simulation generates data modeled on biological research. |
| Evidence of quality for Criterion A: [ ] No | [ ] Inadequate | [ ] Adequate | [x] Extensive |
Suggestions for improvement of the task for Criterion A: None.
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 use the data collected in Part 2 to reason why certain traits provide a competitive advantage in Part 3 and 4.
ii. The task requires students to demonstrate grade-appropriate dimensions:
Evidence of SEPs (Constructing Explanations): Students construct a final explanation in Part 4 linking evidence from the simulation to the mechanism of natural selection.
Evidence of CCCs (Cause and Effect): The task specifically asks students to identify the cause (urban surface change) and the effect (trait adaptation).
Evidence of DCIs (LS4.C: Adaptation): The task focuses on how selective pressures lead to the widespread expression of a trait in a population.
iii. The task requires students to integrate multiple dimensions in service of sense-making and/or problem-solving.
Students use the SEP of constructing explanations to describe the DCI of adaptation while identifying the CCC of cause and effect.
iv. The task requires students to make their thinking visible.
The “Explain” and “Evaluate” sections require students to write their reasoning and provide data-backed claims.
| Evidence of quality for Criterion B: [ ] No | [ ] Inadequate | [ ] Adequate | [x] Extensive |
Suggestions for improvement of the task for Criterion B: None.
Criterion C. Tasks are fair and equitable.
i. The task provides ways for students to make connections of local, global, or universal relevance.
Relevant to any student living in or near an urban environment, highlighting how humans change ecosystems.
ii. The task includes multiple modes for students to respond to the task.
Students respond via data tables and written explanations.
iii. The task is accessible, appropriate, and cognitively demanding for all learners.
| Features | Yes | Somewhat | No | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Task includes appropriate scaffolds | [x] | [ ] | [ ] | Step-by-step exploration guide. |
| Tasks are coherent from a student perspective | [x] | [ ] | [ ] | Logical 5E flow. |
| Tasks respect and advantage students’ cultural and linguistic backgrounds | [x] | [ ] | [ ] | Context is broadly relatable. |
| Tasks provide both low- and high-achieving students with an opportunity to show what they know | [x] | [ ] | [ ] | Simple data collection leading to complex reasoning. |
| Tasks use accessible language | [x] | [ ] | [ ] | Academic language is defined (e.g., urbanization). |
iv. The task cultivates students’ interest in and confidence with science and engineering.
Empowers students to be “investigators” using real-time simulation tools.
vi. The task presents information that is scientifically accurate.
The simulation and task reflect current evolutionary biology research (Winchell et al., 2016).
| Evidence of quality for Criterion C: [ ] No | [ ] Inadequate | [x] Adequate | [ ] Extensive |
Criterion D. Tasks support their intended targets and purpose.
Before you begin:
-
Describe what is being assessed: HS-LS4-4 Performance Expectation.
-
What is the purpose of the assessment?
- Formative
- Summative
- Determining whether students learned what they just experienced
i. The task assesses what it is intended to assess and supports the purpose for which it is intended.
The task creates a direct bridge between simulated data and the conceptual understanding of natural selection required by HS-LS4-4.
| Evidence of quality for Criterion D: [ ] No | [ ] Inadequate | [ ] Adequate | [x] Extensive |
Overall Summary
The task is a robust 3D assessment of HS-LS4-4. It uses a compelling real-world phenomenon and an interactive simulation to engage students in deep reasoning about adaptation.
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