Science Task Screener
Task Title: The Lyme Disease Balancing Act: Ticks, Deer, and Biodiversity
Grade: High School
Date: April 19, 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 fluctuation of Lyme disease risk in New England forests.
- Is information from the scenario necessary to respond successfully to the task?
Yes, the multi-year lag between acorn masts and risk peaks is a quantitative observation that must be made within the simulation.
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] | [ ] | [ ] | Lyme disease is a pervasive real-world health issue. |
| Scenarios are based around at least one specific instance, not a topic or generally observed occurrence | [X] | [ ] | [ ] | Triggering an Oak Mast is a specific event. |
| Scenarios are presented as puzzling/intriguing | [X] | [ ] | [ ] | The “Lag” between trees and disease is a classic ecological puzzle. |
| Scenarios create a “need to know” | [X] | [ ] | [ ] | Students need to know which management plan works. |
| Scenarios are explainable using grade-appropriate SEPs, CCCs, DCIs | [X] | [ ] | [ ] | Uses population dynamics and mathematical models. |
| Scenarios effectively use at least 2 modalities | [X] | [ ] | [ ] | Interactive chart and textual descriptions. |
| If data are used, scenarios present real/well-crafted data | [X] | [ ] | [ ] | Model logic is based on several real ecosystem studies. |
| The local, global, or universal relevance of the scenario is made clear to students | [X] | [ ] | [ ] | Zoonotic diseases (wildlife to human) are highly relevant today. |
| Scenarios are comprehensible to a wide range of students at grade-level | [X] | [ ] | [ ] | Clear instructions. |
| Scenarios use as many words as needed, no more | [X] | [ ] | [ ] | UI is informative but not overwhelming. |
| Scenarios are sufficiently rich to drive the task | [X] | [ ] | [ ] | Allows for comparative testing. |
| 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 through the chain: Acorns -> Mice -> Larvae Feed -> Infected Nymphs. The logic requires understanding which stage of the tick life cycle carries the disease.
ii. The task requires students to demonstrate grade-appropriate dimensions:
Evidence of SEPs: Computational Thinking: Analyzing the chart to find peak years and identifying the scale of the ripple effect.
Evidence of CCCs: Scale and Quantity: Understanding how a massive increase at one trophic level (trees) scales up across the ecosystem over time.
Evidence of DCIs: LS2.A: Interdependent relationships where the stability of one population (foxes) affects the health of another (humans).
iii. The task requires students to integrate multiple dimensions in service of sense-making and/or problem-solving.
The final recommendation uses the mathematical data (SEP) to justify an ecosystem intervention (DCI).
iv. The task requires students to make their thinking visible.
The Evidence Log and the final recommendation require students to verbalize their models.
| Evidence of quality for Criterion B: [ ] No | [ ] Inadequate | [X] Adequate | [ ] Extensive |
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 near wooded areas or interested in public health.
ii. The task includes multiple modes for students to respond to the task.
Digital log, data table, and written justification.
iii. The task is accessible, appropriate, and cognitively demanding for all learners.
The 5E model provides a scaffold from “what do I see” to “what should we do.”
| 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-LS2-2: Using mathematical representations to support ecological explanations.
-
What is the purpose of the assessment?
- Formative
- Summative (Ecology unit lab)
| Evidence of quality for Criterion D: [ ] No | [ ] Inadequate | [X] Adequate | [ ] Extensive |
Overall Summary
A very strong task that makes excellent use of the simulation’s “Trigger” feature to create a time-bound investigation.
Final recommendation (choose one):
- Use this task (all criteria had at least an “adequate” rating)