Science Task Prescreen
Task Title: Electric Boat Submarine Hull Bonding Investigation
Grade: High School
Date: 2024-05-24
SEP: Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information
DCI: PS2.B: Types of Interactions
CCC: Structure and Function
Task Purpose: To determine if students can communicate how the molecular-level structure of a designed material (submarine hull weld) determines its macroscopic properties and functioning, based on simulation data.
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 strongly driven by the phenomenon of submarine hull integrity under extreme pressures. Students must actively use the simulation to gather data on how different welding parameters affect the microscopic structure and macroscopic strength of the bond. They cannot answer the questions solely through rote memorization; they must apply their understanding of atomic-level interactions (DCI: PS2.B) and structure/function relationships (CCC) to explain the simulation results and formulate an evidence-based recommendation (SEP). The task integrates all three dimensions effectively and avoids red flags.
Model Response and Scoring
Target Concept: Students demonstrate that the choice of alloy, shielding gas, and energy directly determines the atomic structure of the weld, which in turn determines its macroscopic strength.
Scoring Guidance:
- Demonstrates Understanding: Student correctly identifies an optimal set of parameters (e.g., HY-80/HY-100, Argon, moderate energy) and explains why based on atomic interactions and cooling rates, connecting these microscopic features to the macroscopic hull integrity.
- Developing Understanding: Student identifies the correct parameters but provides a superficial explanation (e.g., “Argon is better,” or “3000 J/s is the right heat”) without connecting it to molecular structure or cooling rate.
- Needs Intervention: Student identifies incorrect parameters (e.g., high heat creates stronger bonds) and fails to connect parameters to the resulting microstructure.
Model Response: “The optimal procedure uses HY-100 steel with Argon gas at 3000 J/s. Argon is required to displace atmospheric gases, preventing oxygen from interfering with the atomic bonds in the molten steel. The thermal energy of 3000 J/s provides a moderate cooling rate, allowing the atoms to arrange into a tough, strong crystalline structure. If the heat is too high, the weld cools too slowly and becomes brittle; if it’s too low, the atoms don’t fuse completely. This specific, well-ordered atomic structure is what gives the submarine hull its macroscopic strength to withstand extreme ocean pressures.”