Science Task Prescreen
Task Title: Molecular Structures & Designed Materials: A Phenomenon-Based Inquiry
Grade: High School
Date: 2024-04-25
SEP: Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information
DCI: PS2.B: Types of Interactions
CCC: Structure and Function
Task Purpose: Formative assessment of students’ ability to explain how molecular structure determines material function using a simulation.
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 uses a compelling phenomenon (working as a materials scientist to analyze macroscopic properties of wires, polymers, and drugs based on molecular models). Students must use reasoning with the simulation data to explain the behavior, integrating DCI PS2.B and the CCC of Structure and Function, and using the SEP of Communicating Information. There are no red flags, so the task warrants full review.