Science Task Prescreen
Task Title: Orbital Motion: Kepler’s Laws and the Dance of Planets
Grade: High School
Date: 2026-05-17
SEP: Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking
DCI: ESS1.B (Earth and the Solar System)
CCC: Scale, Proportion, and Quantity
Task Purpose: To guide students through interactive investigations using an orbital motion simulation to explain how velocity, distance, and star mass determine orbital shape (eccentricity) and the mathematical relationships between orbital period and semi-major axis (Kepler’s laws).
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 centers on the compelling phenomenon of Pluto’s reclassification due to its elliptical orbit, driving student inquiry into Kepler’s three laws. Students use an interactive simulation to collect data on eccentricity, velocity, distance, and period, then apply mathematical reasoning ($T^2 \propto a^3$, $e = f/d$, $F = G\frac{m_1 m_2}{r^2}$) to construct evidence-based explanations. The task integrates SEPs (Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking), DCIs (ESS1.B), and CCCs (Scale, Proportion, and Quantity) in a coherent 5E structure. No red flags were identified; the task warrants further review.