Screener: Predicting Orbital Motion

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Task Title: The Rhythm of the Spheres

Grade: High School (9-12)

Date: 2026-04-18

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.

  1. Is a phenomenon and/or problem present?

Yes. The stability and predictability of planetary orbits (the “Solar System Clock”).

  1. Is information from the scenario (simulation) necessary to respond successfully to the task?

Yes. Students must use the simulation to measure the effects of eccentricity on trajectory and the relationship between distance and velocity vectors.

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] [ ] [ ] Uses the observable Earth-Sun system and Mars mission planning.
Scenarios are based around at least one specific instance [x] [ ] [ ] Focuses on specific systems (Earth-Sun, Jupiter-Sun, Mars).
Scenarios are presented as puzzling/intriguing [x] [ ] [ ] Poses the question of why planets don’t drift away or get pulled in.
Scenarios create a “need to know” [x] [ ] [ ] Students need to understand orbital physics to design space missions.
Scenarios effectively use at least 2 modalities [x] [ ] [ ] Uses interactive orbital models and vector visualizations.
The local, global, or universal relevance is made clear [x] [ ] [ ] Relates to the fundamental stability of our planetary home.
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 that gravity and velocity are in a dynamic balance, and that changing one (like mass or distance) necessitates a change in the other for stability.

ii. The task requires students to demonstrate grade-appropriate dimensions:

Evidence of SEPs: Students use Mathematical and Computational Thinking to represent the relationship between orbital period and distance (Kepler’s 3rd Law).

Evidence of CCCs: Students analyze Scale, Proportion, and Quantity by comparing different planetary systems across the solar system.

Evidence of DCIs: Students demonstrate understanding of Earth and the Solar System (ESS1.B) and gravity’s role in orbital motion.

Evidence of quality for Criterion B: [ ] No [ ] Inadequate [ ] Adequate [x] Extensive

Criterion C. Tasks are fair and equitable.

i. The task provides ways for students to make connections of local, global, or universal relevance.

The task uses a NASA mission context (Mars) to provide a professional framing for student work.

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 investigation of variables (eccentricity, distance).
Tasks are coherent from a student perspective [x] [ ] [ ] The focus on “predicting motion” is a clear and consistent goal.
Tasks use accessible language [x] [ ] [ ] Complex concepts like ‘eccentricity’ are defined via direct observation.
Evidence of quality for Criterion C: [ ] No [ ] Inadequate [x] Adequate [ ] Extensive

Criterion D. Tasks support their intended targets and purpose.

Assessment Purpose:

Evidence of quality for Criterion D: [ ] No [ ] Inadequate [ ] Adequate [x] Extensive

Overall Summary

The task successfully moves students beyond circular orbit misconceptions by emphasizing eccentricity and non-uniform orbital speeds. It leverages the simulation’s computational power to let students “act like planetary scientists.”

Final recommendation: