Teach 3 Lesson Plan  

Laura & Stoff 

Teacher: Ben Lord 
Teach Date: 11/21  
Modelling Space 
 
LESSON PLAN 
Essence Statement:​ An orbit is an interplay between gravity and inertia. 
 
Essential Question: ​How does gravity become rotation? 
Challenge: Prove that gravity can create elliptical motion.  
 
Lesson Framework: ​Students are working at different stations to discover how 
inertia and gravity play a role in orbits. After three interactive, hands-on stations, 
students should be able to explain why “an orbit is an interplay between gravity and 
inertia”.  
 
Breaking down assumptions: 
1. Orbits are circular 
 
 
Agenda 
1. Do Now (5’) 
2. Station 1: Illustrate Inertia (5’) 
3. Station 2: The Force of Gravity (5’) 
4. Station 3: Gravity Well (5’) 
5. Exit Ticket (3’) 
 
Do Now 
How is a slingshot manoeuvre similar and different to a planet’s regular orbit?  
List at least 2 similarities and 2 differences.  
VIDEO
 
Challenge Stations 
Learning Goal: E ​ xplaining interplay between inertia and gravity through physical and 
visual representation.  
 
Station 1:​ ​Illustrate Inertia 
Challenge: Use the ball on the table model and your handout to demonstrate and 
illustrate inertia. 
Teacher notes:​ Inertia (rest, momentum, force,) “Force is required to change an 
object’s speed” 
 
Station 2: The Force of Gravity 
Challenge: Use the straw and paper clip model to prove why the earth has not “fallen 
into the sun” yet 
 
Station 3: Gravity Well 
Challenge: Experiment with a gravity well to determine the general shape of orbits. 
Explain your conclusions visually and verbally.  

Teacher Notes: ​Elliptical orbit with only one gravitational center (comet)= Elliptical 
orbit- “Gravity Well” Marble on spandex sheet 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTY1Kje0yLg 

Exit Ticket 

What does Inertia have to do with Orbits anyway? Answer in at least 5 

sentences (an illustration counts as 3).