In this scenario, students explore how the Earth’s rotation, tilt, and orbital pattern gives rise to the cycle of days, years, and seasons. The scenario is highly configurable as teachers can pinpoint different GPS positions on the globe to simulate conditions on different parts of the planet. Students can control the orbital position, exploring how this corresponds with calendar days.
The scenario uses a game framework where teams of students must maintain temperatures for multiple locations on the planet by adjusting the orbital position of the Earth in real time. If they do not keep the system in balance, the Earth will heat or cool beyond liveable conditions, and they lose the round!