This correlation lists the recommended Gizmos for this state's curriculum standards. Click any Gizmo title below for more information.
3.1: : Biological Sciences
3.1.4.A2: : Energy Flow
3.1.4.A2.1: : Describe the different resources that plants and animals need to live.
Germination
Plant seeds and watch how many sprout. Examine what factors affect germination. Vary the amount of heat, water, and light the seeds get. Practice designing controlled experiments and using the scientific method.
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Investigate the growth of three common garden plants: tomatoes, beans, and turnips. You can change the amount of light each plant gets, the amount of water added each day, and the type of soil the seed is planted in. Observe the effect of each variable on plant height, plant mass, leaf color and leaf size. Determine what conditions produce the tallest and healthiest plants. Height and mass data are displayed on tables and graphs.
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3.1.4.B1.1: : Describe features that are observable in both parents and their offspring.
Inheritance
Create aliens with different traits and breed them to produce offspring. Determine which traits are passed down from parents to offspring and which traits are acquired. Offspring can be stored for future experiments or released.
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3.2.4.A1.1: : Identify and classify objects based on their observable and measurable physical properties.
Mineral Identification
Observe and measure the properties of a mineral sample, and then use a key to identify the mineral. Students can observe the color, luster, shape, density, hardness, streak, and reaction to acid for each mineral. There are 26 mineral samples to identify.
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3.2.4.A5.1: : Use models to demonstrate the physical change as water goes from liquid to ice and from liquid to vapor.
Phases of Water
Heat or cool a container of water and observe the phase changes that take place. Use a magnifying glass to observe water molecules as a solid, liquid, or gas. Compare the volumes of the three phases of water.
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3.2.4.B1: : Force & Motion of Particles and Rigid Bodies
3.2.4.B1.1: : Explain how an object’s change in motion can be observed and measured.
Free Fall Tower
Recreate Galileo's famous experiment by dropping objects off the Tower of Pisa. You can drop ping pong balls, golf balls, soccer balls or watermelons. Objects can be dropped in air or no air, with or without a parachute. The speed of each object is shown on a speedometer and a graph.
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Go on an African safari and observe a variety of animals walking and running across the savanna. Videotape the animals, and then play back the videotape to estimate animal speeds. Which animals run fastest?
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3.2.4.B2: : Energy Storage and Transformations: Conservation Laws
3.2.4.B2.1: : Identify types of energy and their ability to be stored and changed from one form to another.
Energy Conversions
Where does energy come from? How does energy get from one place to another? Find out how electrical current is generated and how living things get energy to move and grow. Trace the path of energy and see how energy is converted from one form to another.
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3.2.4.B4.1: : Apply knowledge of basic electrical circuits to the design and construction of simple direct current circuits.
Circuit Builder
Create circuits using batteries, light bulbs, switches, fuses, and a variety of materials. Examine series and parallel circuits, conductors and insulators, and the effects of battery voltage. Thousands of different circuits can be built with this Gizmo.
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3.2.4.B4.2: : Compare and contrast series and parallel circuits.
Circuit Builder
Create circuits using batteries, light bulbs, switches, fuses, and a variety of materials. Examine series and parallel circuits, conductors and insulators, and the effects of battery voltage. Thousands of different circuits can be built with this Gizmo.
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3.2.4.B4.3: : Demonstrate that magnets have poles that repel and attract each other.
Magnetism
Drag bar magnets and a variety of other objects onto a piece of paper. Click Play to release the objects to see if they are attracted together, repelled apart, or unaffected. You can also sprinkle iron filings over the magnets and other objects to view the magnetic field lines that are produced.
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3.2.4.B5: : Nature of Waves (Sound and Light Energy)
3.2.4.B5.2: : Demonstrate how light can be reflected, refracted, or absorbed by an object.
Color Absorption
Mix the primary colors of light by using red, green, and blue lights. Use pieces of colored glass to filter the light and create a wide variety of colors. Determine how light is absorbed and transmitted by each color of glass.
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Shine a powerful flashlight on a variety of materials, and measure how quickly each material heats up. See how the light angle, light color, type of material, and material color affect heating. A glass cover can be added to simulate a greenhouse.
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Use a powerful flashlight to pop a kernel of popcorn. A lens focuses light on the kernel. The temperature of the filament and the distance between the flashlight and lens can be changed. Several obstacles can be placed between the flashlight and the popcorn.
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Move spots of yellow, cyan, and magenta pigment on a white surface. As the colors overlap, other colors can be seen due to color subtraction. The color of most things you see--such as cars, leaves, paintings, houses, and clothes--are due to color subtraction. The intensity of the cyan, magenta, and yellow can be adjusted, and the RGB value at any location can be measured.
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3.2.4.B6.1: : Give examples of how energy can be transformed from one form to another.
Energy Conversions
Where does energy come from? How does energy get from one place to another? Find out how electrical current is generated and how living things get energy to move and grow. Trace the path of energy and see how energy is converted from one form to another.
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3.3.4.A1: : Earth Features and the Processes that Change It
3.3.4.A1.3: : Recognize that the surface of the earth changes due to slow processes and rapid processes.
Weathering
Weathering is the breakdown of rock at Earth's surface through physical or chemical means. Students will learn about the different types of mechanical and chemical weathering, then use a simulation to model the effects of weathering on different types of rocks in varying climate conditions.
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3.3.4.A2.1: : Identify basic properties and uses of Earth’s materials including rocks, soils, water, and gases of the atmosphere.
Mineral Identification
Observe and measure the properties of a mineral sample, and then use a key to identify the mineral. Students can observe the color, luster, shape, density, hardness, streak, and reaction to acid for each mineral. There are 26 mineral samples to identify.
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3.3.4.A4.2: : Describe phase changes in the forms of water on Earth.
Water Cycle
Control the path of a drop of water as it travels through the water cycle. Many alternatives are presented at each stage. Determine how the water moves from one location to another, and learn how water resources are distributed in these locations.
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3.3.4.B1.1: : Identify planets in our solar system and their basic characteristics.
Solar System
Explore our solar system and learn the characteristics of each planet. Compare the sizes of planets and their distances from the Sun. Observe the speeds of planetary orbits and measure how long each planet takes to go around the Sun.
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3.3.4.B1.2: : Describe the earth’s place in the solar system that includes the sun (a star), planets, and many moons.
Eclipse
Observe solar and lunar eclipses as the Moon orbits Earth. The full and partial shadows of the Moon and Earth can be displayed, and the Moon can also be dragged around Earth. See what the Moon and Sun look like from Earth during partial and total eclipses.
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Understand the phases of the Moon by observing the positions of the Moon, Earth and Sun. A view of the Moon from Earth is shown on the right as the Moon orbits Earth. Learn the names of Moon phases and in what order they occur. Click Play to watch the Moon go around, or click Pause and drag the Moon yourself.
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Observe the motions of the Earth, Moon and Sun in three dimensions to explain Sunrise and Sunset, and to see how we define a day, a month, and a year. Compare times of Sunrise and Sunset for different dates and locations. Relate shadows to the position of the Sun in the sky, and relate shadows to compass directions.
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Explore our solar system and learn the characteristics of each planet. Compare the sizes of planets and their distances from the Sun. Observe the speeds of planetary orbits and measure how long each planet takes to go around the Sun.
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Understand the phases of the Moon by observing the positions of the Moon, Earth and Sun. A view of the Moon from Earth is shown on the right as the Moon orbits Earth. Learn the names of Moon phases and in what order they occur. Click Play to watch the Moon go around, or click Pause and drag the Moon yourself.
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3.3.4.B2.3: : Explain time (days, seasons) using solar system motions.
Seasons: Earth, Moon, and Sun
Observe the motions of the Earth, Moon and Sun in three dimensions to explain Sunrise and Sunset, and to see how we define a day, a month, and a year. Compare times of Sunrise and Sunset for different dates and locations. Relate shadows to the position of the Sun in the sky, and relate shadows to compass directions.
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Observe the tilt of Earth's axis and the angle that sunlight strikes Earth on June 21 and December 21. Compare day lengths, temperatures, and the angle of the Sun's rays for any latitude. The tilt of the Earth's axis can be varied to see how this would affect seasons.
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3.4.4.C1.1: : Understand that there is no perfect design.
Trebuchet
Design your own trebuchet to fling a projectile at a castle wall. All of the dimensions of the trebuchet can be adjusted, as well as the masses of the counterweight and payload. Select a target on the Launch tab, or just see how far your projectile will go.
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3.4.4.C2.1: : Describe the engineering design process:
Trebuchet
Design your own trebuchet to fling a projectile at a castle wall. All of the dimensions of the trebuchet can be adjusted, as well as the masses of the counterweight and payload. Select a target on the Launch tab, or just see how far your projectile will go.
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3.4.4.D2: : Using and Maintaining Technological Systems
3.4.4.D2.2: : Identify and use simple hand tools (e.g., hammer, scale) correctly and safely.
Weight and Mass
Use a balance to measure mass and a spring scale to measure the weight of objects. Compare the masses and weights of objects on Earth, Mars, Jupiter, and the Moon.
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3.4.4.E3.1: : Identify types of energy and the importance of energy conservation.
Energy Conversions
Where does energy come from? How does energy get from one place to another? Find out how electrical current is generated and how living things get energy to move and grow. Trace the path of energy and see how energy is converted from one form to another.
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Students assume the role of a scientist trying to solve a real world problem. They use scientific practices to collect and analyze data, and form and test a hypothesis as they solve the problems.
