This correlation lists the recommended Gizmos for this state's curriculum standards. Click any Gizmo title below for more information.
NCES.8.P: : Matter: Properties and Change
NCES.8.P.1: : Understand the properties of matter and changes that occur when matter interacts in an open and closed container.
NCES.8.P.1.1: : Classify matter as elements, compounds, or mixtures based on how the atoms are packed together in arrangements.
Chemical and Physical Changes - Middle School
The Secret Service recently arrested suspects accused of counterfeiting coins from 1915 valued at $50,000 each. The students act as a forensic scientist to investigate the crime scene and the evidence. Students learn about chemical and physical changes to recreate the methods used to make the coins as evidence for the trial.
Video Preview
NCES.8.P.1.3: : Compare physical changes such as size, shape and state to chemical changes that are the result of a chemical reaction to include changes in temperature, color, formation of a gas or precipitate.
Chemical Changes
Chemical changes result in the formation of new substances. But how can you tell if a chemical change has occurred? Explore this question by observing and measuring a variety of chemical reactions. Along the way you will learn about chemical equations, acids and bases, exothermic and endothermic reactions, and conservation of matter.
5 Minute Preview
The Secret Service recently arrested suspects accused of counterfeiting coins from 1915 valued at $50,000 each. The students act as a forensic scientist to investigate the crime scene and the evidence. Students learn about chemical and physical changes to recreate the methods used to make the coins as evidence for the trial.
Video Preview
NCES.8.P.1.4: : Explain how the idea of atoms and a balanced chemical equation support the law of conservation of mass.
Chemical Changes
Chemical changes result in the formation of new substances. But how can you tell if a chemical change has occurred? Explore this question by observing and measuring a variety of chemical reactions. Along the way you will learn about chemical equations, acids and bases, exothermic and endothermic reactions, and conservation of matter.
5 Minute Preview
Practice balancing chemical equations by changing the coefficients of reactants and products. As the equation is manipulated, the amount of each element is shown as individual atoms, histograms, or numerically. Molar masses of reactants and products can also be calculated and balanced to demonstrate conservation of mass.
5 Minute Preview
The Secret Service recently arrested suspects accused of counterfeiting coins from 1915 valued at $50,000 each. The students act as a forensic scientist to investigate the crime scene and the evidence. Students learn about chemical and physical changes to recreate the methods used to make the coins as evidence for the trial.
Video Preview
NCES.8.E: : Earth Systems, Structures and Processes
NCES.8.E.1: : Understand the hydrosphere and the impact of humans on local systems and the effects of the hydrosphere on humans.
NCES.8.E.1.3: : Predict the safety and potability of water supplies in North Carolina based on physical and biological factors, including:
NCES.8.E.1.3.b: : Dissolved oxygen
Pond Ecosystem
Measure the temperature and oxygen content of a pond over the course of a day. Then go fishing to see what types of fish live in the pond. Many different ponds can be investigated to determine the influence of time, temperature, and farms on oxygen levels.
5 Minute Preview
NCES.8.E.1.4: : Conclude that the good health of humans requires:
NCES.8.E.1.4.c: : Methods of water treatment
Water Contamination - Middle School
There has been an outbreak of legionnaires’ disease in a small town. This disease is caused by legionella bacteria that proliferate in contaminated water supplies. Students take on the role of a civil engineer to investigate how the water treatment plant has failed to get rid of all the contaminants in the water and design a new method.
Video Preview
There has been an outbreak of legionnaires’ disease in a small town. This disease is caused by legionella bacteria that proliferate in contaminated water supplies. Students take on the role of a civil engineer to investigate how the water treatment plant has failed to get rid of all the contaminants in the water and design a new method.
Video Preview
Get to know the four main types of pollution present in the environment, and then look at a variety of real-world examples as you try to guess what type of pollution is represented by each situation. All of the real-world situations can be viewed every day in different parts of the world.
5 Minute Preview
NCES.8.E.2: : Understand the history of Earth and its life forms based on evidence of change recorded in fossil records and landforms.
NCES.8.E.2.2: : Explain the use of fossils, ice cores, composition of sedimentary rocks, faults, and igneous rock formations found in rock layers as evidence of the history of the Earth and its changing life forms.
Building Pangaea
In 1915, Alfred Wegener proposed that all of Earth's continents were once joined in an ancient supercontinent he called Pangaea. Wegener's idea of moving continents led to the modern theory of plate tectonics. Create your own version of Pangaea by fitting Earth's landmasses together like puzzle pieces. Use evidence from fossils, rocks, and glaciers to refine your map.
5 Minute Preview
NCES.8.L: : Structures and Functions of Living Organisms
NCES.8.L.1: : Understand the hazards caused by agents of diseases that effect living organisms.
NCES.8.L.1.1: : Summarize the basic characteristics of viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites relating to the spread, treatment and prevention of disease.
Disease Spread
Observe the spread of disease through a group of people. The methods of transmission can be chosen and include person-to-person, airborne, and foodborne as well as any combination thereof. The probability of each form of transmission and number of people in the group can also be adjusted.
5 Minute Preview
Release a lytic virus in a group of cells and observe how cells are infected over time and eventually destroyed. Data related to the number of healthy cells, infected cells, and viruses can be recorded over time to determine the time required for the virus to mature within a cell.
5 Minute Preview
NCES.8.L.2: : Understand how biotechnology is used to affect living organisms.
NCES.8.L.2.1: : Summarize aspects of biotechnology including:
NCES.8.L.2.1.d: : Ethical issues
GMOs and the Environment
In this follow-up to the Genetic Engineering Gizmo, explore how farmers can maximize yield while limiting ecosystem damage using genetically modified corn. Choose the corn type to plant and the amount of herbicide and insecticide to use, then measure corn yields and monitor wildlife populations and diversity. Observe the long-term effects of pollutants on a nearby stream ecosystem.
5 Minute Preview
Use genetic engineering techniques to create corn plants resistant to insect pests or tolerant of herbicides. Identify useful genes from bacteria, insert the desired gene into a corn plant, and then compare the modified plant to a control plant in a lab setting.
5 Minute Preview
In this follow-up to the Genetic Engineering Gizmo, explore how farmers can maximize yield while limiting ecosystem damage using genetically modified corn. Choose the corn type to plant and the amount of herbicide and insecticide to use, then measure corn yields and monitor wildlife populations and diversity. Observe the long-term effects of pollutants on a nearby stream ecosystem.
5 Minute Preview
Use genetic engineering techniques to create corn plants resistant to insect pests or tolerant of herbicides. Identify useful genes from bacteria, insert the desired gene into a corn plant, and then compare the modified plant to a control plant in a lab setting.
5 Minute Preview
NCES.8.L.3: : Understand how organisms interact with and respond to the biotic and abiotic components of their environment.
NCES.8.L.3.1: : Explain how factors such as food, water, shelter and space affect populations in an ecosystem.
Coral Reefs 2 - Biotic Factors
In this followup to the Coral Reefs 1 - Abiotic Factors activity, investigate the impacts of fishing, disease, and invasive species on a model Caribbean coral reef. Many variables can be manipulated, included intensity of fishing, presence of black band and white band disease, and the presence of actual and potential invasive species. Click "Advance year" to see the impacts of these biotic changes.
5 Minute Preview
Observe and manipulate the populations of four creatures (trees, deer, bears, and mushrooms) in a forest. Investigate the feeding relationships (food web) in the forest. Determine which creatures are producers, consumers, and decomposers. Pictographs and line graphs show changes in populations over time.
5 Minute Preview
Observe the populations of grass, prairie dogs, ferrets and foxes in a prairie ecosystem. Investigate feeding relationships and determine the food chain. Bar graphs and line graphs show changes in populations over time.
5 Minute Preview
Observe the population of rabbits in an environment over many years. The land available to the rabbits and weather conditions can be adjusted to investigate the effects of urban sprawl and unusual weather on wildlife populations.
5 Minute Preview
As a national park ranger, students must restore the ecosystem of a park back to normal. They interact with populations of many organisms including wolves, deer and bees. Students learn the importance of food chains and webs, and how human factors can impact the health of an environment.
Video Preview
As an agricultural scientist, students help a strawberry farmer who is having problems with low fruit production. Students learn about the factors involved in fruit production including plant nutrients, pollination and bees, and the interaction with the environment.
Video Preview
NCES.8.L.3.2: : Summarize the relationships among producers, consumers, and decomposers including the positive and negative consequences of such interactions including:
NCES.8.L.3.2.a: : Coexistence and cooperation
Food Chain
In this ecosystem consisting of hawks, snakes, rabbits and grass, the population of each species can be studied as part of a food chain. Disease can be introduced for any species, and the number of animals can be increased or decreased at any time, just like in the real world.
5 Minute Preview
Observe the populations of grass, prairie dogs, ferrets and foxes in a prairie ecosystem. Investigate feeding relationships and determine the food chain. Bar graphs and line graphs show changes in populations over time.
5 Minute Preview
In this ecosystem consisting of hawks, snakes, rabbits and grass, the population of each species can be studied as part of a food chain. Disease can be introduced for any species, and the number of animals can be increased or decreased at any time, just like in the real world.
5 Minute Preview
As a national park ranger, students must restore the ecosystem of a park back to normal. They interact with populations of many organisms including wolves, deer and bees. Students learn the importance of food chains and webs, and how human factors can impact the health of an environment.
Video Preview
As a national park ranger, students must restore the ecosystem of a park back to normal. They interact with populations of many organisms including wolves, deer and bees. Students learn the importance of food chains and webs, and how human factors can impact the health of an environment.
Video Preview
As an agricultural scientist, students help a strawberry farmer who is having problems with low fruit production. Students learn about the factors involved in fruit production including plant nutrients, pollination and bees, and the interaction with the environment.
Video Preview
NCES.8.L.3.3: : Explain how the flow of energy within food webs is interconnected with the cycling of matter (including water, nitrogen, carbon dioxide and oxygen).
Forest Ecosystem
Observe and manipulate the populations of four creatures (trees, deer, bears, and mushrooms) in a forest. Investigate the feeding relationships (food web) in the forest. Determine which creatures are producers, consumers, and decomposers. Pictographs and line graphs show changes in populations over time.
5 Minute Preview
As a national park ranger, students must restore the ecosystem of a park back to normal. They interact with populations of many organisms including wolves, deer and bees. Students learn the importance of food chains and webs, and how human factors can impact the health of an environment.
Video Preview
NCES.8.L.4: : Understand the evolution of organisms and landforms based on evidence, theories and processes that impact the Earth over time.
NCES.8.L.4.1: : Summarize the use of evidence drawn from geology, fossils, and comparative anatomy to form the basis for biological classification systems and the theory of evolution.
Cladograms
Based on the similarities and differences between different organisms, create branching diagrams called cladograms to show how they are related. Use both morphological data (physical traits) and molecular data to create the simplest and most likely cladograms. Five different sets of organisms are available.
5 Minute Preview
Explore how a fertilized cell develops into an embryo, a fetus, and eventually an adult organism. Compare embryo development in different vertebrate species and try to guess which embryo belongs to each species. Use dyes to trace the differentiation of cells during early embryo development, from the zygote to the neurula.
5 Minute Preview
Compare the skulls of a variety of significant human ancestors, or hominids. Use available tools to measure lengths, areas, and angles of important features. Each skull can be viewed from the front, side, or from below. Additional information regarding the age, location, and discoverer of each skull can be displayed.
5 Minute Preview
NCES.8.L.4.2: : Explain the relationship between genetic variation and an organism’s ability to adapt to its environment.
Evolution: Natural and Artificial Selection
Observe evolution in a fictional population of bugs. Set the background to any color, and see natural selection taking place. Compare the processes of natural and artificial selection. Manipulate the mutation rate, and determine how mutation rate affects adaptation and evolution.
5 Minute Preview
You are a bird hunting moths (both dark and light) that live on trees. As you capture the moths most easily visible against the tree surface, the moth populations change, illustrating the effects of natural selection.
5 Minute Preview
Study the thickness of birds' beaks over a five-year period as you control the yearly rainfall on an isolated island. As the environmental conditions change, the species must adapt (a real-world consequence) to avoid extinction.
5 Minute Preview
Study the thickness of birds' beaks over a five year period as you control the yearly rainfall on an isolated island. As the environmental conditions change, the species must adapt (a real-world consequence) to avoid extinction.
5 Minute Preview
NCES.8.L.5: : Understand the composition of various substances as it relates to their ability to serve as a source of energy and building materials for growth and repair of organisms.
NCES.8.L.5.1: : Summarize how food provides the energy and the molecules required for building materials, growth and survival of all organisms (to include plants).
Cell Energy Cycle
Explore the processes of photosynthesis and respiration that occur within plant and animal cells. The cyclical nature of the two processes can be constructed visually, and the simplified photosynthesis and respiration formulae can be balanced.
5 Minute Preview
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.
