This correlation lists the recommended Gizmos for this state's curriculum standards. Click any Gizmo title below for more information.
NCES.3.P: : Forces and Motion
NCES.3.P.1: : Understand motion and factors that affect motion.
NCES.3.P.1.1: : Infer changes in speed or direction resulting from forces acting on an object.
Force and Fan Carts
Explore the laws of motion using a simple fan cart. Use the buttons to select the speed of the fan and the surface, and press Play to begin. You can drag up to three objects onto the fan cart. The speed of the cart is displayed with a speedometer and recorded in a table and a graph.
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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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NCES.3.P.1.3: : Explain the effects of earth’s gravity on the motion of any object on or near the earth.
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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NCES.3.P.2: : Understand the structure and properties of matter before and after they undergo a change.
NCES.3.P.2.2: : Compare solids, liquids, and gases based on their basic properties.
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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NCES.3.P.2.3: : Summarize changes that occur to the observable properties of materials when different degrees of heat are applied to them, such as melting ice or ice cream, boiling water or an egg, or freezing water.
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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NCES.3.P.3: : Recognize how energy can be transferred from one object to another.
NCES.3.P.3.2: : Recognize that energy can be transferred from a warmer object to a cooler one by contact or at a distance and the cooler object gets warmer.
Conduction and Convection
Two flasks hold colored water, one yellow and the other blue. Set the starting temperature of each flask, choose a type of material to connect the flasks, and see how quickly the flasks heat up or cool down. The flasks can be connected with a hollow pipe, allowing the water in the flasks to mix, or a solid chunk that transfers heat but prevents mixing.
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NCES.3.E.1: : Recognize the major components and patterns observed in the earth/moon/sun system.
NCES.3.E.1.1: : Recognize that the earth is part of a system called the solar system that includes the sun (a star), planets, and many moons and the earth is the third planet from the sun in our solar system.
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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NCES.3.L.2: : Understand how plants survive in their environments.
NCES.3.L.2.2: : Explain how environmental conditions determine how well plants survive and grow.
Measuring Trees
Measure the height, diameter, and circumference of trees in a forest. Count growth rings to determine the age of each tree. Grow the trees for several years and investigate how growth is affected by precipitation.
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NCES.3.L.2.3: : Summarize the distinct stages of the life cycle of seed plants.
Flower Pollination
Observe the steps of pollination and fertilization in flowering plants. Help with many parts of the process by dragging pollen grains to the stigma, dragging sperm to the ovules, and removing petals as the fruit begins to grow. Quiz yourself when you are done by dragging vocabulary words to the correct plant structure.
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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.
