This correlation lists the recommended Gizmos for this state's curriculum standards. Click any Gizmo title below for more information.
8.PS2: : Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions
8.PS2.1: : Design and conduct investigations depicting the relationship between magnetism and electricity in electromagnets, generators, and electrical motors, emphasizing the factors that increase or diminish the electric current and the magnetic field strength.
Electromagnetic Induction
Explore how a changing magnetic field can induce an electric current. A magnet can be moved up or down at a constant velocity below a loop of wire, or the loop of wire may be dragged in any direction or rotated. The magnetic and electric fields can be displayed, as well as the magnetic flux and the current in the wire.
5 Minute Preview
8.PS2.2: : Conduct an investigation to provide evidence that fields exist between objects exerting forces on each other even though the objects are not in contact.
Electromagnetic Induction
Explore how a changing magnetic field can induce an electric current. A magnet can be moved up or down at a constant velocity below a loop of wire, or the loop of wire may be dragged in any direction or rotated. The magnetic and electric fields can be displayed, as well as the magnetic flux and the current in the wire.
5 Minute Preview
Measure the strength and direction of the magnetic field at different locations in a laboratory. Compare the strength of the induced magnetic field to Earth's magnetic field. The direction and magnitude of the inducting current can be adjusted.
5 Minute Preview
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.
5 Minute Preview
8.PS2.3: : Create a demonstration of an object in motion and describe the position, force, and direction of the object.
Crumple Zones
Design a car to protect a test dummy in a collision. Adjust the length and stiffness of the crumple zone and the rigidity of the safety cell to determine how the car will deform during the crash. Add seat belts and/or airbags to prevent the dummy from hitting the steering wheel. Three different body types (sedan, SUV, and subcompact) are available and a wide range of crash speeds can be used.
5 Minute Preview
Gain an understanding of Newton's Laws by experimenting with a cart (on which up to three fans are placed) on a linear track. The cart has a mass, as does each fan. The fans exert a constant force when switched on, and the direction of the fans can be altered as the position, velocity, and acceleration of the cart are measured.
5 Minute Preview
Investigate the motion of an object as it falls to the ground. A variety of objects can be compared, and their motion can be observed in a vacuum, in normal air, and in denser air. The position, velocity, and acceleration are measured over time, and the forces on the object can be displayed. Using the manual settings, the mass, radius, height, and initial velocity of the object can be adjusted, as can the air density and wind.
5 Minute Preview
8.PS2.4: : Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that the change in an object’s motion depends on the sum of the forces on the object and the mass of the object.
Atwood Machine
Measure the height and velocity of two objects connected by a massless rope over a pulley. Observe the forces acting on each mass throughout the simulation. Calculate the acceleration of the objects, and relate these calculations to Newton's Laws of Motion. The mass of each object can be manipulated, as well as the mass and radius of the pulley.
5 Minute Preview
Design a car to protect a test dummy in a collision. Adjust the length and stiffness of the crumple zone and the rigidity of the safety cell to determine how the car will deform during the crash. Add seat belts and/or airbags to prevent the dummy from hitting the steering wheel. Three different body types (sedan, SUV, and subcompact) are available and a wide range of crash speeds can be used.
5 Minute Preview
Gain an understanding of Newton's Laws by experimenting with a cart (on which up to three fans are placed) on a linear track. The cart has a mass, as does each fan. The fans exert a constant force when switched on, and the direction of the fans can be altered as the position, velocity, and acceleration of the cart are measured.
5 Minute Preview
Investigate the motion of an object as it falls to the ground. A variety of objects can be compared, and their motion can be observed in a vacuum, in normal air, and in denser air. The position, velocity, and acceleration are measured over time, and the forces on the object can be displayed. Using the manual settings, the mass, radius, height, and initial velocity of the object can be adjusted, as can the air density and wind.
5 Minute Preview
8.PS2.5: : Evaluate and interpret that for every force exerted on an object there is an equal force exerted in the opposite direction.
Crumple Zones
Design a car to protect a test dummy in a collision. Adjust the length and stiffness of the crumple zone and the rigidity of the safety cell to determine how the car will deform during the crash. Add seat belts and/or airbags to prevent the dummy from hitting the steering wheel. Three different body types (sedan, SUV, and subcompact) are available and a wide range of crash speeds can be used.
5 Minute Preview
Gain an understanding of Newton's Laws by experimenting with a cart (on which up to three fans are placed) on a linear track. The cart has a mass, as does each fan. The fans exert a constant force when switched on, and the direction of the fans can be altered as the position, velocity, and acceleration of the cart are measured.
5 Minute Preview
8.PS4: : Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer
8.PS4.1: : Develop and use models to represent the basic properties of waves including frequency, amplitude, wavelength, and speed.
Longitudinal Waves
Observe the propagation of longitudinal (compression) waves in a closed or open tube with evenly-spaced dividers. The strength and frequency of the waves can be manipulated, or waves can be observed as individual pulses. Compare the movement of dividers to graphs of displacement, velocity, acceleration and pressure.
5 Minute Preview
Study wave motion, diffraction, interference, and refraction in a simulated ripple tank. A wide variety of scenarios can be chosen, including barriers with one or two gaps, multiple wave sources, reflecting barriers, or submerged rocks. The wavelength and strength of waves can be adjusted, as well as the amount of damping in the tank.
5 Minute Preview
Observe and measure transverse, longitudinal, and combined waves on a model of a spring moved by a hand. Adjust the amplitude and frequency of the hand, and the tension and density of the spring. The speed and power of the waves is reported, and the wavelength and amplitude can be measured.
5 Minute Preview
8.LS4.1: : Analyze and interpret data for patterns in the fossil record that document the existence, diversity, extinction, and change in life forms throughout Earth’s history.
Human Evolution - Skull Analysis
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
8.LS4.2: : Construct an explanation addressing similarities and differences of the anatomical structures and genetic information between extinct and extant organisms using evidence of common ancestry and patterns between taxa.
Human Evolution - Skull Analysis
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
8.LS4.3: : Analyze evidence from geology, paleontology, and comparative anatomy to support that specific phenotypes within a population can increase the probability of survival of that species and lead to adaptation.
Natural Selection
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
8.LS4.4: : Develop a scientific explanation of how natural selection plays a role in determining the survival of a species in a changing environment.
Natural Selection
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
8.LS4.5: : Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about the technologies that have changed the way humans use artificial selection to influence the inheritance of desired traits in other organisms.
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
8.ESS1.1: : Research, analyze, and communicate that the universe began with a period of rapid expansion using evidence from the motion of galaxies and composition of stars.
Big Bang Theory - Hubble's Law
Follow in the footsteps of Edwin Hubble to discover evidence supporting the Big Bang Theory. First, observe Cepheid variable stars in different galaxies to determine their distances. Then, measure the redshift from these galaxies to determine their recessional velocity. Create a scatterplot of velocity vs. distance and relate this to an expanding universe.
5 Minute Preview
8.ESS2.3: : Describe the relationship between the processes and forces that create igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks.
Rock Cycle
Play the role of a piece of rock moving through the rock cycle. Select a starting location and follow many possible paths throughout the cycle. Learn how rocks are formed, weathered, eroded, and reformed as they move from Earth's surface to locations deep within the crust.
5 Minute Preview
8.ESS2.4: : Gather and evaluate evidence that energy from the earth’s interior drives convection cycles within the asthenosphere which creates changes within the lithosphere including plate movements, plate boundaries, and sea-floor spreading.
Convection Cells
Explore the causes of convection by heating liquid and observing the resulting motion. The location and intensity of the heat source (or sources) can be varied, as well as the viscosity of the liquid. Use a probe to measure temperature and density in different areas and observe the motion of molecules in the liquid. Then, explore real-world examples of convection cells in Earth's mantle, oceans, and atmosphere.
5 Minute Preview
8.ESS2.5: : Construct a scientific explanation using data that explains the gradual process of plate tectonics accounting for
8.ESS2.5.a: : the distribution of fossils on different continents,
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
Move the Earth's crust at various locations to observe the effects of the motion of the tectonic plates, including volcanic eruptions. Information about each of the major types of plate boundaries is shown, along with their locations on Earth.
5 Minute Preview
8.ESS2.5.c: : continental and ocean floor features (including mountains, volcanoes, faults, and trenches).
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
Move the Earth's crust at various locations to observe the effects of the motion of the tectonic plates, including volcanic eruptions. Information about each of the major types of plate boundaries is shown, along with their locations on Earth.
5 Minute Preview
8.ETS1.2: : Research and communicate information to describe how data from technologies (telescopes, spectroscopes, satellites, and space probes) provide information about objects in the solar system and universe.
Programmable Rover
In this introduction to coding, program a rover to explore the surface of Mars. Start by using tiles to create simple programs involving moving forward or backward, turns, jumps, loops, and picking up rock samples. Then use text instructions to optimize your code. Use your skills to program the rover to complete six challenging missions on Mars.
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.
