Skip to main content Skip to main navigation Skip to footer
Login
Student Login
Educator Login
Sign Up For Free
Gizmos home page Gizmos home page
Gizmos home page
  • Find Gizmos
    
                                                
    See Full Search Results
    • FREE Gizmos
    • NEW Releases
    • STEM Cases
    • Browse by Standard
    • Browse by Grade & Topic
    • Browse by Core Curriculum
  • About Gizmos
    • What's a Gizmo?
    • About STEM Cases
    • What are Gizmos Investigations?
    • Take a Tour
    • Supporting All Students
    • How to Get Gizmos
    • Testimonials
    • K-5 Science
  • Research
    • The Impact of Gizmos on Student Achievement
    • The Research Behind Gizmos
  • Support
    • Professional Development Overview
    • Meet the Team
    • Course Catalog
    • Help Center
    • Site Status
  • Resources
    • Popular Gizmos Collections
    • Educator Resource Hub
    • Success Stories
    • Insights
  • Get More Info
    • Sign Up for Free
    • Request Purchasing Info
    • Request a Demo
    • Request a Pilot
    • Contact Support
  • Login
    • Student Login
    • Educator Login
  • Sign Up For Free
  • Home
  • Find Gizmos
  • Browse by Standard (USA)
  • Tennessee Standards
  • Science: 4th Grade

Tennessee - Science: 4th Grade

Academic Standards | Adopted: 2016

This correlation lists the recommended Gizmos for this state's curriculum standards. Click any Gizmo title below for more information.

4.PS3: : Energy


4.PS3.1: : Use evidence to explain the cause and effect relationship between the speed of an object and the energy of an object.

Screenshot of Sled Wars

Sled Wars

Explore acceleration, speed, momentum, and energy by sending a sled down a hill into a group of snowmen. The starting height and mass of the sled can be changed, as well as the number of snowmen. In the Two sleds scenario, observe collisions between sleds of different masses and starting heights. 5 Minute Preview


Lesson Info
Launch Gizmo

4.PS3.2: : Observe and explain the relationship between potential energy and kinetic energy.

Screenshot of Sled Wars

Sled Wars

Explore acceleration, speed, momentum, and energy by sending a sled down a hill into a group of snowmen. The starting height and mass of the sled can be changed, as well as the number of snowmen. In the Two sleds scenario, observe collisions between sleds of different masses and starting heights. 5 Minute Preview


Lesson Info
Launch Gizmo

4.PS4: : Waves and their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer


4.PS4.1: : Use a model of a simple wave to explain regular patterns of amplitude, wavelength, and direction.

Screenshot of Waves

Waves

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


Lesson Info
Launch Gizmo

4.PS4.2: : Describe how the colors of available light sources and the bending of light waves determine what we see.

Screenshot of Additive Colors

Additive Colors

Control the intensity of red, green, and blue spotlights. Additive colors can be observed where the spotlights overlap. The RGB value of any point can be measured. Just about any color can be created by mixing varying amounts of red, green, and blue light. 5 Minute Preview


Lesson Info
Launch Gizmo
Screenshot of Eyes and Vision 1 - Seeing Color

Eyes and Vision 1 - Seeing Color

Observe how different colors of light are reflected or absorbed by colored objects. Determine that white light is a combination of different colors of light, and that one or more component colors may be reflected when white light is shone on an object. Understand that we see an object when light reflected from the object enters our eye. 5 Minute Preview


Lesson Info
Launch Gizmo
Screenshot of Eyes and Vision 2 - Focusing Light

Eyes and Vision 2 - Focusing Light

Once light enters the eye, it must be focused on the retina. Manipulate the pupil diameter to regulate the amount of light that enters then eye, then change the lens shape to focus light. Determine the changes in lens shape needed to maintain focus as the object distance changes. This is a followup to the Eyes and Vision 1 - Seeing Colors lesson. 5 Minute Preview


Lesson Info
Launch Gizmo
Screenshot of Heat Absorption

Heat Absorption

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. 5 Minute Preview


Lesson Info
Launch Gizmo
Screenshot of Subtractive Colors

Subtractive Colors

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. 5 Minute Preview


Lesson Info
Launch Gizmo

4.LS2: : Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics


4.LS2.1: : Support an argument with evidence that plants get the materials they need for growth and reproduction chiefly through a process in which they use carbon dioxide from the air, water, and energy from the sun to produce sugars, plant materials, and waste (oxygen); and that this process is called photosynthesis.

Screenshot of Plants and Snails

Plants and Snails

Study the production and use of gases by plants and animals. Measure the oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in a test tube containing snails and elodea (a type of plant) in both light and dark conditions. Learn about the interdependence of plants and animals. 5 Minute Preview


Lesson Info
Launch Gizmo

4.LS2.2: : Develop models of terrestrial and aquatic food chains to describe the movement of energy among producers, herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, and decomposers.

Screenshot of Prairie Ecosystem

Prairie Ecosystem

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


Lesson Info
Launch Gizmo
Screenshot of Ecosystems - Elementary School

Ecosystems - Elementary School

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


Lesson Info
STEM Cases

4.LS2.3: : Using information about the roles of organisms (producers, consumers, decomposers), evaluate how those roles in food chains are interconnected in a food web, and communicate how the organisms are continuously able to meet their needs in a stable food web.

Screenshot of Forest Ecosystem

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


Lesson Info
Launch Gizmo
Screenshot of Prairie Ecosystem

Prairie Ecosystem

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


Lesson Info
Launch Gizmo
Screenshot of Ecosystems - Elementary School

Ecosystems - Elementary School

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


Lesson Info
STEM Cases

4.LS2.4: : Develop and use models to determine the effects of introducing a species to, or removing a species from, an ecosystem and how either one can damage the balance of an ecosystem.

Screenshot of Prairie Ecosystem

Prairie Ecosystem

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


Lesson Info
Launch Gizmo
Screenshot of Ecosystems - Elementary School

Ecosystems - Elementary School

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


Lesson Info
STEM Cases

4.LS2.5: : Analyze and interpret data about changes (land characteristics, water distribution, temperature, food, and other organisms) in the environment and describe what mechanisms organisms can use to affect their ability to survive and reproduce.

Screenshot of Plants and Snails

Plants and Snails

Study the production and use of gases by plants and animals. Measure the oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in a test tube containing snails and elodea (a type of plant) in both light and dark conditions. Learn about the interdependence of plants and animals. 5 Minute Preview


Lesson Info
Launch Gizmo
Screenshot of Pond Ecosystem

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


Lesson Info
Launch Gizmo

4.ESS1: : Earth’s Place in the Universe


4.ESS1.1: : Generate and support a claim with evidence that over long periods of time, erosion (weathering and transportation) and deposition have changed landscapes and created new landforms.

Screenshot of Erosion Rates

Erosion Rates

Explore erosion in a simulated 3D environment. Observe how the landscape evolves over time as it is shaped by the forces of flowing water. Vary the initial landscape, rock type, precipitation amount, average temperature, and vegetation and measure how each variable affects the rate of erosion and resulting landscape features. 5 Minute Preview


Lesson Info
Launch Gizmo
Screenshot of River Erosion

River Erosion

Explore how river erosion affects landscapes in the short term and over long periods of time. Describe the features of mountain streams and meandering rivers, and use a floating barrel to estimate current speed. Witness the changes that occur as mountain streams erode downward and meandering rivers erode from side to side. 5 Minute Preview


Lesson Info
Launch Gizmo
Screenshot of Weathering

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. 5 Minute Preview


Lesson Info
Launch Gizmo

4.ESS2: : Earth’s Systems


4.ESS2.1: : Collect and analyze data from observations to provide evidence that rocks, soils, and sediments are broken into smaller pieces through mechanical weathering (frost wedging, abrasion, tree root wedging) and are transported by water, ice, wind, gravity, and vegetation.

Screenshot of Weathering

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. 5 Minute Preview


Lesson Info
Launch Gizmo

4.ETS1: : Engineering Design


4.ETS1.1: : Categorize the effectiveness of design solutions by comparing them to specified criteria for constraints.

Screenshot of Earthquake-Proof Homes

Earthquake-Proof Homes

Design a house to withstand an earthquake and protect the people living inside. Select a location in San Francisco, then choose the design and materials for a foundation, frame, walls, and roof. Decide which extras to add to your home design. Test each house in an earthquake and assess the damages. Try to arrive at a house design that results in the least damage. 5 Minute Preview


Lesson Info
Launch Gizmo
Screenshot of Flood and Storm-Proof Homes

Flood and Storm-Proof Homes

Build a home to survive a flood or a hurricane and protect the people inside. Choose materials and a design for the foundation, frame, walls, and roof of the house. Add "extras" such as sand bags, storm shutters, and roof clips. Test your house in a flood or storm and see how well your design worked. 5 Minute Preview


Lesson Info
Launch Gizmo

4.ETS2: : Links Among Engineering, Technology, Science, and Society


4.ETS2.2: : Determine the effectiveness of multiple solutions to a design problem given the criteria and the constraints.

Screenshot of Earthquake-Proof Homes

Earthquake-Proof Homes

Design a house to withstand an earthquake and protect the people living inside. Select a location in San Francisco, then choose the design and materials for a foundation, frame, walls, and roof. Decide which extras to add to your home design. Test each house in an earthquake and assess the damages. Try to arrive at a house design that results in the least damage. 5 Minute Preview


Lesson Info
Launch Gizmo
Screenshot of Flood and Storm-Proof Homes

Flood and Storm-Proof Homes

Build a home to survive a flood or a hurricane and protect the people inside. Choose materials and a design for the foundation, frame, walls, and roof of the house. Add "extras" such as sand bags, storm shutters, and roof clips. Test your house in a flood or storm and see how well your design worked. 5 Minute Preview


Lesson Info
Launch Gizmo
Screenshot of Programmable Rover

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


Lesson Info
Launch Gizmo
Screenshot of Water Contamination - Elementary School

Water Contamination - Elementary 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


Lesson Info
STEM Cases

Correlation last revised: 10/18/2022

About STEM Cases

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.

Realtime reporting icon

Each STEM Case uses realtime reporting to show live student results.
Introduction to the Heatmap

Time icon

STEM Cases take between 30-90 minutes for students to complete, depending on the case.

Save icon

Student progress is automatically saved so that STEM Cases can be completed over multiple sessions.

Grades icon

Multiple grade-appropriate versions, or levels, exist for each STEM Case.

Handbook icon

Each STEM Case level has an associated Handbook. These are interactive guides that focus on the science concepts underlying the case.

STEM Case Help & Resources Sign Up for Free

How Free Gizmos Work

Gizmos icon

Start teaching with 20-40 Free Gizmos. See the full list.

Lesson materials list icon

Access lesson materials for Free Gizmos including teacher guides, lesson plans, and more.

Time icon

All other Gizmos are limited to a 5 Minute Preview and can only be used for 5 minutes a day.

Refresh icon

Free Gizmos change each semester. The new collection will be available January 1 and July 1.

Sign Up for Free

Want More?

Check out these quick links.

  • Sign up for a FREE Trial!
  • Take a Tour
  • Get Help

Find Your Solution

Start playing, exploring and learning today with a free account. Or contact us for a quote or demo.

Sign Up For Free Get a Quote
Find Your Solution
Gizmos logo Brought to you by ExploreLearning

© 2025 ExploreLearning. All rights reserved. Gizmo and Gizmos are registered trademarks of ExploreLearning. STEM Cases, Handbooks and the associated Realtime Reporting System are protected by US Patent No. 10,410,534

Other Products

Reflex icon Frax icon Science4Us icon
Find Gizmos
  • FREE Gizmos
  • NEW Releases
  • STEM Cases
  • Browse by Standard
  • Browse by Grade & Topic
  • Browse by Core Curriculum
About Gizmos
  • What's a Gizmo?
  • About STEM Cases
  • What are Gizmos Investigations?
  • Take a Tour
  • Supporting All Students
  • How to Get Gizmos
  • Testimonials
  • K-5 Science
Research
  • The Impact of Gizmos on Student Achievement
  • The Research Behind Gizmos
Support
  • Professional Development Overview
  • Meet the Team
  • Course Catalog
  • Help Center
  • Site Status
Resources
  • Popular Gizmos Collections
  • Educator Resource Hub
  • Success Stories
  • Insights
Get More Info
  • Sign Up for Free
  • Request Purchasing Info
  • Request a Demo
  • Request a Pilot
  • Contact Support

Get Connected

  • Support Form
  • Toll-Free 866-882-4141
  • Local +1-434-293-7043
  • Newsletter Sign-Up
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram

Other Products

Reflex icon Frax icon Science4Us icon

© 2025 ExploreLearning. All rights reserved. Gizmo and Gizmos are registered trademarks of ExploreLearning. STEM Cases, Handbooks and the associated Realtime Reporting System are protected by US Patent No. 10,410,534

  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility
  • System Requirements
  • Sitemap