This correlation lists the recommended Gizmos for this state's curriculum standards. Click any Gizmo title below for more information.
3.3.6-8: Earth and Space Science
3.1: Human Impact on Earth System
3.1.1: Space Systems
3.1: The Universe and Its Stars
3.1.1: Space Systems
3.2: Earth and the Solar System
3.2.1: Space Systems
3.4: Earth Materials and Systems
3.4.1: History of Earth
3.4.2: Earth’s Systems
3.5: Plate Tectonics and Large-Scale Interactions
3.5.1: History of Earth
3.6: The Roles of Water in Earth’s Surface Processes
3.6.1: Earth’s Systems
3.6.2: Weather and Climate
3.7: Weather and Climate
3.3.6-8.J: Students who demonstrate understanding can: Collect data to provide evidence for how the motion and complex interactions of air masses result in changes in weather conditions.
Hurricane Motion
Use data from up to three weather stations to predict the motion of a hurricane. The wind speed, wind direction, cloud cover and air pressure are provided for each station using standard weather symbols.
5 Minute Preview
Learn about standard symbols used in meteorology to construct weather maps. Rain, sleet, snow, temperature, cloud cover, wind speed and direction, and atmospheric pressure can all be recorded at two different weather stations on a map. Describe weather patterns characteristic of high-pressure systems, low-pressure systems, warm fronts, and cold fronts.
5 Minute Preview
Observe daily weather conditions in a coastal region. Measure temperatures and wind speeds at any location and use this data to map convection currents that form during the day and night. Explain the origin of land breezes and sea breezes.
5 Minute Preview
Learn about standard symbols used in meteorology to construct weather maps. Rain, sleet, snow, temperature, cloud cover, wind speed and direction, and atmospheric pressure can all be recorded at two different weather stations on a map. Describe weather patterns characteristic of high-pressure systems, low-pressure systems, warm fronts, and cold fronts.
5 Minute Preview
Use data from up to three weather stations to predict the motion of a hurricane. The wind speed, wind direction, cloud cover and air pressure are provided for each station using standard weather symbols.
5 Minute Preview
Observe daily weather conditions in a coastal region. Measure temperatures and wind speeds at any location and use this data to map convection currents that form during the day and night. Explain the origin of land breezes and sea breezes.
5 Minute Preview
The Coriolis effect causes winds to be deflected as they move across Earth's surface, resulting in circular patterns of winds. This effect is caused by two factors, Earth's rotation and frame of reference. In the Coriolis Effect Gizmo, students will build their understanding of this phenomenon using the analogy of two kids playing catch: first on a train, then on a merry-go-round, and finally on Earth's surface.
5 Minute Preview
3.3.6-8.O: Students who demonstrate understanding can: Ask questions to clarify evidence of the factors that have caused the rise in global temperatures over the past century.
Greenhouse Effect
Within this simulated region of land, daytime's rising temperature and the falling temperature at night can be measured, along with heat flow in and out of the system. The level of greenhouse gases present in the atmosphere at any given time can be adjusted, allowing the long-term effects to be investigated.
5 Minute Preview
Within this simulated region of land, daytime's rising temperature and the falling temperature at night can be measured, along with heat flow in and out of the system. The amount of greenhouse gases present in the atmosphere can be adjusted through time, and the long-term effects can be investigated.
5 Minute Preview
Follow the path of a carbon atom through the atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere. Manipulate a simplified model to see how human activities and other factors affect the amount of atmospheric carbon today and in the future.
5 Minute Preview
3.3.6-8.L: Students who demonstrate understanding can: Analyze and interpret data on natural hazards to forecast future catastrophic events and inform the development of technologies to mitigate their effects.
Hurricane Motion
Use data from up to three weather stations to predict the motion of a hurricane. The wind speed, wind direction, cloud cover and air pressure are provided for each station using standard weather symbols.
5 Minute Preview
Use data from up to three weather stations to predict the motion of a hurricane. The wind speed, wind direction, cloud cover and air pressure are provided for each station using standard weather symbols.
5 Minute Preview
Shake it Off: Understanding Wave Properties to Develop Earthquake Alert Systems - Middle School
The Bay Area of California experiences frequent earthquakes. Earthquakes are unpredictable and cause enormous damage that leads to casualties. Students take on the role of an earth scientist to investigate the properties of seismic waves to develop an early warning system that warns citizens of an incoming earthquake and reduces casualties.
Video Preview
1.1.1: Structure, Function, and Information Processing
1.1: Structure and Function
1.1.1: Structure, Function, and Information Processing
1.2: Growth and Development of Organisms
1.2.1: Growth, Development, and Reproduction of Organisms
1.3: Organization for Matter and Energy Flow in Organisms
1.3.1: Matter and Energy in Organisms and Ecosystems
1.4: Information Processing
1.4.1: Structure, Function, and Information Processing
1.5: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems
1.5.1: Matter and Energy in Organisms and Ecosystems
3.1.6-8.J: Students who demonstrate understanding can: Construct an explanation that predicts patterns of interactions among organisms across multiple ecosystems.
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 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
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
Explore the abiotic factors that affect Caribbean coral reefs. Many factors can be manipulated in this simplified reef model, including ocean temperature and pH, storm severity, and input of excess sediments and nutrients from logging, sewage, and agriculture. Click "Advance year" to see how the reef responds to these changes.
5 Minute Preview
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
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.
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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.
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A farmer in Africa is having problems with elephants eating her corn and cotton crops. As a wildlife biologist, students learn about animal group behavior and relationships of elephants and humans with bees. Students collect data from the farm and elephants to hypothesize and test solutions that will protect the crops without hurting the elephants.
Video Preview
1.6: Cycles of Matter and Energy Transfer in Ecosystems
1.6.1: Matter and Energy in Organisms and Ecosystems
1.7: Ecosystem Dynamics, Functioning, and Resilience
1.7.1: Matter and Energy in Organisms and Ecosystems
1.8: Inheritance of Traits
1.8.1: Growth, Development, and Reproduction of Organisms
1.9: Variation of Traits
1.9.1: Growth, Development, and Reproduction of Organisms
1.11: Natural Selection
1.11.1: Growth, Development, and Reproduction of Organisms
1.11.2: Natural Selection and Evolution
1.12: Adaptation
1.12.1: Natural Selection and Evolution
1.13: Biodiversity and Humans
1.13.1: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems
3.5.6-8: Technology & Engineering
5.1: Applying, Maintaining, and Assessing Technological Products and Systems; Impacts of Technology; Influence of Society on Technological Development
5.1.1: Applying, Maintaining, Assessing, and Evaluating Technological Products and Systems
5.2: Design and Design Thinking in Technology and Engineering Education
5.2.1: Design Thinking in Technology and Engineering Education
3.2.6-8: Physical Science
2.1: Information Technologies and Instrumentation
3.2.6-8.A: Students who demonstrate understanding can: Develop models to describe the atomic composition of simple molecules and extended structures.
Dehydration Synthesis
Build a glucose molecule, atom-by-atom, to learn about chemical bonds and the structure of glucose. Explore the processes of dehydration synthesis and hydrolysis in carbohydrate molecules.
5 Minute Preview
Create molecules using building blocks of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and other elements. Connect atoms by bonds, then create double or triple bonds if desired. For each completed molecule, write the chemical formula and, if the molecule is included in the database, observe the 3D structure. Create a variety of challenge molecules including cyclic molecules and isomers.
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
3.2.6-8.B: Students who demonstrate understanding can: Develop a model that predicts and describes changes in the particle motion, temperature, and state of a pure substance when thermal energy is added or removed.
Temperature and Particle Motion
Observe the movement of particles of an ideal gas at a variety of temperatures. A histogram showing the Maxwell-Boltzmann velocity distribution is shown, and the most probable velocity, mean velocity, and root mean square velocity can be calculated. Molecules of different gases can be compared.
5 Minute Preview
Explore the relationship between molecular motion, temperature, and phase changes. Compare the molecular structure of solids, liquids, and gases. Graph temperature changes as ice is melted and water is boiled. Find the effect of altitude on phase changes. The starting temperature, ice volume, altitude, and rate of heating or cooling can be adjusted.
5 Minute Preview
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.
5 Minute Preview
Every substance has unique transition points, or temperatures at which one phase (solid, liquid, or gas) transitions to another. Use a realistic melting point apparatus to measure the melting points, boiling points, and/or sublimation points of different substances and observe what these phase changes look like at the microscopic level. Based on the transition points, make inferences about the relative strengths of the forces holding these substances together.
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
Protecting Permafrost: Heat Transfer Highway - Middle School
Thawing permafrost threatens the stability of critical infrastructure in the Arctic community of Frostville, Alaska. Students take on the role of a civil engineer to design heat transfer solutions to protect permafrost in a warming climate.
Video Preview
In this lesson series, students will help Kayla, a cooking enthusiast who is having trouble making good spaghetti in her new home in the mountains. Students will investigate phase changes, the effect of altitude and air pressure on boiling point, and the molecular causes of phase changes.
Preview
Dad forgets to bring the cooking pot on a camping trip, throwing the macaroni and cheese dinner into doubt. Luckily, he comes up with an ingenious solution involving a plastic bag. Students will investigate how temperature relates to phase changes to explain why this works.
Preview
After a snowstorm cuts power and water, Ethan needs to melt ice and boil the resulting water to cook dinner. This phenomenon leads him to thinking about why water changes from one phase to another. In this standalone lesson, students will investigate what is happening at the molecular level to cause phase changes.
Preview
Kayla loves to cook deviled eggs, but she hates to wait for the eggs to hard boil. After receiving a pressure cooker as a birthday gift, she is thrilled to discover she doesn't have to wait as long. In this standalone lesson, students gather and analyze data to investigate the relationship between air pressure, altitude, and boiling point.
Preview
3.2.6-8.A: Students who demonstrate understanding can: Develop models to describe the atomic composition of simple molecules and extended structures.
Dehydration Synthesis
Build a glucose molecule, atom-by-atom, to learn about chemical bonds and the structure of glucose. Explore the processes of dehydration synthesis and hydrolysis in carbohydrate molecules.
5 Minute Preview
Create molecules using building blocks of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and other elements. Connect atoms by bonds, then create double or triple bonds if desired. For each completed molecule, write the chemical formula and, if the molecule is included in the database, observe the 3D structure. Create a variety of challenge molecules including cyclic molecules and isomers.
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
3.2.6-8.B: Students who demonstrate understanding can: Develop a model that predicts and describes changes in the particle motion, temperature, and state of a pure substance when thermal energy is added or removed.
Temperature and Particle Motion
Observe the movement of particles of an ideal gas at a variety of temperatures. A histogram showing the Maxwell-Boltzmann velocity distribution is shown, and the most probable velocity, mean velocity, and root mean square velocity can be calculated. Molecules of different gases can be compared.
5 Minute Preview
Explore the relationship between molecular motion, temperature, and phase changes. Compare the molecular structure of solids, liquids, and gases. Graph temperature changes as ice is melted and water is boiled. Find the effect of altitude on phase changes. The starting temperature, ice volume, altitude, and rate of heating or cooling can be adjusted.
5 Minute Preview
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.
5 Minute Preview
Every substance has unique transition points, or temperatures at which one phase (solid, liquid, or gas) transitions to another. Use a realistic melting point apparatus to measure the melting points, boiling points, and/or sublimation points of different substances and observe what these phase changes look like at the microscopic level. Based on the transition points, make inferences about the relative strengths of the forces holding these substances together.
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
Protecting Permafrost: Heat Transfer Highway - Middle School
Thawing permafrost threatens the stability of critical infrastructure in the Arctic community of Frostville, Alaska. Students take on the role of a civil engineer to design heat transfer solutions to protect permafrost in a warming climate.
Video Preview
In this lesson series, students will help Kayla, a cooking enthusiast who is having trouble making good spaghetti in her new home in the mountains. Students will investigate phase changes, the effect of altitude and air pressure on boiling point, and the molecular causes of phase changes.
Preview
Dad forgets to bring the cooking pot on a camping trip, throwing the macaroni and cheese dinner into doubt. Luckily, he comes up with an ingenious solution involving a plastic bag. Students will investigate how temperature relates to phase changes to explain why this works.
Preview
After a snowstorm cuts power and water, Ethan needs to melt ice and boil the resulting water to cook dinner. This phenomenon leads him to thinking about why water changes from one phase to another. In this standalone lesson, students will investigate what is happening at the molecular level to cause phase changes.
Preview
Kayla loves to cook deviled eggs, but she hates to wait for the eggs to hard boil. After receiving a pressure cooker as a birthday gift, she is thrilled to discover she doesn't have to wait as long. In this standalone lesson, students gather and analyze data to investigate the relationship between air pressure, altitude, and boiling point.
Preview
3.2.6-8.D: Students who demonstrate understanding can: Analyze and interpret data on the properties of substances before and after the substances interact to determine if a chemical reaction has occurred.
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
3.2.6-8.E: Students who demonstrate understanding can: Develop and use a model to describe how the total number of atoms does not change in a chemical reaction and thus mass is conserved.
Balancing Chemical Equations
Balance and classify five types of chemical reactions: synthesis, decomposition, single replacement, double replacement, and combustion. While balancing the reactions, the number of atoms on each side is presented as visual, histogram, and numerical data.
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
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
Smelling in the Rain: Designing Solutions to Improve Air Quality - Middle School
A respiratory physiologist is concerned about the number of asthma attacks in children within her community. On certain days, the number is higher than the respiratory physiologist might expect. She thinks something in the environment is causing more rescue inhaler use on those days. As an air quality engineer, students will work collaboratively with a respiratory physiologist to learn how some air pollutants are released directly from sources while others are formed through chemical reactions. Students will develop a system model to test design solutions to recommend a plan to help decrease air pollution in a community with a record number of asthma cases in children.
Video Preview
3.2.6-8.F: Students who demonstrate understanding can: Undertake a design project to construct, test, and modify a device that either releases or absorbs thermal energy by chemical processes.
Feel the Heat
Have you ever used a glove warmer to keep your hands warm? How about an instant cold pack to treat an injury? In the Feel the Heat Gizmo, create your own hot and cold packs using various salts dissolved in water and different bag materials. Learn about exothermic and endothermic processes and how energy is absorbed or released when bonds are broken and new bonds form.
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.
