This correlation lists the recommended Gizmos for this state's curriculum standards. Click any Gizmo title below for more information.
1: : Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions
1.1: : Changes in Motion
1.1.1: : Students will… Conduct investigations to explain the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces exerted on an object, varying the size, number, and direction of the forces.
Charge Launcher
Launch a charged particle into a chamber. Charged particles can be added into the chamber to influence the path of the moving particle. The launch speed can be changed as well. Try to match a given path by manipulating the fixed particles in the chamber.
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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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1.1.2: : Students will… Observe and measure an object’s motion to provide evidence that a pattern of motion can be used to predict future motion.
Measuring Motion
Go on an African safari and observe a variety of animals walking and running across the savanna. Videotape the animals, and then play back the videotape to estimate animal speeds. Which animals run fastest?
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Find the effect of length, mass, and angle on the period of a pendulum. The pendulum is attached to a clock that can be adjusted to tell time accurately. The clock can be located on Earth or Jupiter to determine the effect of gravity.
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1.2.3: : Students will… Conduct investigations to determine cause and effect relationships between objects not in contact with one another, including magnetic and electrostatic forces.
Charge Launcher
Launch a charged particle into a chamber. Charged particles can be added into the chamber to influence the path of the moving particle. The launch speed can be changed as well. Try to match a given path by manipulating the fixed particles in the chamber.
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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.
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3: : Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits
3.1: : Inherited Traits and Environmental Impact
3.1.6: : Students will… Use data to provide evidence that plants and animals have observable traits inherited from parents and that variations of these traits exist in groups of similar organisms.
Inheritance
Create aliens with different traits and breed them to produce offspring. Determine which traits are passed down from parents to offspring and which traits are acquired. Offspring can be stored for future experiments or released.
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3.1.7: : Students will… Use evidence to support a claim that traits can be influenced by the environment.
Effect of Environment on New Life Form
Using the scientific method, control the environmental conditions for a fictional alien organism in order to learn how the organism responds to changes in conditions. Sunlight, water, and temperature can be varied to determine their effects on the shape of the aliens.
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Investigate the growth of three common garden plants: tomatoes, beans, and turnips. You can change the amount of light each plant gets, the amount of water added each day, and the type of soil the seed is planted in. Observe the effect of each variable on plant height, plant mass, leaf color and leaf size. Determine what conditions produce the tallest and healthiest plants. Height and mass data are displayed on tables and graphs.
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Create aliens with different traits and breed them to produce offspring. Determine which traits are passed down from parents to offspring and which traits are acquired. Offspring can be stored for future experiments or released.
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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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4.1.8: : Students will… Analyze and interpret data from fossils to provide evidence of the existence of organisms and information about the environments in which they lived.
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.
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4.2.9: : Students will… Construct an explanation from evidence of how variations in characteristics among individuals of the same species may provide advantages in surviving, finding mates, and reproducing.
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.
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4.2.10: : Students will… Make a claim from evidence that an organism's likelihood of survival depends upon access to sufficient resources in its habitat, including sunlight, air, water, food, and shelter.
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.
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4.2.11: : Students will… Construct explanations of how forming groups helps some organisms survive.
Honeybee Hive
Explore life in the hive by meeting workers, drones, and the queen bee herself! Visit flower patches to determine the best sources of food, and then perform a waggle dance to let the other bees know where to go. Can you help the bees find enough food to save the hive?
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5.1.13: : Students will… Represent data in tables or graphical displays to reveal typical weather patterns during a particular season.
Comparing Climates (Customary)
Compare average temperatures, precipitation, humidity, and wind speed for a variety of locations across the globe. Explore the influence of latitude, proximity to oceans, elevation, and other factors on climate. Observe how animals and plants are adapted to climate and their environment. This lesson uses U.S. customary units.
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Compare average temperatures, precipitation, humidity, and wind speed for a variety of locations across the globe. Explore the influence of latitude, proximity to oceans, elevation, and other factors on climate. Observe how animals and plants are adapted to climate and their environment. This lesson uses metric units.
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How do scientists measure and describe the weather? In this introductory lesson, students will practice using a thermometer, anemometer, rain gauge, and hygrometer to record weather conditions in a variety of locations and dates. This lesson uses U.S. customary units.
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How do scientists measure and describe the weather? In this introductory lesson, students will practice using a thermometer, anemometer, rain gauge, and hygrometer to record weather conditions in a variety of locations and dates. This lesson uses metric units.
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5.2.14: : Students will… Use information from a variety of sources to describe climates in different regions of the world.
Comparing Climates (Customary)
Compare average temperatures, precipitation, humidity, and wind speed for a variety of locations across the globe. Explore the influence of latitude, proximity to oceans, elevation, and other factors on climate. Observe how animals and plants are adapted to climate and their environment. This lesson uses U.S. customary units.
5 Minute Preview
Compare average temperatures, precipitation, humidity, and wind speed for a variety of locations across the globe. Explore the influence of latitude, proximity to oceans, elevation, and other factors on climate. Observe how animals and plants are adapted to climate and their environment. This lesson uses metric units.
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6.1.15: : Students will… Obtain and communicate information on the effectiveness of existing solutions designed to reduce the impact of weather-related hazards.
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.
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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.
