This correlation lists the recommended Gizmos for this province's curriculum standards. Click any Gizmo title below for more information.
ES20-SDS: : Student-Directed Study
ES20-SDS1: : Create and carry out a plan to explore one or more topics of personal interest relevant to Environmental Science 20 in depth.
ES20-SDS1.b: : Carry out an experiment following established scientific protocols to investigate a question of interest related to one or more of the topics of Environmental Science 20.
Ecosystems - High 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.
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An infant on a farm has blue baby syndrome. As an EPA environmental engineer, students must find the cause of the baby's illness. Using environment data, students learn the importance of the nitrogen cycle and how human factors can impact nature.
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As a marine biologist students learn about photosynthesis to help scientists in Australia determine why the coral in the Great Barrier Reef is bleaching.
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ES20-AH2: : Analyze the production, reliability and uses of geoscience data to investigate the effects of a changing climate on society and the environment.
ES20-AH2.h: : Interpret climate data (e.g., tables, maps, graphs, visualizations and other representations) to determine climate patterns and trends over specific periods.
Hydrologic Cycle - High School
Paanee, a city in Northeast India, has been experiencing higher rates of flooding than normal. This surge in flooding has been caused by an increase in the hydrologic cycle’s activity. Students take on the role of a hydrologist to investigate why the hydrologic cycle’s rate has increased and what can be done to manage flooding and reduce flooding.
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ES20-AH2.j: : Recognize how phenomena such as El Niño, La Niña and ocean acidification provide evidence of how the effects of climate change on one earth system (i.e., geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere and biosphere) can produce effects across other earth systems.
Coral Reefs 1 - Abiotic Factors
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
ES20-AH2.l: : Hypothesize how life on earth might respond to a changing global climate given different scenarios change such as sea level rise, extreme weather events, water shortages, increased spread of disease, flooding and acidification of the oceans.
Hydrologic Cycle - High School
Paanee, a city in Northeast India, has been experiencing higher rates of flooding than normal. This surge in flooding has been caused by an increase in the hydrologic cycle’s activity. Students take on the role of a hydrologist to investigate why the hydrologic cycle’s rate has increased and what can be done to manage flooding and reduce flooding.
Video Preview
ES20-AS1: : Analyze the function and condition of freshwater aquatic systems such as rivers, streams, lakes, wetlands and watersheds.
ES20-AS1.c: : Measure abiotic factors (e.g., turbidity, temperature, dissolved oxygen and particulates) of an ecosystem using a variety of techniques and technologies (e.g., probe ware, pH paper, Secchi disk, Imhoff settling cone and chemical water quality test kit) effectively and safely.
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
ES20-AS1.e: : Assess the interdependencies between abiotic (e.g., pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, temperature, total dissolved solids, phosphorous, nitrogen, stream flow and biochemical oxygen demand [BOD]) and biotic factors in a functioning aquatic 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
An infant on a farm has blue baby syndrome. As an EPA environmental engineer, students must find the cause of the baby's illness. Using environment data, students learn the importance of the nitrogen cycle and how human factors can impact nature.
Video Preview
ES20-AS2: : Assess the importance of maintaining healthy water for humans and the environment.
ES20-AS2.f: : Analyze the impacts of point source and non-point source pollution on humans and aquatic systems.
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
An infant on a farm has blue baby syndrome. As an EPA environmental engineer, students must find the cause of the baby's illness. Using environment data, students learn the importance of the nitrogen cycle and how human factors can impact nature.
Video Preview
ES20-AS2.g: : Research the sources, effects, and management and mitigation strategies of contaminants such as pathogens, organic matter, heavy metals, sediment, heat, petrochemicals and inorganic chemicals such as pesticides in aquatic and/or marine ecosystems.
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
An infant on a farm has blue baby syndrome. As an EPA environmental engineer, students must find the cause of the baby's illness. Using environment data, students learn the importance of the nitrogen cycle and how human factors can impact nature.
Video Preview
ES20-AS2.h: : Investigate how human activities (e.g., overfishing, photodegradation of plastic waste, shipping, coastal development and offshore extraction of oil and minerals) impact marine ecosystems (e.g., coral reef degradation, introduction of invasive species and reduced fish populations).
Coral Reefs 1 - Abiotic Factors
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
ES20-TE1: : Analyze the importance of soils as an integral component of terrestrial ecosystems.
ES20-TE1.h: : Recognize the role and diversity of organisms (e.g., nitrogen fixing bacteria, fungi, mycorrhizae, insects, plants and protists) found within soil environments.
Nitrogen Cycle - High School
An infant on a farm has blue baby syndrome. As an EPA environmental engineer, students must find the cause of the baby's illness. Using environment data, students learn the importance of the nitrogen cycle and how human factors can impact nature.
Video Preview
ES20-TE1.i: : Discuss the role of soil in biogeochemical cycling, including carbon storage and nitrogen fixation, nitrification and denitrification.
Nitrogen Cycle - High School
An infant on a farm has blue baby syndrome. As an EPA environmental engineer, students must find the cause of the baby's illness. Using environment data, students learn the importance of the nitrogen cycle and how human factors can impact nature.
Video Preview
ES20-TE2: : Examine the role plants play in an ecosystem, including the ways in which humans use plants.
ES20-TE2.j: : Assess the impact of agriculture or forestry on a natural ecosystem.
Coral Reefs 1 - Abiotic Factors
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
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
An infant on a farm has blue baby syndrome. As an EPA environmental engineer, students must find the cause of the baby's illness. Using environment data, students learn the importance of the nitrogen cycle and how human factors can impact nature.
Video Preview
ES20-TE3: : Recognize the need for intact habitat to support animal populations and biodiversity.
ES20-TE3.a: : Justify the need for habitat protection and restoration in terms of biodiversity (e.g., genetic diversity, species diversity and habitat diversity) and resilience within ecosystems both locally and globally.
Ecosystems - High 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
As a marine biologist students learn about photosynthesis to help scientists in Australia determine why the coral in the Great Barrier Reef is bleaching.
Video Preview
ES20-TE3.h: : Evaluate the importance of a keystone species in a specific terrestrial ecosystem.
Ecosystems - High 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
ES20-TE3.i: : Assess current or potential impacts of a changing climate on a specific representative animal and its habitat.
Coral Reefs 1 - Abiotic Factors
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
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.
