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Get access to a rotating collection of free Gizmos chosen from our library of over 550 math and science labs and simulations. Sign up today to start teaching with these online STEM tools!
See How FREE Gizmos WorkMascot Election (Pictographs and Bar Graphs)
FREE with no time limit!
A brand new school is opening and it is time to elect the school mascot! Students can choose the Eagle, Lion, Bear, or Wolf. Voting results can be displayed in a table, tally chart,...
Lesson Info Launch GizmoNumber Line Frog Hop (Addition and Subtraction)
FREE with no time limit!
Live a frog's life as you hop along a number line in search of flies. Learn how addition and subtraction can be represented as movement along a number line. Fred the frog may even help you...
Lesson Info Launch GizmoHoliday Snowflake Designer
FREE with no time limit!
Fold paper and cut in a certain way to make symmetrical snowflakes with six sides (similar to what can be found in nature) or with eight sides (an easier folding method). This simulation...
Lesson Info Launch GizmoFunction Machines 1 (Functions and Tables)
FREE with no time limit!
Drop a number into a function machine, and see what number comes out! You can use one of the six pre-set function machines, or program your own function rule into one of the blank machines....
Lesson Info Launch GizmoSolar System
FREE with no time limit!
Explore our solar system and learn the characteristics of each planet. Compare the sizes of planets and their distances from the Sun. Observe the speeds of planetary orbits and measure how...
Lesson Info Launch GizmoEyes and Vision 3 - Sensing Light
- New!
FREE with no time limit!
Observe how photoreceptors on the retina are stimulated by different colors of light. Determine that cone cells are stimulated by specific colors of light and enable us to see color, while...
Lesson Info Launch GizmoMagnetism
FREE with no time limit!
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...
Lesson Info Launch GizmoPercents and Proportions
FREE with no time limit!
Find a part from the percent and whole, a percent from the part and whole, or a whole from the part and percent using a graphic model.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoTrends in Scatter Plots
FREE with no time limit!
Examine the scatter plot for a random data set with negative or positive correlation. Vary the correlation and explore how correlation is reflected in the scatter plot and the trend line.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoLucky Duck (Expected Value)
- New!
FREE with no time limit!
Pick a duck, win a prize! Help Arnie the carnie design his game so that he makes money (or at least breaks even). How many ducks of each type should there be? What are the prizes worth? How...
Lesson Info Launch GizmoEquivalent Algebraic Expressions I
FREE with no time limit!
Grumpy’s Restaurant is now hiring! As a new chef at this underwater bistro, you’ll learn the basics of manipulating algebraic expressions. Learn how to make equivalent expressions using the...
Lesson Info Launch GizmoDistance-Time Graphs
FREE with no time limit!
Create a graph of a runner's position versus time and watch the runner complete a 40-yard dash based on the graph you made. Notice the connection between the slope of the line and the speed...
Lesson Info Launch GizmoEarthquake-Proof Homes
- New!
FREE with no time limit!
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...
Lesson Info Launch GizmoCell Types
FREE with no time limit!
Explore a wide variety of cells, from bacteria to human neurons, using a compound light microscope. Select a sample to study, then focus on the sample using the coarse and fine focus...
Lesson Info Launch GizmoCladograms
- New!
FREE with no time limit!
Based on the similarities and differences between different organisms, create branching diagrams called cladograms to show how they are related. Use both morphological data (physical...
Lesson Info Launch GizmoTrebuchet
FREE with no time limit!
Design your own trebuchet to fling a projectile at a castle wall. All of the dimensions of the trebuchet can be adjusted, as well as the masses of the counterweight and payload. Select a...
Lesson Info Launch GizmoHeat Absorption
FREE with no time limit!
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...
Lesson Info Launch GizmoLinear Functions
FREE with no time limit!
Determine if a relation is a function from the mapping diagram, ordered pairs, or graph. Use the graph to determine if it is linear.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoSystems of Linear Inequalities (Slope-intercept form)
FREE with no time limit!
Compare a system of linear inequalities to its graph. Vary the coefficients and inequality symbols in the system and explore how the boundary lines, shaded regions, and the intersection of...
Lesson Info Launch GizmoSurface and Lateral Areas of Pyramids and Cones
FREE with no time limit!
Vary the dimensions of a pyramid or cone and investigate how the surface area changes. Use the dynamic net of the solid to compute the lateral area and the surface area of the solid.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoQuadratics in Factored Form
FREE with no time limit!
Investigate the factors of a quadratic through its graph and through its equation. Vary the roots of the quadratic and examine how the graph and the equation change in response.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoRational Functions
FREE with no time limit!
Compare the graph of a rational function to its equation. Vary the terms of the equation and explore how the graph is translated and stretched as a result. Examine the domain on a number...
Lesson Info Launch GizmoRadians
- New!
FREE with no time limit!
As factory belt operator, your job is to move boxes just the right distance on the belt, so they can be stamped for delivery. Your only controls are the radius and rotation of the belt’s...
Lesson Info Launch GizmoPolling: City
FREE with no time limit!
Poll residents in a large city to determine their response to a yes-or-no question. Estimate the actual percentage of yes votes in the whole city. Examine the results of many polls to help...
Lesson Info Launch GizmoFast Plants® 1 - Growth and Genetics
- New!
FREE with no time limit!
Grow Wisconsin Fast Plants® in a simulated lab environment. Explore the life cycles of these plants and how their growth is influenced by light, water, and crowding. Practice pollinating...
Lesson Info Launch GizmoFast Plants® 2 - Mystery Parent
- New!
FREE with no time limit!
In this follow-up to Fast Plants® 1 - Growth and Genetics, continue to explore inheritance of traits in Wisconsin Fast Plants. Infer the genotype of a "mystery P2 parent" of a set of Fast...
Lesson Info Launch GizmoCrumple Zones
- New!
FREE with no time limit!
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...
Lesson Info Launch GizmoProtein Synthesis
- Stem Case
Video Preview
As a pediatrician, students learn about genes and protein synthesis to try to help a baby girl named Lucy who has an immunodeficiency disease.
Lesson InfoWater Contamination
- Stem Case
Video Preview
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...
Lesson InfoElectron Configuration
FREE with no time limit!
Create the electron configuration of any element by filling electron orbitals. Determine the relationship between electron configuration and atomic radius. Discover trends in atomic radii...
Lesson Info Launch GizmoNuclear Reactions
FREE with no time limit!
Explore examples of nuclear fusion and fission reactions. Follow the steps of the proton-proton chain, CNO cycle, and fission of uranium-235. Write balanced nuclear equations for each step,...
Lesson Info Launch GizmoProtein Synthesis
- Stem Case
Video Preview
As a pediatrician, students learn about genes and protein synthesis to try to help a baby girl named Lucy who has an immunodeficiency disease.
Lesson InfoWater Contamination
- Stem Case
Video Preview
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...
Lesson InfoDisease Spread
- Updated!
FREE with no time limit!
Observe the spread of disease through a group of people. The methods of transmission can be chosen and include person-to-person, airborne, and foodborne as well as any combination thereof....
Lesson Info Launch GizmoRiver Detective: The Case of the Missing Shad
- Stem Case
Video Preview
An important fish species, the American Shad, has disappeared from the James River in Virginia. Students take on the role of a junior River Watch member to investigate the shad population’s...
Lesson InfoPond Ecosystem
FREE with no time limit!
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...
Lesson Info Launch GizmoReading Topographic Maps
FREE with no time limit!
Understand how topographic maps work by creating a three-dimensional landscape and observing the corresponding contour lines. See how mountains, depressions, valleys and cliffs are...
Lesson Info Launch GizmoToy Factory (Set Models of Fractions)
FREE with no time limit!
Create a set of stuffed animals: monkeys, giraffes, and rabbits. Toys can be painted red, green, or blue. Describe the makeup of the set (animals or colors) with fractions. Arrange the toys...
Lesson Info Launch GizmoRounding Whole Numbers (Number Line)
FREE with no time limit!
Place points on a number line. Round these values to the nearest ten or hundred. Visualize rounding by showing the number line as a hill or series of hills. These hills cause the points to...
Lesson Info Launch GizmoCannonball Clowns (Number Line Estimation)
FREE with no time limit!
Launch clowns from a circus cannon and try to hit the target. Drag digit cards on the control panel to set the launch distance and choose an appropriate unit of distance. After practicing...
Lesson Info Launch GizmoFactor Trees (Factoring Numbers)
FREE with no time limit!
The Factor Trees Gizmo has two modes. In Factor mode, you can create factor trees to factor composite numbers into primes. In Build mode, you can build numbers by multiplying primes...
Lesson Info Launch GizmoPlants and Snails
FREE with no time limit!
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...
Lesson Info Launch GizmoLevers
FREE with no time limit!
Use a lever to lift a pig, turkey, or sheep. A strongman provides up to 1000 newtons of effort. The fulcrum, strongman, and animals can be moved to any position to create first-, second-,...
Lesson Info Launch GizmoEnergy Conversions
FREE with no time limit!
Where does energy come from? How does energy get from one place to another? Find out how electrical current is generated and how living things get energy to move and grow. Trace the path of...
Lesson Info Launch GizmoSummer and Winter
FREE with no time limit!
Observe the tilt of Earth's axis and the angle that sunlight strikes Earth on June 21 and December 21. Compare day lengths, temperatures, and the angle of the Sun's rays for any latitude....
Lesson Info Launch GizmoProgrammable Rover
- New!
FREE with no time limit!
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...
Lesson Info Launch GizmoSquare Roots
FREE with no time limit!
Explore the meaning of square roots using an area model. Use the side length of a square to find the square root of a decimal number or a whole number.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoFinding Patterns
FREE with no time limit!
Build a pattern to complete a sequence of patterns. Study a sequence of three patterns of squares in a grid and build the fourth pattern of the sequence in a grid.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoNumber Systems
FREE with no time limit!
Explore number systems and convert numbers from one base to another using counter beads in place-value columns.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoPolling: Neighborhood
FREE with no time limit!
Conduct a phone poll of citizens in a small neighborhood to determine their response to a yes-or-no question. Use the results to estimate the sentiment of the entire population. Investigate...
Lesson Info Launch GizmoSpin the Big Wheel! (Probability)
FREE with no time limit!
Step right up! Spin the big wheel! Each spin can result in no prize, a small prize, or a big prize. The wheel can be spun by 1, 10, or 100 players. Results are recorded on a frequency table...
Lesson Info Launch GizmoFunction Machines 3 (Functions and Problem Solving)
FREE with no time limit!
Drop a number into a function machine, and see what number comes out! You can use one of the six pre-set function machines, or program your own function rule into one of the blank machines....
Lesson Info Launch GizmoSolving Algebraic Equations I
FREE with no time limit!
Are there times when you wish you could escape from everyone and just be alone? Meet our variable friend, a real loner who doesn't like coefficients and neighboring terms. Learn how to use...
Lesson Info Launch GizmoDiffusion
FREE with no time limit!
Explore the motion of particles as they bounce around from one side of a room to the other through an adjustable gap or partition. The mass of the particles can be adjusted, as well as the...
Lesson Info Launch GizmoChicken Genetics
FREE with no time limit!
Breed "pure" chickens with known genotypes that exhibit specific feather colors, and learn how traits are passed on via codominant genes. Chickens can be stored in cages for future...
Lesson Info Launch GizmoOrbital Motion - Kepler's Laws
FREE with no time limit!
Learn Kepler's three laws of planetary motion by examining the orbit of a planet around a star. The initial position, velocity, and mass of the planet can be varied as well as the mass of...
Lesson Info Launch GizmoRiver Detective: The Case of the Missing Shad
- Stem Case
Video Preview
An important fish species, the American Shad, has disappeared from the James River in Virginia. Students take on the role of a junior River Watch member to investigate the shad population’s...
Lesson InfoPolynomials and Linear Factors
FREE with no time limit!
Create a polynomial as a product of linear factors. Vary the values in the linear factors to see how their connection to the roots of the function.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoTangent Function
FREE with no time limit!
Compare the graph of the tangent function with the graph of the angle on the unit circle. Drag a point along the tangent curve and see the corresponding angle on the unit circle.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoPolygon Angle Sum
FREE with no time limit!
Derive the sum of the angles of a polygon by dividing the polygon into triangles and summing their angles. Vary the number of sides and determine how the sum of the angles changes. Dilate...
Lesson Info Launch GizmoArithmetic and Geometric Sequences
FREE with no time limit!
Find the value of individual terms in an arithmetic or geometric sequence using graphs of the sequence and direct computation. Vary the common difference and common ratio and examine how...
Lesson Info Launch GizmoSurface and Lateral Areas of Prisms and Cylinders
FREE with no time limit!
Vary the dimensions of a prism or cylinder and investigate how the surface area changes. Use the dynamic net of the solid to compute the lateral area and the surface area of the solid.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoGolf Range
FREE with no time limit!
Try to get a hole in one by adjusting the velocity and launch angle of a golf ball. Explore the physics of projectile motion in a frictional or ideal setting. Horizontal and vertical...
Lesson Info Launch GizmoGMOs and the Environment
- New!
FREE with no time limit!
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...
Lesson Info Launch GizmoPeriodic Trends
- New!
FREE with no time limit!
Explore trends in atomic radius, ionization energy, and electron affinity in the periodic table. Measure atomic radius with a ruler and model ionization energy and electron affinity by...
Lesson Info Launch GizmoFast Plants® 1 - Growth and Genetics
- New!
FREE with no time limit!
Grow Wisconsin Fast Plants® in a simulated lab environment. Explore the life cycles of these plants and how their growth is influenced by light, water, and crowding. Practice pollinating...
Lesson Info Launch GizmoFast Plants® 2 - Mystery Parent
- New!
FREE with no time limit!
In this follow-up to Fast Plants® 1 - Growth and Genetics, continue to explore inheritance of traits in Wisconsin Fast Plants. Infer the genotype of a "mystery P2 parent" of a set of Fast...
Lesson Info Launch GizmoHydrologic Cycle
- Stem Case
Video Preview
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....
Lesson InfoHydrologic Cycle
- Stem Case
Video Preview
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....
Lesson InfoHow Free Gizmos Work
Start teaching with 20-40 Free Gizmos. See the full list.
Access lesson materials for Free Gizmos including teacher guides, lesson plans, and more.
All other Gizmos are limited to a 5 Minute Preview and can only be used for 5 minutes a day.
Free Gizmos change each semester. The new collection will be available January 1 and July 1.
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.
Each STEM Case uses realtime reporting to show live student results.
Introduction to the Heatmap
STEM Cases take between 30-90 minutes for students to complete, depending on the case.
Student progress is automatically saved so that STEM Cases can be completed over multiple sessions.
Multiple grade-appropriate versions, or levels, exist for each STEM Case.
Each STEM Case level has an associated Handbook. These are interactive guides that focus on the science concepts underlying the case.
Mascot Election (Pictographs and Bar Graphs)
FREE with no time limit!
A brand new school is opening and it is time to elect the school mascot! Students can choose the Eagle, Lion, Bear, or Wolf. Voting results can be displayed in a table, tally chart, pictograph, bar graph, circle graph, or dot plot. You can change student votes by selecting a group of students and clicking a mascot.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoNumber Line Frog Hop (Addition and Subtraction)
FREE with no time limit!
Live a frog's life as you hop along a number line in search of flies. Learn how addition and subtraction can be represented as movement along a number line. Fred the frog may even help you get better at adding and subtracting two-digit numbers in your head by decomposing them into tens and ones.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoHoliday Snowflake Designer
FREE with no time limit!
Fold paper and cut in a certain way to make symmetrical snowflakes with six sides (similar to what can be found in nature) or with eight sides (an easier folding method). This simulation allows you to cut virtual paper on the computer screen with round dot or square dot "scissors" of various sizes before using physical paper.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoFunction Machines 1 (Functions and Tables)
FREE with no time limit!
Drop a number into a function machine, and see what number comes out! You can use one of the six pre-set function machines, or program your own function rule into one of the blank machines. Stack up to three function machines together. Input and output can be recorded in a table and on a graph.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoSolar System
FREE with no time limit!
Explore our solar system and learn the characteristics of each planet. Compare the sizes of planets and their distances from the Sun. Observe the speeds of planetary orbits and measure how long each planet takes to go around the Sun.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoEyes and Vision 3 - Sensing Light
- New!
FREE with no time limit!
Observe how photoreceptors on the retina are stimulated by different colors of light. Determine that cone cells are stimulated by specific colors of light and enable us to see color, while rod cells are stimulated by various colors and do not contribute to color vision. Experiment by varying the percentage of rod and cone cells in normal and dim light to see how rod cells help with night vision.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoMagnetism
FREE with no time limit!
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.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoPercents and Proportions
FREE with no time limit!
Find a part from the percent and whole, a percent from the part and whole, or a whole from the part and percent using a graphic model.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoTrends in Scatter Plots
FREE with no time limit!
Examine the scatter plot for a random data set with negative or positive correlation. Vary the correlation and explore how correlation is reflected in the scatter plot and the trend line.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoLucky Duck (Expected Value)
- New!
FREE with no time limit!
Pick a duck, win a prize! Help Arnie the carnie design his game so that he makes money (or at least breaks even). How many ducks of each type should there be? What are the prizes worth? How much should he charge to play? Lucky Duck is a fun way to learn about probabilities and expected value.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoEquivalent Algebraic Expressions I
FREE with no time limit!
Grumpy’s Restaurant is now hiring! As a new chef at this underwater bistro, you’ll learn the basics of manipulating algebraic expressions. Learn how to make equivalent expressions using the Commutative and Associative properties, how to handle pesky subtraction and division, and how to identify equivalent and non-equivalent expressions.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoDistance-Time Graphs
FREE with no time limit!
Create a graph of a runner's position versus time and watch the runner complete a 40-yard dash based on the graph you made. Notice the connection between the slope of the line and the speed of the runner. What will the runner do if the slope of the line is zero? What if the slope is negative? Add a second runner (a second graph) and connect real-world meaning to the intersection of two graphs.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoEarthquake-Proof Homes
- New!
FREE with no time limit!
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.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoCell Types
FREE with no time limit!
Explore a wide variety of cells, from bacteria to human neurons, using a compound light microscope. Select a sample to study, then focus on the sample using the coarse and fine focus controls of the microscope. Compare the structures found in different cells, then perform tests to see if the sample is alive.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoCladograms
- New!
FREE with no time limit!
Based on the similarities and differences between different organisms, create branching diagrams called cladograms to show how they are related. Use both morphological data (physical traits) and molecular data to create the simplest and most likely cladograms. Five different sets of organisms are available.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoTrebuchet
FREE with no time limit!
Design your own trebuchet to fling a projectile at a castle wall. All of the dimensions of the trebuchet can be adjusted, as well as the masses of the counterweight and payload. Select a target on the Launch tab, or just see how far your projectile will go.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoHeat Absorption
FREE with no time limit!
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.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoLinear Functions
FREE with no time limit!
Determine if a relation is a function from the mapping diagram, ordered pairs, or graph. Use the graph to determine if it is linear.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoSystems of Linear Inequalities (Slope-intercept form)
FREE with no time limit!
Compare a system of linear inequalities to its graph. Vary the coefficients and inequality symbols in the system and explore how the boundary lines, shaded regions, and the intersection of the shaded regions change in response.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoSurface and Lateral Areas of Pyramids and Cones
FREE with no time limit!
Vary the dimensions of a pyramid or cone and investigate how the surface area changes. Use the dynamic net of the solid to compute the lateral area and the surface area of the solid.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoQuadratics in Factored Form
FREE with no time limit!
Investigate the factors of a quadratic through its graph and through its equation. Vary the roots of the quadratic and examine how the graph and the equation change in response.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoRational Functions
FREE with no time limit!
Compare the graph of a rational function to its equation. Vary the terms of the equation and explore how the graph is translated and stretched as a result. Examine the domain on a number line and compare it to the graph of the equation.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoRadians
- New!
FREE with no time limit!
As factory belt operator, your job is to move boxes just the right distance on the belt, so they can be stamped for delivery. Your only controls are the radius and rotation of the belt’s wheel. How do you set these to get the distance right? See how this relates to arc length, and discover how radians help make this task easier.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoPolling: City
FREE with no time limit!
Poll residents in a large city to determine their response to a yes-or-no question. Estimate the actual percentage of yes votes in the whole city. Examine the results of many polls to help assess how reliable the results from a single poll are. See how the normal curve approximates a binomial distribution for large enough polls.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoFast Plants® 1 - Growth and Genetics
- New!
FREE with no time limit!
Grow Wisconsin Fast Plants® in a simulated lab environment. Explore the life cycles of these plants and how their growth is influenced by light, water, and crowding. Practice pollinating the plants using bee sticks, then observe the traits of the offspring plants. Use Punnett squares to model the inheritance of genes for stem color and leaf color for these plants.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoFast Plants® 2 - Mystery Parent
- New!
FREE with no time limit!
In this follow-up to Fast Plants® 1 - Growth and Genetics, continue to explore inheritance of traits in Wisconsin Fast Plants. Infer the genotype of a "mystery P2 parent" of a set of Fast Plants based on the traits of the P1, F1, and F2 plants. Then create designer Fast Plants by selectively breeding plants with desired traits.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoCrumple Zones
- New!
FREE with no time limit!
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.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoProtein Synthesis
- Stem Case
Video Preview
As a pediatrician, students learn about genes and protein synthesis to try to help a baby girl named Lucy who has an immunodeficiency disease.
Lesson InfoWater Contamination
- Stem Case
Video Preview
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.
Lesson InfoElectron Configuration
FREE with no time limit!
Create the electron configuration of any element by filling electron orbitals. Determine the relationship between electron configuration and atomic radius. Discover trends in atomic radii across periods and down families/groups of the periodic table.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoNuclear Reactions
FREE with no time limit!
Explore examples of nuclear fusion and fission reactions. Follow the steps of the proton-proton chain, CNO cycle, and fission of uranium-235. Write balanced nuclear equations for each step, and compare the energy produced in each process.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoProtein Synthesis
- Stem Case
Video Preview
As a pediatrician, students learn about genes and protein synthesis to try to help a baby girl named Lucy who has an immunodeficiency disease.
Lesson InfoWater Contamination
- Stem Case
Video Preview
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.
Lesson InfoDisease Spread
- Updated!
FREE with no time limit!
Observe the spread of disease through a group of people. The methods of transmission can be chosen and include person-to-person, airborne, and foodborne as well as any combination thereof. The probability of each form of transmission and number of people in the group can also be adjusted.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoRiver Detective: The Case of the Missing Shad
- Stem Case
Video Preview
An important fish species, the American Shad, has disappeared from the James River in Virginia. Students take on the role of a junior River Watch member to investigate the shad population’s decline. They collect and analyze data about biotic and abiotic factors related to water quality and fish survival. Then students use this data to construct a model of cause-and-effect relationships in the James River watershed and design a solution to bring back this iconic fish.
Lesson InfoPond Ecosystem
FREE with no time limit!
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.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoReading Topographic Maps
FREE with no time limit!
Understand how topographic maps work by creating a three-dimensional landscape and observing the corresponding contour lines. See how mountains, depressions, valleys and cliffs are represented on topographic maps. Fill in the landscape with water to demonstrate that contours are lines of constant elevation.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoToy Factory (Set Models of Fractions)
FREE with no time limit!
Create a set of stuffed animals: monkeys, giraffes, and rabbits. Toys can be painted red, green, or blue. Describe the makeup of the set (animals or colors) with fractions. Arrange the toys into groups to simplify the fractions.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoRounding Whole Numbers (Number Line)
FREE with no time limit!
Place points on a number line. Round these values to the nearest ten or hundred. Visualize rounding by showing the number line as a hill or series of hills. These hills cause the points to roll to the nearest valley (nearest multiple of ten or one hundred).
Lesson Info Launch GizmoCannonball Clowns (Number Line Estimation)
FREE with no time limit!
Launch clowns from a circus cannon and try to hit the target. Drag digit cards on the control panel to set the launch distance and choose an appropriate unit of distance. After practicing your clown-launching skills on a number line, move on to the Big Top, Football Field, School Buses, the Golden Gate Bridge, and more!
Lesson Info Launch GizmoFactor Trees (Factoring Numbers)
FREE with no time limit!
The Factor Trees Gizmo has two modes. In Factor mode, you can create factor trees to factor composite numbers into primes. In Build mode, you can build numbers by multiplying primes together. Can you build all composite numbers up to 50? Any whole composite number up to 999 can be factored or built with the Gizmo.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoPlants and Snails
FREE with no time limit!
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.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoLevers
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Use a lever to lift a pig, turkey, or sheep. A strongman provides up to 1000 newtons of effort. The fulcrum, strongman, and animals can be moved to any position to create first-, second-, or third-class levers.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoEnergy Conversions
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Where does energy come from? How does energy get from one place to another? Find out how electrical current is generated and how living things get energy to move and grow. Trace the path of energy and see how energy is converted from one form to another.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoSummer and Winter
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Observe the tilt of Earth's axis and the angle that sunlight strikes Earth on June 21 and December 21. Compare day lengths, temperatures, and the angle of the Sun's rays for any latitude. The tilt of the Earth's axis can be varied to see how this would affect seasons.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoProgrammable Rover
- New!
FREE with no time limit!
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.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoSquare Roots
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Explore the meaning of square roots using an area model. Use the side length of a square to find the square root of a decimal number or a whole number.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoFinding Patterns
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Build a pattern to complete a sequence of patterns. Study a sequence of three patterns of squares in a grid and build the fourth pattern of the sequence in a grid.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoNumber Systems
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Explore number systems and convert numbers from one base to another using counter beads in place-value columns.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoPolling: Neighborhood
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Conduct a phone poll of citizens in a small neighborhood to determine their response to a yes-or-no question. Use the results to estimate the sentiment of the entire population. Investigate how the error of this estimate becomes smaller as more people are polled. Compare random versus non-random sampling.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoSpin the Big Wheel! (Probability)
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Step right up! Spin the big wheel! Each spin can result in no prize, a small prize, or a big prize. The wheel can be spun by 1, 10, or 100 players. Results are recorded on a frequency table or a circle graph. You can also design your own wheel and a sign that describes the probabilities for your wheel.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoFunction Machines 3 (Functions and Problem Solving)
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Drop a number into a function machine, and see what number comes out! You can use one of the six pre-set function machines, or program your own function rule into one of the blank machines. Stack up to three function machines together. Input and output can be recorded in a table and on a graph.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoSolving Algebraic Equations I
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Are there times when you wish you could escape from everyone and just be alone? Meet our variable friend, a real loner who doesn't like coefficients and neighboring terms. Learn how to use inverses to isolate a variable – a foundational skill for solving algebraic equations.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoDiffusion
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Explore the motion of particles as they bounce around from one side of a room to the other through an adjustable gap or partition. The mass of the particles can be adjusted, as well as the temperature of the room and the initial number of particles. In a real-world context, this can be used to learn about how odors travel, fluids move through gaps, the thermodynamics of gases, and statistical probability.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoChicken Genetics
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Breed "pure" chickens with known genotypes that exhibit specific feather colors, and learn how traits are passed on via codominant genes. Chickens can be stored in cages for future breeding, and the statistics of feather color are reported every time the chickens breed. Punnett squares can be used to predict results.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoOrbital Motion - Kepler's Laws
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Learn Kepler's three laws of planetary motion by examining the orbit of a planet around a star. The initial position, velocity, and mass of the planet can be varied as well as the mass of the star. The foci and centers of orbits can be displayed and compared to the location of the star. The area swept out by the planet in a given time period can be measured, and data on orbital radii and periods can be plotted in several ways.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoRiver Detective: The Case of the Missing Shad
- Stem Case
Video Preview
An important fish species, the American Shad, has disappeared from the James River in Virginia. Students take on the role of a junior River Watch member to investigate the shad population’s decline. They collect and analyze data about biotic and abiotic factors related to water quality and fish survival. Then students use this data to construct a model of cause-and-effect relationships in the James River watershed and design a solution to bring back this iconic fish.
Lesson InfoPolynomials and Linear Factors
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Create a polynomial as a product of linear factors. Vary the values in the linear factors to see how their connection to the roots of the function.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoTangent Function
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Compare the graph of the tangent function with the graph of the angle on the unit circle. Drag a point along the tangent curve and see the corresponding angle on the unit circle.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoPolygon Angle Sum
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Derive the sum of the angles of a polygon by dividing the polygon into triangles and summing their angles. Vary the number of sides and determine how the sum of the angles changes. Dilate the polygon to see that the sum is unchanged.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoArithmetic and Geometric Sequences
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Find the value of individual terms in an arithmetic or geometric sequence using graphs of the sequence and direct computation. Vary the common difference and common ratio and examine how the sequence changes in response.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoSurface and Lateral Areas of Prisms and Cylinders
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Vary the dimensions of a prism or cylinder and investigate how the surface area changes. Use the dynamic net of the solid to compute the lateral area and the surface area of the solid.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoGolf Range
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Try to get a hole in one by adjusting the velocity and launch angle of a golf ball. Explore the physics of projectile motion in a frictional or ideal setting. Horizontal and vertical velocity vectors can be displayed, as well as the path of the ball. The height of the golfer and the force of gravity are also adjustable.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoGMOs and the Environment
- New!
FREE with no time limit!
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.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoPeriodic Trends
- New!
FREE with no time limit!
Explore trends in atomic radius, ionization energy, and electron affinity in the periodic table. Measure atomic radius with a ruler and model ionization energy and electron affinity by exploring how easy it is to remove electrons and how strongly atoms attract additional electrons. View these properties on the whole periodic table to see how they vary across periods and down groups.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoFast Plants® 1 - Growth and Genetics
- New!
FREE with no time limit!
Grow Wisconsin Fast Plants® in a simulated lab environment. Explore the life cycles of these plants and how their growth is influenced by light, water, and crowding. Practice pollinating the plants using bee sticks, then observe the traits of the offspring plants. Use Punnett squares to model the inheritance of genes for stem color and leaf color for these plants.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoFast Plants® 2 - Mystery Parent
- New!
FREE with no time limit!
In this follow-up to Fast Plants® 1 - Growth and Genetics, continue to explore inheritance of traits in Wisconsin Fast Plants. Infer the genotype of a "mystery P2 parent" of a set of Fast Plants based on the traits of the P1, F1, and F2 plants. Then create designer Fast Plants by selectively breeding plants with desired traits.
Lesson Info Launch GizmoHydrologic Cycle
- Stem Case
Video Preview
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.
Lesson InfoHydrologic Cycle
- Stem Case
Video Preview
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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