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STEM Cases

Learn through experience with interactive virtual case studies where you assume the role of a STEM professional trying to solve a real-world problem.

Evolution

  • Stem Case

Video Preview

Working as a CDC researcher, students investigate an outbreak of multi-drug resistant bacterial infections and determine how evolution was involved by tracing the source and cause of the...

Lesson Info

Ecosystems

  • Stem Case

Video 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...

Lesson Info

Homeostasis

  • Stem Case

Video Preview

In the role of a physician assistant, students help a young man, named Anthony, who has Type II diabetes and high blood pressure. Students must make a diagnosis and then must apply the...

Lesson Info

Enzymes

  • Stem Case

Video Preview

As a veterinary technician, students learn about enzymes to help a dog that has been eating normally but is losing a lot of weight.

Lesson Info

Meowsis

  • Stem Case

Video Preview

As a geneticist in an animal hospital, students learn about genetic changes in meiosis to determine the reason why a male cat can have calico fur coloring.

Lesson Info

Photosynthesis

  • Stem Case

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.

Lesson Info

Cell Respiration

  • Stem Case

Video Preview

As a medical toxicologist, students learn about cell respiration to save the life of a CIA agent that has been poisoned.

Lesson Info

Nitrogen Cycle

  • Stem Case

Video 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...

Lesson Info

Osmosis

  • Stem Case

Video Preview

As a veterinarian, students help a young calf, named Clark, who is having seizures. To determine the cause, the students fly into Clark's brain to learn about osmosis and apply their...

Lesson Info

Diffusion

  • Stem Case

Video Preview

As a physician assistant, students must learn about diffusion to save the life of a person poisoned by chlorine gas that was released into a small town following a train crash.

Lesson Info

Protein 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 Info

Properties of Matter

  • Stem Case

Video Preview

The Secret Service has arrested suspects accused of counterfeiting coins from the year 1915 valued at $50,000 each. The students act as a forensic scientist to investigate the crime scene...

Lesson Info

Electrons and Chemical Reactions

  • Stem Case

Video Preview

The Secret Service has 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...

Lesson Info

Chemical and Physical Changes

  • Stem Case

Video 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...

Lesson Info

Fruit Production and the Environment

  • Stem Case

Video Preview

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...

Lesson Info

Ocean Carbon Equilibrium

  • Stem Case

Video Preview

Mussel farmers in the Arctic Ocean have reported problems with their mussels. They have noticed that the mussel shells have eroded and become brittle. Students take on the role of a marine...

Lesson Info

Heredity and Traits

  • Stem Case

Video Preview

As a bee scientist, students help a honey farm that has low honey production due to wasps. Students learn about bees, heredity and traits to determine which traits will help the bees defend...

Lesson Info

Animal Group Behavior

  • Stem Case

Video Preview

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...

Lesson Info

Water Crisis: Stoichiometry

  • 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...

Lesson Info

Water 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 Info

Hydrologic Cycle

  • Free!
  • Stem Case

FREE with no time limit!

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 Info

Smelling in the Rain: Designing Solutions to Improve Air Quality

  • Stem Case

Video Preview

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...

Lesson Info

Sound Off, Please!: Designing Solutions to Reduce Noise Pollution

  • Stem Case

Video Preview

As an acoustic engineer, students will work with an urban planner to learn how noise pollution impacts a community. Students will develop a system model to test design solutions. Wave...

Lesson Info

Beat the Heat: Tackling Urban Heat Islands Using the Science of Energy

  • Stem Case

Video Preview

Lake City's latest heat wave has more people in the hospital than ever before. Juan, a local student admitted to the hospital, lives in one of the hottest neighborhoods in the city....

Lesson Info

Shake it Off: Understanding Wave Properties to Develop Earthquake Alert Systems

  • Stem Case

Video Preview

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...

Lesson Info

Protecting Permafrost: Heat Transfer Highway

  • Stem Case

Video Preview

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...

Lesson Info

River Detective: The Case of the Missing Shad

  • Free!
  • Stem Case

FREE with no time limit!

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 Info

Tackling Concussions: Testing Helmet Design Using Laws of Motion

  • Stem Case

Video Preview

Concussion rates in youth impact sports are high despite the use of helmets. In this STEM case, students act as materials scientists to learn about the physics behind concussions and helmet...

Lesson Info

Microbiologist Mission: Reducing River Runoff and Pollution

  • Stem Case

Video Preview

People are getting sick after swimming in the Dogwood River. The student acts as a microbiologist to monitor bacteria populations, construct a model of how pollution enters the river, and...

Lesson Info
  • Stem Case
Evolution
  • Stem Case
Ecosystems
  • Stem Case
Homeostasis
  • Stem Case
Enzymes
  • Stem Case
Meowsis
  • Stem Case
Photosynthesis
  • Stem Case
Cell Respiration
  • Stem Case
Nitrogen Cycle
  • Stem Case
Osmosis
  • Stem Case
Diffusion
  • Stem Case
Protein Synthesis
  • Stem Case
Properties of Matter
  • Stem Case
Electrons and Chemical Reactions
  • Stem Case
Chemical and Physical Changes
  • Stem Case
Fruit Production and the Environment
  • Stem Case
Ocean Carbon Equilibrium
  • Stem Case
Heredity and Traits
  • Stem Case
Animal Group Behavior
  • Stem Case
Water Crisis: Stoichiometry
  • Stem Case
Water Contamination
  • Free!
  • Stem Case
Hydrologic Cycle
  • Stem Case
Smelling in the Rain: Designing Solutions to Improve Air Quality
  • Stem Case
Sound Off, Please!: Designing Solutions to Reduce Noise Pollution
  • Stem Case
Beat the Heat: Tackling Urban Heat Islands Using the Science of Energy
  • Stem Case
Shake it Off: Understanding Wave Properties to Develop Earthquake Alert Systems
  • Stem Case
Protecting Permafrost: Heat Transfer Highway
  • Free!
  • Stem Case
River Detective: The Case of the Missing Shad
  • Stem Case
Tackling Concussions: Testing Helmet Design Using Laws of Motion
  • Stem Case
Microbiologist Mission: Reducing River Runoff and Pollution

River Detective: The Case of the Missing Shad

  • Free!
  • Stem Case

FREE with no time limit!

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 Info

Hydrologic Cycle

  • Free!
  • Stem Case

FREE with no time limit!

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 Info
  • Free!
  • Stem Case
River Detective: The Case of the Missing Shad
  • Free!
  • Stem Case
Hydrologic Cycle
Screenshot of Evolution STEM Case

Evolution

  • Stem Case

Working as a CDC researcher, students investigate an outbreak of multi-drug resistant bacterial infections and determine how evolution was involved by tracing the source and cause of the outbreak.

Lesson Info
Screenshot of Ecosystems STEM Case

Ecosystems

  • Stem Case

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.

Lesson Info
Screenshot of Homeostasis STEM Case

Homeostasis

  • Stem Case

In the role of a physician assistant, students help a young man, named Anthony, who has Type II diabetes and high blood pressure. Students must make a diagnosis and then must apply the principles of filtration and homeostasis to help Anthony.

Lesson Info
Screenshot of Enzymes STEM Case

Enzymes

  • Stem Case

As a veterinary technician, students learn about enzymes to help a dog that has been eating normally but is losing a lot of weight.

Lesson Info
Screenshot of Meowsis STEM Case

Meowsis

  • Stem Case

As a geneticist in an animal hospital, students learn about genetic changes in meiosis to determine the reason why a male cat can have calico fur coloring.

Lesson Info
Screenshot of Photosynthesis STEM Case

Photosynthesis

  • Stem Case

As a marine biologist students learn about photosynthesis to help scientists in Australia determine why the coral in the Great Barrier Reef is bleaching.

Lesson Info
Screenshot of Cell Respiration STEM Case

Cell Respiration

  • Stem Case

As a medical toxicologist, students learn about cell respiration to save the life of a CIA agent that has been poisoned.

Lesson Info
Screenshot of Nitrogen Cycle STEM Case

Nitrogen Cycle

  • Stem Case

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.

Lesson Info
Screenshot of Osmosis STEM Case

Osmosis

  • Stem Case

As a veterinarian, students help a young calf, named Clark, who is having seizures. To determine the cause, the students fly into Clark's brain to learn about osmosis and apply their learning to save Clark.

Lesson Info
Screenshot of Diffusion STEM Case

Diffusion

  • Stem Case

As a physician assistant, students must learn about diffusion to save the life of a person poisoned by chlorine gas that was released into a small town following a train crash.

Lesson Info
Screenshot of Protein Synthesis STEM Case

Protein Synthesis

  • Stem Case

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 Info
Screenshot of Properties of Matter STEM Case

Properties of Matter

  • Stem Case

The Secret Service has arrested suspects accused of counterfeiting coins from the year 1915 valued at $50,000 each. The students act as a forensic scientist to investigate the crime scene and evidence. Students learn about the properties of matter to recreate the methods used to make the coins as evidence for the trial.

Lesson Info
Screenshot of Electrons and Chemical Reactions STEM Case

Electrons and Chemical Reactions

  • Stem Case

The Secret Service has 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 examine the evidence. Students learn about electrons and chemical reactions to recreate the methods used to make the coins and prepare evidence for the court case.

Lesson Info
Screenshot of Chemical and Physical Changes STEM Case

Chemical and Physical Changes

  • Stem Case

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.

Lesson Info
Screenshot of Fruit Production and the Environment STEM Case

Fruit Production and the Environment

  • Stem Case

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.

Lesson Info
Screenshot of Ocean Carbon Equilibrium STEM Case

Ocean Carbon Equilibrium

  • Stem Case

Mussel farmers in the Arctic Ocean have reported problems with their mussels. They have noticed that the mussel shells have eroded and become brittle. Students take on the role of a marine chemist to analyze the changes to ocean carbon chemistry and equilibrium to determine the cause of the mussel shell erosion.

Lesson Info
Screenshot of Heredity and Traits STEM Case

Heredity and Traits

  • Stem Case

As a bee scientist, students help a honey farm that has low honey production due to wasps. Students learn about bees, heredity and traits to determine which traits will help the bees defend their hives against the wasps. They then pick a new queen bee to pass on these traits to the bee colony.

Lesson Info
Screenshot of Animal Group Behavior STEM Case

Animal Group Behavior

  • Stem Case

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.

Lesson Info
Screenshot of Water Crisis: Stoichiometry STEM Case

Water Crisis: Stoichiometry

  • Stem Case

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 an environmental chemist to investigate the source of legionella and use stoichiometry to decontaminate the water supply and remediate the disease outbreak.

Lesson Info
Screenshot of Water Contamination STEM Case

Water Contamination

  • Stem Case

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 Info
Screenshot of Hydrologic Cycle STEM Case

Hydrologic Cycle

  • Free!
  • Stem Case

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 Info
Screenshot of Smelling in the Rain: Designing Solutions to Improve Air Quality STEM Case

Smelling in the Rain: Designing Solutions to Improve Air Quality

  • Stem Case

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.

Lesson Info
Screenshot of Sound Off, Please!: Designing Solutions to Reduce Noise Pollution STEM Case

Sound Off, Please!: Designing Solutions to Reduce Noise Pollution

  • Stem Case

As an acoustic engineer, students will work with an urban planner to learn how noise pollution impacts a community. Students will develop a system model to test design solutions. Wave properties of sound and how sound interacts with different surfaces will be explored and used as evidence to reduce noise pollution.

Lesson Info
Screenshot of Beat the Heat: Tackling Urban Heat Islands Using the Science of Energy STEM Case

Beat the Heat: Tackling Urban Heat Islands Using the Science of Energy

  • Stem Case

Lake City's latest heat wave has more people in the hospital than ever before. Juan, a local student admitted to the hospital, lives in one of the hottest neighborhoods in the city. Students are hired as the city's Chief Heat Officer to investigate and solve the problem. As the Chief Heat Officer, students look at land uses, surface air temperatures, and building materials across Lake City. Students will develop a system model to test several design solutions and give the mayor a proposal to beat the heat.

Lesson Info
Screenshot of Shake it Off: Understanding Wave Properties to Develop Earthquake Alert Systems STEM Case

Shake it Off: Understanding Wave Properties to Develop Earthquake Alert Systems

  • Stem Case

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.

Lesson Info
Screenshot of Protecting Permafrost: Heat Transfer Highway STEM Case

Protecting Permafrost: Heat Transfer Highway

  • Stem Case

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.

Lesson Info
Screenshot of River Detective: The Case of the Missing Shad STEM Case

River Detective: The Case of the Missing Shad

  • Free!
  • Stem Case

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 Info
Screenshot of Tackling Concussions: Testing Helmet Design Using Laws of Motion STEM Case

Tackling Concussions: Testing Helmet Design Using Laws of Motion

  • Stem Case

Concussion rates in youth impact sports are high despite the use of helmets. In this STEM case, students act as materials scientists to learn about the physics behind concussions and helmet function. Students will use their understanding of Newton’s First and Second Laws of Motion to investigate helmet padding material to determine which material is best at reducing force during an impact.

Lesson Info
Screenshot of Microbiologist Mission: Reducing River Runoff and Pollution STEM Case

Microbiologist Mission: Reducing River Runoff and Pollution

  • Stem Case

People are getting sick after swimming in the Dogwood River. The student acts as a microbiologist to monitor bacteria populations, construct a model of how pollution enters the river, and design a sustainable solution to minimize human impacts on the Dogwood River watershed.

Lesson Info
Screenshot of River Detective: The Case of the Missing Shad STEM Case

River Detective: The Case of the Missing Shad

  • Free!
  • Stem Case

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 Info
Screenshot of Hydrologic Cycle STEM Case

Hydrologic Cycle

  • Free!
  • Stem Case

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 Info

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© 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

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Find Gizmos
  • FREE Gizmos
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  • STEM Cases
  • Browse by Standard
  • Browse by Grade & Topic
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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
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Resources
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© 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

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