Updated May 2014
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ExploreLearning Gizmos: Science Grades 9-12

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Online simulations captivate and extend learning; worksheets may tire

Subjects & skills
Subjects
  • Math
  • Science
Skills
  • Critical Thinking
Grades This grade range is a recommendation by Common Sense Education and not the developer/publisher.
9–12
Common Sense says
Not yet reviewed
Teachers say (1 Review)
Price:  Free to Try, Paid Free accounts allow access to a rotating collection of free Gizmos, as well as a preview of all Gizmos for up to 5 minutes a day. School and district licenses available; pricing available upon request.
Platforms:  Website

Take a look inside

4 images
Many of these online simulations allow students to do the otherwise impossible.
Teachers can set up classes, manage students, assign Gizmos, and view assessment results through the dashboard.
Assessment questions are a good check for mastery; both students and teachers can view and print the results.

How Can I Teach with This Tool?

The strength of these Gizmos lies in their ability to connect kids to the otherwise impossible through digital means. The Student Exploration Sheets (worksheets) are well-designed, and they force students to explore in a guided, step-by-step way. Still, completing them could feel tiresome -- kids might get frustrated as the directions are found only on the worksheets. Because of this, these activities are best done individually or in pairs; kids will need a computer and a printed worksheet. The Gizmos aren't designed for kids to simply "click around" -- they'll actually need to follow the directions. The five-question online assessments serve as a good culminating check for understanding. You can also display the Gizmos for the whole class, which can be useful in previewing directions or sharing results. The teacher guides, available for each Gizmo, provide specific teaching and content suggestions.

Because the teacher dashboard allows only class-level interaction, differentiating Gizmos for individual students isn't possible through the site. Still, with extra in-class directions, you can use the site as an extension for kids who have mastered other in-class topics. Gizmos can also be used to review and reinforce, but probably only when coupled with direct teacher support. ELLs and other students who struggle with reading comprehension may need extra support.

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Standards:

Key Standards Supported

Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity

  • HS-LS4-2

    Construct an explanation based on evidence that the process of evolution primarily results from four factors: (1) the potential for a species to increase in number, (2) the heritable genetic variation of individuals in a species due to mutation and sexual reproduction, (3) competition for limited resources, and (4) the proliferation of those organisms that are better able to survive and reproduce in the environment.

  • HS-LS4-3

    Apply concepts of statistics and probability to support explanations that organisms with an advantageous heritable trait tend to increase in proportion to organisms lacking this trait.

  • HS-LS4-4

    Construct an explanation based on evidence for how natural selection leads to adaptation of populations.

  • HS-LS4-5

    Evaluate the evidence supporting claims that changes in environmental conditions may result in: (1) increases in the number of individuals of some species, (2) the emergence of new species over time, and (3) the extinction of other species.

Earth and Human Activity

  • HS-ESS3-5

    Analyze geoscience data and the results from global climate models to make an evidence-based forecast of the current rate of global or regional climate change and associated future impacts to Earth systems.

Earth’s Place in the Universe

  • HS-ESS1-1

    Develop a model based on evidence to illustrate the life span of the sun and the role of nuclear fusion in the sun’s core to release energy that eventually reaches Earth in the form of radiation.

  • HS-ESS1-4

    Use mathematical or computational representations to predict the motion of orbiting objects in the solar system.

  • HS-ESS1-5

    Evaluate evidence of the past and current movements of continental and oceanic crust and the theory of plate tectonics to explain the ages of crustal rocks.

Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics

  • HS-LS2-1

    Use mathematical and/or computational representations to support explanations of factors that affect carrying capacity of ecosystems at different scales.

  • HS-LS2-2

    Use mathematical representations to support and revise explanations based on evidence about factors affecting biodiversity and populations in ecosystems of different scales.

  • HS-LS2-4

    Use mathematical representations to support claims for the cycling of matter and flow of energy among organisms in an ecosystem.

  • HS-LS2-5

    Develop a model to illustrate the role of photosynthesis and cellular respiration in the cycling of carbon among the biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere.

  • HS-LS2-6

    Evaluate the claims, evidence, and reasoning that the complex interactions in ecosystems maintain relatively consistent numbers and types of organisms in stable conditions, but changing conditions may result in a new ecosystem.

  • HS-LS2-7

    Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.

Energy

  • HS-PS3-1

    Create a computational model to calculate the change in the energy of one component in a system when the change in energy of the other component(s) and energy flows in and out of the system are known.

  • HS-PS3-2

    Develop and use models to illustrate that energy at the macroscopic scale can be accounted for as a combination of energy associated with the motions of particles (objects) and energy associated with the relative position of particles (objects).

  • HS-PS3-3

    Design, build, and refine a device that works within given constraints to convert one form of energy into another form of energy.

  • HS-PS3-4

    Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that the transfer of thermal energy when two components of different temperature are combined within a closed system results in a more uniform energy distribution among the components in the system (second law of thermodynamics).

  • HS-PS3-5

    Develop and use a model of two objects interacting through electric or magnetic fields to illustrate the forces between objects and the changes in energy of the objects due to the interaction.

From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes

  • HS-LS1-2

    Develop and use a model to illustrate the hierarchical organization of interacting systems that provide specific functions within multicellular organisms.

  • HS-LS1-3

    Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that feedback mechanisms maintain homeostasis.

  • HS-LS1-4

    Use a model to illustrate the role of cellular division (mitosis) and differentiation in producing and maintaining complex organisms.

  • HS-LS1-5

    Use a model to illustrate how photosynthesis transforms light energy into stored chemical energy.

  • HS-LS1-6

    Construct and revise an explanation based on evidence for how carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen from sugar molecules may combine with other elements to form amino acids and/or other large carbon-based molecules.

  • HS-LS1-7

    Use a model to illustrate that cellular respiration is a chemical process whereby the bonds of food molecules and oxygen molecules are broken and the bonds in new compounds are formed resulting in a net transfer of energy.

Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits

  • HS-LS3-1

    Ask questions to clarify relationships about the role of DNA and chromosomes in coding the instructions for characteristic traits passed from parents to offspring.

  • HS-LS3-3

    Apply concepts of statistics and probability to explain the variation and distribution of expressed traits in a population.

Matter and Its Interactions

  • HS-PS1-1

    Use the periodic table as a model to predict the relative properties of elements based on the patterns of electrons in the outermost energy level of atoms.

  • HS-PS1-2

    Construct and revise an explanation for the outcome of a simple chemical reaction based on the outermost electron states of atoms, trends in the periodic table, and knowledge of the patterns of chemical properties.

  • HS-PS1-5

    Apply scientific principles and evidence to provide an explanation about the effects of changing the temperature or concentration of the reacting particles on the rate at which a reaction occurs.

  • HS-PS1-6

    Refine the design of a chemical system by specifying a change in conditions that would produce increased amounts of products at equilibrium.

  • HS-PS1-7

    Use mathematical representations to support the claim that atoms, and therefore mass, are conserved during a chemical reaction.

  • HS-PS1-8

    Develop models to illustrate the changes in the composition of the nucleus of the atom and the energy released during the processes of fission, fusion, and radioactive decay.

Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions

  • HS-PS2-1

    Analyze data to support the claim that Newton’s second law of motion describes the mathematical relationship among the net force on a macroscopic object, its mass, and its acceleration.

  • HS-PS2-2

    Use mathematical representations to support the claim that the total momentum of a system of objects is conserved when there is no net force on the system.

  • HS-PS2-3

    Apply scientific and engineering ideas to design, evaluate, and refine a device that minimizes the force on a macroscopic object during a collision.

  • HS-PS2-4

    Use mathematical representations of Newton’s Law of Gravitation and Coulomb’s Law to describe and predict the gravitational and electrostatic forces between objects.

  • HS-PS2-5

    Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that an electric current can produce a magnetic field and that a changing magnetic field can produce an electric current.

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Teacher Reviews

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Featured review by
Donna M. , Classroom teacher
Classroom teacher
Vista Visions Academy
Vista, CA
High Quality, High School Science Labs - No Equipment Necessary!
I like ExploreLearning Gizmos as a learning tool. Compared to other simulations, they are easy to figure out from the guidance provided in the student worksheet. The simulations are colorful and provide many opportunities for students to manipulate variables and be in control of their learning. Their guided inquiry approach keeps students engaged and encourages independence and problem solving. The website has correlated the Gizmos to the major textbook publishers, so teachers can easily find an applicable Gizmo for their unit of study. They are great supplements to the hands-on activities and labs that are done in class. Internet bandwith can be an issue. If the whole class is using Gizmos in a 1-1 situation, without adequate bandwidth, the simulations slow down or freeze. I generally have students work in pairs to avoid this, plus it encourages collaboration. The collaboration is helpful because there is not much support for low readers or second language learners. The student sheets always have an extension for advanced students, but it is up to the teacher to support low readers or English Language Learners. Although the Gizmos are free to try for 30 days, the free trial does not give teachers access to the answer key, or to teacher-developed supplemental materials that are on the site, so that involves some additional work. When the 30-day subscription expires, teachers can sign up for another one, simply by using a different email address.The paid subscription is based on a per/pupil cost and is rather expensive. However, for the quality of materials and the variety of subject matter that is addressed, ExploreLearning Gizmos are worth it!
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