How I Use It
I would suggest my science teachers use the Life Science Gizmos as an integral part of their Life Science labs. Students can participate in the pollination of a flower by moving the elements to their proper places. They can observe how germination is affected by water, light, fertilizer and compost. The growth of plants and trees can be observed and students can watch how elements such as sunlight and water can affect their growth. Finally they can very simple measure the gases plants and animals use to live. Learning in this manner gives students more control in how their learning progresses (they can repeat the simulations if desired) and visual learners love the images as they appear to grow (or not grow!) And science teachers have very little clean-up!
Gizmos makes lab experiments easier for students and teachers. The setup is minimal compared to traditional labs. The materials are all contained in the Gizmos and the activity sheets are both online and can be downloaded. With ease, students can adjust their experiments and see the results quickly. Life Science lessons can be difficult due to the need for plants and time to watch them grow. The Gizmo takes that element out of the process. Watching a tree grow 20 years in the a few clicks of a computer turns the experiment into an immediate interactive experience.