ExploreLearning Gizmos Costs and Free Teacher Access

What ExploreLearning Gizmos Is and What It Costs

ExploreLearning Gizmos is an online library of interactive math and science simulations for students in grades 3 through 12, paired with lesson materials and assessments. In the guides we publish at Chalkbox, we gather software specifications and pricing details directly from vendor documentation read in October 2026. ExploreLearning Gizmos is not the Gizmo AI flashcard app. ExploreLearning lists over 550 simulations across biology, chemistry, physics, algebra, and geometry.

Access to the platform divides into a free tier and quote-based school licensing. A 30-day free trial grants unlimited entry to the entire library. If the trial is not converted to a paid licence, the account becomes a free account with a smaller collection, which listed 31 simulations in October 2026. ExploreLearning states that this free collection rotates every January and July. When the collection rotates, the Gizmos that leave it revert to five minutes of daily access.

Full access requires an institutional quote rather than a published consumer checkout price. ExploreLearning sells packages directly to schools and districts. ExploreLearning's pages describe no paid plan for an individual teacher and publish no price table. You request a pricing proposal by calling 866-882-4141 (option 2) or submitting a quote request.

Lesson Materials and Assessment Tools in Gizmos

Every simulation in ExploreLearning Gizmos pairs with downloadable instructional documents. Teachers can download these resources as standard PDF documents or edit them directly as Microsoft Word files. Student Exploration Sheets are also available as Google Docs. These sheets provide structured inquiry questions, vocabulary lists, and warm-up exercises.

Classroom resources divide into student handouts and educator materials:

• Teacher Guide: Outlines learning objectives, math or science background, vocabulary, a suggested instructional sequence, and external web links.
• Student Exploration Sheet: Supplies scaffolded activities and fill-in-the-blank questions.
• Vocabulary Sheet: Defines target academic terms used throughout the interactive investigation.
• Assessment Questions: Multiple-choice questions placed below the simulation for formative checking.

Students only see the exploration sheets and vocabulary lists inside their portal view. The lesson materials overview notes that answer keys remain separate from general student access. Most simulations include embedded assessment questions positioned directly beneath the virtual workspace. Learners click Check Your Answers to see a results report. Teachers monitor real-time class data heatmaps to check conceptual understanding across the roster.

Language options vary across the Gizmos catalog. The simulations run exclusively in English, as documented in the multilingual availability article. Certain popular titles offer supplementary lesson packets translated into Spanish and French.

How to Set Up Classes and Teach with Gizmos

Students join a Gizmos class with a Class Enrollment Code. The educator selects a specific class section and clicks the Class Enrollment Code to project it on a screen. Students open their web browser, navigate to go-el.com, select Have a Class Code, and input the string. The student access instructions show that this enrollment step automatically enables simulation access for that learner.

During account creation, each student enters their first name, last name, grade level, and unique account credentials. Usernames must be unique across all ExploreLearning accounts. After joining, students can download a login card. According to the class code rules, Gizmos rosters operate independently from other products like Reflex, Frax, or Science4Us. Students who join with a class code can enroll only in Gizmos classes.

Virtual investigations follow a structured sequence when integrated into lesson units. Teachers introduce foundational ideas, prompt learners to make predictions, and let them test variables inside the digital environment. You can structure this progression using our guide to building a 5E lesson plan. Students record quantitative observations on their sheets, compile evidence, and justify findings using scientific principles. For structured scientific writing templates, see our guides on claim, evidence, and reasoning alongside worked CER examples. If your class needs a blank organizer for lab reports, print our free CER template before beginning the computer activity.

Simulations run on modern web browsers including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Microsoft Edge. A few Gizmos use 3D rendering, and certain older Chromebooks lack the WebGL support they need. Hardware demands increase when running specialized STEM Cases that cast students as working professionals solving applied problems. ExploreLearning specifies that STEM Cases require at least 2GB of system RAM, do not run on Microsoft Edge or Internet Explorer, and currently do not support 9th-generation Apple iPad tablets.

Comparing Free Accounts and Paid Institutional Licences

A free Gizmos account limits which Gizmos you can assign. The free Gizmos directory displays 31 active titles across elementary, middle, and high school levels. That list was checked in October 2026, so confirm the current titles there before you plan a unit. Each active title contains complete student handouts and Teacher Guides.

Account capability shifts when ExploreLearning updates the free catalog. The free account guide explains that rotated simulations turn gray inside classroom dashboards. Students lose the ability to load rotated labs or take their assessment questions. Expired modules limit interactive manipulation to five minutes per day. Teachers keep past assessment results even after a simulation rotates out.

Answer keys are the other difference between free and paid access. ExploreLearning policies state that trial accounts do not include answer keys. According to the answer key documentation, answer keys are available only through a paid subscription or a customized trial from an ExploreLearning Account Representative. On a free account, you can work through the Student Exploration Sheet yourself to build a scoring rubric.

ExploreLearning has a new company name. A Cambium Learning Group article dated July 2, 2026 says ExploreLearning and Learning A-Z "will be known as ExploreK12," and the ExploreK12 site lists Gizmos as its grades 3-12 science and math simulations. The product is still called Gizmos, and help center pages now carry an "ExploreK12 team" label.

Deciding If ExploreLearning Gizmos Fits Your School

ExploreLearning Gizmos fits schools that require structured math and science lesson plans aligned to state standards and NGSS frameworks. The structured inquiry format supports teachers who need pre-built vocabulary sheets and guided student handouts. Districts with funding for science software benefit from real-time data heatmaps and built-in assessment questions. Ready-made sheets cut prep time for whole-class, small-group, or 1:1 lessons.

Free simulations from other providers serve better if your department lacks budget for a subscription. The free Gizmos collection rotates twice a year. If you plan a February genetics unit around a free Gizmo in December, the January rotation can cut that Gizmo to five minutes a day. When your pacing guide requires guaranteed year-round access to physics or chemistry apparatus, review our roundup of free virtual science labs.

Our verdict on Gizmos would change if ExploreLearning published transparent, affordable individual teacher licences or stopped rotating its free collection. As sold today, Gizmos is a school or district purchase. If your school has no Gizmos licence, read the Gizmos product page, then run one free Gizmo with a class before you request a quote.