3rd grade · Science
What a 3rd grade student learns in Science
Third grade science builds foundational understanding of life, earth, and physical sciences through hands-on investigations, emphasizing patterns, interactions, and changes in the natural world, and introducing scientific inquiry and data analysis skills.
The skills for the year
- 1Plan and conduct simple investigations to answer scientific questions
- 2Ask testable questions and define problems based on observations
- 3Construct explanations using evidence from investigations
- 4Develop and use models to represent scientific phenomena
- 5Analyze and interpret data to identify patterns
- 6Describe the inheritance and variation of traits in plants and animals (NGSS 3-LS3)
- 7Explain how different environments support various organisms (NGSS 3-LS4-3)
- 8Describe how organisms adapt to changes in their environment (NGSS 3-LS4-4)
- 9Investigate lifecycles of plants and animals, comparing similarities and differences (NGSS 3-LS1-1)
- 10Identify environmental changes (natural and manmade) and their effects on living things (NGSS 3-LS4-4)
- 11Explore forces and their effects, such as balanced and unbalanced forces and motion (NGSS 3-PS2)
- 12Conduct investigations with magnets and describe patterns in their interactions (NGSS 3-PS2-3,4)
- 13Identify the relationships between the sun, Earth, and moon (NGSS 3-ESS2)
- 14Examine patterns in weather and describe how weather data can be used for prediction (NGSS 3-ESS2-1,2)
- 15Investigate solutions to reduce the impact of weather-related hazards (NGSS 3-ESS3-1)
- 16Communicate scientific ideas using diagrams, graphic organizers, and writing
- 17Work collaboratively to conduct investigations and share findings
- 18Distinguish between natural resources and manmade materials
- 19Use measurement tools (such as thermometers, rulers, or balances) in experiments
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