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Browse by Grade: Grade 3

Canada · Ontario Curriculum Expectations

Grade 3 Science

Students investigate the interconnectedness of living things, the properties of physical matter, and the dynamic changes of the Earth. This curriculum emphasizes hands-on inquiry and scientific observation to understand how natural systems function and evolve.

5 units·48 topics·Ages 8-9

01Life Cycles and Growth

9 topics·Term 1

Students explore the diverse ways living things grow and change over time through the study of plant and animal life cycles.

Seed to Sprout: Plant Germination

Students will observe and document the initial stages of plant growth from seed to seedling, identifying necessary conditions.

Inquiry CircleExperiential Learning
Plant Parts and Functions

Students will identify and describe the functions of different plant parts (roots, stems, leaves, flowers) through hands-on examination.

Stations RotationConcept Mapping
Pollination and Seed Dispersal

Students will investigate the processes of pollination and various methods of seed dispersal, understanding their importance for plant reproduction.

JigsawSimulation Game
Butterfly Life Cycle: From Egg to Adult

Students will observe and sequence the stages of a butterfly's metamorphosis, from egg to larva, pupa, and adult.

Experiential LearningStations Rotation
Frog Life Cycle: Aquatic to Terrestrial

Students will explore the life cycle of a frog, focusing on its adaptation to both aquatic and terrestrial environments.

Case Study AnalysisGallery Walk
Parent and Offspring Traits

Students will identify observable traits in animals and plants and discuss how these traits are passed from parents to offspring.

Think-Pair-ShareStations Rotation
Environmental vs. Inherited Traits

Students will differentiate between traits that are inherited and those that are influenced by an organism's environment.

Philosophical ChairsCase Study Analysis
Variation within a Species

Students will observe and document variations among individuals of the same species, understanding that diversity is natural.

Gallery WalkDocument Mystery
Plant Needs for Growth

Students will investigate the basic needs of plants (sunlight, water, soil, air) and how these affect their growth.

Inquiry CircleExperiential Learning

02Invisible Forces: Magnetic and Static

9 topics·Term 1

An exploration of non-contact forces and how they influence the movement and behavior of objects.

Exploring Magnetic Poles

Students will investigate the properties of magnetic poles and how they interact (attract or repel) with other magnets.

Inquiry CircleStations Rotation
Magnetic Fields and Everyday Uses

Students will visualize magnetic fields using iron filings and identify practical applications of magnets in daily life.

Experiential LearningGallery Walk
Generating Static Electricity

Students will conduct experiments to generate static electricity through friction and observe its effects on light objects.

Inquiry CircleStations Rotation
Attraction and Repulsion of Static Charges

Students will investigate how objects with static charges attract or repel each other, similar to magnets.

Problem-Based LearningCollaborative Problem-Solving
Identifying Forces: Push and Pull

Students will identify and describe various pushes and pulls acting on objects in their environment.

Experiential LearningThink-Pair-Share
Observing Balanced Forces

Students will conduct experiments to observe situations where forces are balanced, resulting in no change in motion.

Inquiry CircleSimulation Game
Investigating Unbalanced Forces

Students will explore how unbalanced forces cause objects to start moving, stop, or change direction.

Project-Based LearningCollaborative Problem-Solving
Gravity: The Invisible Pull

Students will explore the concept of gravity as a force that pulls objects towards the Earth, affecting their motion.

Experiential LearningInquiry Circle
Friction: The Opposing Force

Students will investigate friction as a force that opposes motion and explore how it can be both helpful and unhelpful.

Stations RotationProblem-Based Learning

03Matter and Its Properties

10 topics·Term 2

Students classify materials based on physical characteristics and investigate how matter changes state.

Properties of Solids

Students will identify and describe the observable properties of various solid objects, such as shape, texture, and hardness.

Stations RotationGallery Walk
Properties of Liquids

Students will explore the characteristics of liquids, including their ability to flow and take the shape of their container.

Inquiry CircleExperiential Learning
Properties of Gases

Students will investigate the properties of gases, observing how they fill containers and are often invisible.

Concept MappingProblem-Based Learning
Melting and Freezing

Students will observe and describe the processes of melting and freezing, understanding them as reversible physical changes.

Inquiry CircleStations Rotation
Evaporation and Condensation

Students will explore evaporation and condensation as parts of the water cycle and as reversible changes of state.

Simulation GameCase Study Analysis
Dissolving and Mixtures

Students will investigate how some solids dissolve in liquids to form mixtures, and how these mixtures can sometimes be separated.

Experiential LearningCollaborative Problem-Solving
Testing Material Strength

Students will conduct simple tests to compare the strength and durability of different materials.

Project-Based LearningStations Rotation
Insulators and Conductors

Students will classify materials as insulators or conductors of heat and electricity through hands-on experimentation.

Inquiry CirclePeer Teaching
Designing with Materials

Students will apply their understanding of material properties to design and build a simple structure or object for a specific purpose.

Project-Based LearningDecision Matrix
Reversible vs. Irreversible Changes

Students will differentiate between physical changes that can be reversed (like melting ice) and chemical changes that cannot (like burning wood).

Stations RotationThink-Pair-Share

04Earth's Landforms and Changes

10 topics·Term 3

Students explore the geological features of the Earth and the slow and rapid processes that shape the landscape.

Identifying Landforms

Students will identify and describe various landforms such as mountains, valleys, plains, and canyons using maps and models.

Gallery WalkConcept Mapping
Water Erosion

Students will investigate how moving water (rivers, rain, waves) causes erosion and shapes landforms over time.

Experiential LearningSimulation Game
Wind and Ice Weathering

Students will explore how wind and ice contribute to the weathering of rocks and the formation of new landforms.

Case Study AnalysisInquiry Circle
Preventing Erosion

Students will investigate natural and human-made methods to prevent or reduce erosion in different environments.

Problem-Based LearningProject-Based Learning
Volcanic Eruptions

Students will learn about the causes and effects of volcanic eruptions, including the formation of new land.

Simulation GameCase Study Analysis
Earthquakes and Their Impact

Students will explore the causes of earthquakes and their effects on the Earth's surface and human structures.

Museum ExhibitCollaborative Problem-Solving
Soil Composition

Students will examine different types of soil and identify their components (sand, silt, clay, organic matter).

Stations RotationExperiential Learning
The Role of Decomposers

Students will investigate the role of decomposers (e.g., worms, fungi, bacteria) in breaking down dead organic matter and enriching soil.

Inquiry CircleCase Study Analysis
Fossils: Clues to Earth's Past

Students will explore how fossils provide evidence of past life and changes in Earth's environments over long periods.

Document MysteryGallery Walk
Natural Resources and Conservation

Students will identify common natural resources and discuss the importance of conserving them for future generations.

Town Hall MeetingProject-Based Learning

05Living Systems and Environments

10 topics·Term 4

A study of how organisms interact with their environments and how changes in habitats affect survival.

Exploring Different Habitats

Students will identify and describe various types of habitats (e.g., forest, desert, ocean) and the organisms that live there.

Gallery WalkJigsaw
Animal Adaptations for Survival

Students will investigate how animals have developed physical and behavioral adaptations to survive in their specific habitats.

Stations RotationCase Study Analysis
Plant Adaptations

Students will explore how plants adapt to different environmental conditions, such as water availability and sunlight.

Inquiry CircleProject-Based Learning
Producers, Consumers, and Decomposers

Students will classify organisms as producers, consumers, or decomposers and understand their roles in an ecosystem.

Concept MappingJigsaw
Constructing Food Chains

Students will construct simple food chains, identifying the flow of energy from one organism to another.

Simulation GameRound Robin
Food Webs: Interconnectedness

Students will expand their understanding to food webs, recognizing the complex relationships and multiple energy pathways in an ecosystem.

Hexagonal ThinkingConcept Mapping
Human Impact on Ecosystems

Students will investigate how human activities (e.g., pollution, deforestation) can positively and negatively affect ecosystems.

Case Study AnalysisTown Hall Meeting
Natural Disasters and Ecosystems

Students will explore how natural disasters (e.g., floods, fires) can cause rapid changes to ecosystems and affect species survival.

Document MysterySimulation Game
Conservation and Protection

Students will identify ways to protect local ecosystems and endangered species, promoting responsible environmental stewardship.

Problem-Based LearningProject-Based Learning
Ecosystem Balance and Interdependence

Students will understand that all components of an ecosystem are interconnected and that changes to one part can affect the whole.

Inquiry CircleHexagonal Thinking