United Kingdom · National Curriculum Attainment Targets
Year 3 Science
A comprehensive science curriculum for Year 3 students focusing on hands-on investigation and critical thinking. Students explore the mechanics of movement, the secrets of the soil, and the biological requirements for life through scientific inquiry.
Forces and Magnets: The Invisible Pull
Students investigate how things move on different surfaces and explore the mysterious behavior of magnetic forces.
Comparing how objects move on different surfaces and identifying the patterns in their motion.
Exploring how magnets interact with each other and various materials from a distance.
Investigating the two poles of a magnet and how they relate to directional finding.
Plants: The Green Machines
An in-depth look at the functions of different plant parts and the requirements for healthy growth.
Identifying the roles of roots, stems, leaves, and flowers in the life of a plant.
Investigating how varying amounts of light, water, and nutrients affect plant health.
Exploring the stages of a plant life cycle including pollination, seed formation, and dispersal.
Animals and Humans: Skeletal Secrets
Students compare the skeletons and muscles of humans and other animals to understand movement and protection.
Identifying that humans and some other animals have skeletons for support and protection.
Investigating how muscles work in pairs to pull on bones and create movement.
Understanding that animals cannot make their own food and need the right types of nutrition.
Rocks and Fossils: Tales from the Earth
An exploration of rock types, how fossils are formed, and the composition of soil.
Comparing and grouping different kinds of rocks based on their appearance and physical properties.
Describing in simple terms how fossils are formed when things that have lived are trapped within rock.
Investigating how soils are made from rocks and organic matter.
Light and Shadows: Chasing the Sun
Students explore the necessity of light for vision and the formation of shadows.
Recognizing that light is needed in order to see things and that dark is the absence of light.
Investigating how light reflects from surfaces and the importance of sun safety.
Exploring how shadows are formed when the light from a source is blocked by a solid object.
Working Scientifically: The Young Researcher
A capstone unit focusing on the skills required to plan, conduct, and report on scientific investigations.
Learning to turn curiosity into testable questions that can be answered through investigation.
Setting up simple practical inquiries and comparative tests while keeping conditions fair.
Using scientific language, drawings, and charts to communicate findings to others.