Ireland · NCCA Curriculum Specifications
3rd Year Exploring Our World: Scientific Inquiry and Discovery
A comprehensive science program for Year 3 students that emphasizes hands-on investigation and critical thinking. Students explore the interconnectedness of living things, the properties of materials, and the physical forces that shape our environment.
01The Living World: Plants and Animals
Students investigate the life cycles, habitats, and survival needs of diverse organisms in their local environment.
Students will observe and document the stages of plant growth from seed germination to mature plant, identifying key structures.
Students will conduct simple experiments to determine the optimal conditions (light, water, soil) for plant health.
Students will identify and describe different local habitats, observing the animals that live there and their basic needs.
Students will investigate how physical features and behaviors help animals survive in their specific environments.
Students will construct simple food chains and webs to illustrate feeding relationships within an ecosystem.
Students will identify major bones in the human body and understand their function in support and protection.
Students will explore how muscles work in pairs to create movement and investigate the effects of exercise on muscles.
Students will identify healthy habits related to diet, exercise, and hygiene that support the skeletal and muscular systems.
02Materials and Their Properties
An exploration of the physical characteristics of materials and how they can be changed through heating, cooling, or force.
Students will sort and classify common materials based on observable properties like texture, flexibility, and transparency.
Students will conduct simple tests to compare the strength, absorbency, and waterproof nature of various materials.
Students will identify and describe the characteristics of solids, liquids, and gases through hands-on observation.
Students will investigate how heating and cooling can cause materials to change state (e.g., ice melting, water freezing).
Students will distinguish between changes that can be reversed (e.g., melting ice) and those that cannot (e.g., burning wood).
Students will explore what happens when different solids are mixed with liquids, observing dissolving and suspensions.
Students will experiment with various techniques (e.g., filtering, evaporation) to separate components of simple mixtures.
03Forces and Motion
Students investigate the invisible forces of gravity, friction, and magnetism that influence how objects move.
Students will explore how pushes and pulls can start, stop, or change the direction and speed of objects.
Students will use simple tools to measure and compare the magnitude of different pushes and pulls.
Students will investigate the force of gravity and its effect on falling objects and weight.
Students will conduct experiments to observe how different surfaces create varying amounts of friction.
Students will identify examples of friction being helpful and unhelpful in everyday situations.
Students will identify materials that are attracted to magnets and explore the strength of different magnets.
Students will investigate how magnetic poles interact (attract/repel) and observe magnetic fields using iron filings.
04Light and Sound
An investigation into the sources of light and sound and how they travel through different mediums.
Students will identify natural and artificial sources of light and understand that light travels in straight lines.
Students will explore how shadows are formed and how their size and shape change with the position of the light source.
Students will investigate how mirrors reflect light and how light can be bounced off surfaces.
Students will explore how vibrations produce sound and experiment with different ways to create sounds.
Students will investigate how to change the pitch (high/low) and volume (loud/soft) of sounds.
Students will explore how sound travels through different materials (solids, liquids, gases) to our ears.
Students will learn about the basic structure of the eye and how it helps us perceive light and color.
Students will learn about the basic structure of the ear and how it detects sound vibrations.
05Earth and Space
Students examine the relationship between the Earth, Sun, and Moon, and the composition of the Earth's surface.
Students will model the Earth's rotation to understand the cause of day and night.
Students will observe and record the apparent movement of the Sun across the sky throughout the day.
Students will classify different types of rocks based on their observable characteristics like color, texture, and hardness.
Students will investigate the different components of soil (sand, silt, clay, organic matter) and their importance.
Students will explore how wind and water can change the Earth's surface by breaking down and moving rocks and soil.
Students will observe and record the changing appearance of the moon over a month, identifying its phases.
Students will learn about the Moon's surface features, such as craters and maria, and compare them to Earth's surface.
06Environmental Care and Engineering
Applying scientific knowledge to solve environmental problems and design sustainable solutions.
Students will identify different types of pollution (air, water, land) and discuss their impact on living things and the environment.
Students will explore the '3 Rs' and identify ways to reduce waste in their school and homes.
Students will learn about the importance of biodiversity and identify ways to protect local plant and animal species.
Students will investigate how energy from the sun can be captured and used for various purposes.
Students will explore how wind and moving water can be harnessed to generate energy.
Students will learn to identify a real-world problem that can be solved through engineering design.
Students will brainstorm multiple solutions to a design problem and select the most promising idea to develop.
Students will construct a prototype of their design solution and test its effectiveness, identifying areas for improvement.