United States · Common Core State Standards
3rd Grade Science
Third grade students investigate the physical and biological world through evidence based reasoning and hands on inquiry. This curriculum integrates forces and motion, life cycles, and weather patterns to build a foundational understanding of scientific systems.
Forces, Motion, and Invisible Pushes
Students investigate how balanced and unbalanced forces influence the movement of objects and explore the phenomena of magnetism and static electricity.
Exploration of how multiple forces act on an object at rest or in motion.
Investigating how objects can exert force on each other without touching through fields.
Life Cycles and Inherited Traits
A study of the unique and diverse life cycles of organisms and how traits are passed from parents to offspring.
Comparing the birth, growth, reproduction, and death phases across different species.
Analyzing why offspring look like their parents and why siblings have differences.
Ecosystems and Survival
Students examine how organisms interact with their environment and what happens when those environments change.
Investigating how living in groups helps organisms survive and protect themselves.
Exploring why certain organisms thrive in specific habitats and struggle in others.
Evaluating the impact of environmental changes on the plants and animals living there.
Weather, Climate, and Hazards
Students collect weather data to find patterns and explore how to reduce the impact of weather related hazards.
Recording and analyzing local weather conditions to predict future trends.
Comparing different climate zones around the world and their characteristics.
Designing and evaluating solutions to protect people and property from severe weather.
Engineering Design and Innovation
A culminating unit where students apply scientific principles to solve practical problems through the engineering design process.
Learning how to identify a problem and set constraints for a successful solution.
Creating models and running controlled tests to see where a design fails.