3^rd Grade Science Focus Areas

Third Grade Purpose Statement: All third grade students will use a hands-on approach to gain a basic understanding of science concepts. They will develop a base of science knowledge, apply this knowledge to solve problems, communicate information, and make connections to science in our everyday world.

S-3-1: Students will define life cycle and identify and label the different stages in an animal’s life cycle. Students will describe the care and animal needs while growing and developing.

3-3-1 Students will define the life cycle of animals

3-3-2 Students will identify the stages in the life cycle of animals

3-3-3 Students will describe the care animals need to survive

S-3-2: Students will label and describe the parts and life cycles of plants and explain how plants grow and change.

3-2-1 Examine and label the stamen, pistil, leaf, and petal of a flower.

3-2-2 Explain the function of each plant part.

3-2-3 Illustrate, in order, the stages of a plant’s life cycle

3-2-4 Label and define the parts of a seed

S-3-3: Students will compare and contrast the physical features and movements of the sun, moon, and earth.

3-3-1 Order the sun, moon, and earth by size and describe their physical features.

3-3-2 Demonstrate and explain how craters are made.

3-3-3 Demonstrate the movement of the earth on its axis.

3-3-4 Demonstrate how earth’s rotation causes day and night

3-3-5 Demonstrate earth’s movement around the sun

3-3-6 Identify and explain the full, new, and quarter phases of the moon.

S-3-4: Students will explain how water cycles through earth’s ecosystems and its importance to living things.

3-4-1 Compare the amount of land and water on earth.

3-4-2 Explain why water is important to living things.

3-4-3 Describe the relationships between evaporation, condensation, and precipitation in the water cycle

3-4-4 Identify common water pollutants.

3-4-5 Describe the effects of water pollution and identify ways to control it.

S-3-4: Students will illustrate ways that living things adapt to changes in their environment.

3-5-1 List 3 things plants and animals need to survive.

3-5-2 Draw and example of a food chain with at least 3 links in the chain.

3-5-3 Identify defensive adaptations of organisms.

3-5-4 List 2 possible changes in the environment and illustrate how living things will adapt.

S-3-6: Students will identify fossil fuels, how they are removed from the ground, and their uses. Students will name alternative forms of energy.

3-6-1 List 3 fossil fuels.

3-6-2 Tell how fossil fuels were formed.

3-6-3 Explain how each fossil fuel is removed from the ground.

3-6-4 Give an example of what each of the fossil fuels is used for.

3-6-5 List at least 3 alternative forms of energy.