What's Happening in Third Grade

Gravity

In September, the third-grade scientists explored the force of gravity. They started by asking, "How are a ball and a feather affected by gravity?" The students worked in groups, dropping both objects at the same time and then repeating the experiment after placing them in plastic bottles. Without the bottles, the objects hit the ground at different speeds. However, when dropped in the bottles, they landed simultaneously. Through this experiment, the students found out that air resistance causes the feather to fall more slowly.

Next, the students compared how gravity affects different objects. They carefully hung five different items using rubber bands and paperclips. They concluded that weight is the force of gravity acting on an object's mass.

Finally, the scientists tested the claim that a toy car will travel farther when released from a higher ramp compared to a lower one. The groups collaborated to formulate their hypotheses, design their ramps, and collect data to test their theories. Great job, scientists!

Science Scavenger Hunt

The third-grade students began their year with an outdoor scavenger hunt designed to review the science concepts they had previously learned. Before going outside, the students discussed topics such as magnetism, buoyancy, natural resources, and the states and properties of matter. During the hunt, they identified objects in motion, measured shadows, and observed the clouds, among other things. The third-grade scientists worked diligently and are now prepared to expand their scientific knowledge this year!