Third grade science is taught through active inquiry and exploration. Our three main units of study are 1) Weather, 2) Force and Motion and 3) Animal and Plant Adaptations. We use science journals to document and share our driving questions, problems and solutions, along with the procedures we use in an exploration and reflections on our findings.
Students will learn more about force (pushes and pulls), motion (regular and random), and magnets. There are many activities we will do to help us learn more about these concepts, such as building bridges, constructing catapults, and build an electromagnet.
PS2A - I can explain the pattern of motion.
Students will learn more about plant an animal life cycles. We will make connections for how these cycles are similar and different. Students will also learn more about inherited traits and acquired traits. We will also learn more about ecosystems, how ecosystems change, and how these changes effect the living and nonliving parts of the ecosystem. One of the most exciting parts of this unit is planting tickle me plants. Third graders plant the seeds, track their growth and make observations as they proceed in the life cycle, and then take home their plant.
LS1B - I can explain the growth and development of plants.
Students will learn more about the difference between weather and climate. We will learn about the different climate zones and which zone we live in. Students will also dig into the weather disasters of hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods. They will go through the engineering process to plan, construct, and test a house they constructed to withstand the weather disaster. Throughout the year students also create a bar graph of the temperature each day of school and analyze their data each month. Towards the end of the school year they will put their graphs together to analyze the data and patterns from the school year.
ESS2D - I can explain the weather and climate for an area.
Throughout the school year we work with different science and engineering standards within each unit.
S&E - I can analyze and interpret data.
S&E - I can obtain, evaluate, and communicate information.
S&E - I can plan and carry out investigations.
S&E - I can ask questions and define the problem.
S&E - I can construct explanations and design solutions.