Grade 3 Science
Scope
What relationships can be seen or formed on Earth?
Units
Unit — Forces and Interactions
Essential Questions
How can one explain and predict interactions between objects and within systems of objects?
Guiding Questions
How can one predict an object’s continued motion, changes in motion, or stability?
What underlying forces explain the variety of interactions observed?
Do you have to apply a force to make an object move?
Resources
QFT Materials
Forces are Here. Forces are There. Forces are Everywhere
Teacher Manual
Science Notebooks
Worksheets
Sci 21 Kit
Skills
Students will:
ask questions and define problems.
develop and use models.
plan and carry out investigations.
analyze and interpret data.
use mathematics and computational thinking.
construct explanations and design solutions.
engage in arguments from evidence.
obtain, evaluate, and communicate information.
PS2.A: (3-PS2-1), (3-PS2-2)
PS2.B: (3-PS2-1), (3-PS2-3), (3-PS2-4)
The parentheses represent the Performance Expectations that are connected to each Core Idea.
Unit — Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems
Essential Questions
How and why do organisms interact with their environment and what are the effects of these interactions?
How can there be so many similarities among organisms yet so many different kinds of plants, animals, and microorganisms?
How does biodiversity affect humans?
Guiding Questions
How and why do organisms interact with their environment and what are the effects of these interactions?
How can there be so many similarities among organisms yet so many different kinds of plants, animals, and microorganisms?
How does biodiversity affect humans?
What happens to ecosystems when the environment changes?
How do organisms interact in groups so as to benefit individuals?
What evidence shows that different species are related?
How does the environment influence populations of organisms over multiple generations?
What is biodiversity, how do humans affect it, and how does it affect humans?
How do organisms interact with each other and their environment to survive?
Resources
Teacher Manual
Science Notebooks
Worksheets
Sci 21 Kit
Skills
Students will:
ask questions and define problems.
develop and use models.
plan and carry out investigations.
analyze and interpret data.
use mathematics and computational thinking.
construct explanations and design solutions.
engage in arguments from evidence.
obtain, evaluate, and communicate information.
LS2.C: ( 3-LS4-4)
LS2.D: (3-LS2-1)
LS4.A: (3-LS4-1), (3-LS4-1)
LS4.C: (3-LS4-3)
LS4.D: (3-LS4-4)
The parentheses represent the Performance Expectations that are connected to each Core Idea.
Unit — Weather and Climate
Essential Questions
How and why is Earth constantly changing?
How do Earth’s surface processes and human activities affect each other?
Guiding Questions
What regulates weather and climate?
How do natural hazards affect individuals and societies?
What are the different ways that we can use weather and climate data?
Resources
Teacher Manual
Science Notebooks
Worksheets
Sci 21 Kit
Skills
Students will:
ask questions and define problems.
develop and use models.
plan and carry out investigations.
analyze and interpret data.
use mathematics and computational thinking.
construct explanations and design solutions.
engage in arguments from evidence.
obtain, evaluate, and communicate information.
ESS2.D: (3-ESS2-1), (3-ESS2-2), (3-ESS2-3)
ESS3.B: (3-ESS3-1)
The parentheses represent the Performance Expectations that are connected to each Core Idea.
Unit — Inheritance and Variation of Traits: Life Cycles and Traits
Essential Questions
How do organisms live, grow, respond to their environment, and reproduce?
How are characteristics of one generation passed to the next?
How can individuals of the same species and even siblings have different characteristics?
How can there be so many similarities among organisms yet so many different kinds of plants, animals, and microorganisms?
How does biodiversity affect humans?
Guiding Questions
How do organisms grow and develop?
How are the characteristics of one generation related to the previous generation?
Why do individuals of the same species vary in how they look, function, and behave?
How does genetic variation among organisms affect survival and reproduction?
How do traits help plants and animals look the way they do?
Resources
QFT Materials
Teacher Manual
Science Notebooks
Worksheets
Sci 21 Kit
Skills
Students will:
ask questions and define problems.
develop and use models.
plan and carry out investigations.
analyze and interpret data.
use mathematics and computational thinking.
construct explanations and design solutions.
engage in arguments from evidence.
obtain, evaluate, and communicate information.
LS1.B: (3-LS1-1)
LS3.A: (3-LS3-1), (3-LS3-2), (3-LS3-2)
LS3.B: (3-LS3-1), (3-LS3-2)
LS4.B: (3-LS4-2)
The parentheses represent the Performance Expectations that are connected to each Core Idea.