Forces and motion
Students push and pull objects to see what makes them speed up, slow down, or change direction. They watch patterns in how things move, like a swing or a rolling ball, and use those patterns to predict what happens next.
What does a student learn in
This is the year science shifts from noticing the world to running real investigations. Students push and pull objects to see how forces change motion, and they test magnets to figure out how things can affect each other without touching. They look at how living things grow up, why some traits run in families, and why certain animals thrive in one habitat but not another. By spring, students can read a weather chart, spot a pattern, and use it to predict what comes next.
- Forces and motion
- Magnets
- Life cycles
- Inherited traits
- Habitats and survival
- Fossils
- Weather patterns
Year at a glance
How the year usually goes. Every school and district set their own curriculum, so treat this as a guide, not official pacing.
- 1
- 2
Magnets and static electricity
Students explore how magnets and charged objects pull or push each other without touching. They ask questions about why this happens and design a small fix to a real problem using magnets.
- 3
Life cycles and animal groups
Students compare how a frog, a butterfly, and a tree all grow, reproduce, and die in their own way. They also look at how some animals, like wolves or ants, live in groups to stay safer and find food.
- 4
Traits, fossils, and survival
Students look at how plants and animals inherit traits from parents and how the environment can change those traits, like a plant grown in the shade. They study fossils to picture animals that lived long ago and figure out which traits help organisms survive today.
- 5
Habitats and changing environments
Students argue from evidence about why some plants and animals thrive in a habitat while others struggle. When the habitat changes, like a drought or new building, they weigh possible solutions to help the living things there.
- 6
Weather, climate, and hazards
Students collect weather data and put it into tables and graphs to describe what each season usually looks like. They compare climates around the world and judge design ideas that protect people from storms, floods, and other weather hazards.
Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 3.
Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions
Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions
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Plan and conduct investigations on the effects of balanced and unbalanced…
3.PS2.1Students test what happens when forces push or pull an object from opposite sides. They learn that equal forces keep things still, while unequal forces make objects start moving, stop, or change direction.
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Make observations and/or measurements of an object's motion to provide evidence…
3.PS2.2Students watch a moving object, like a rolling ball or a swinging pendulum, and record what they notice. The goal is to find a repeating pattern they can use to predict where the object will go next.
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Ask questions to determine cause and effect relationships of electric or…
3.PS2.3Students learn that magnets can push or pull other objects without touching them, and that some objects attract or repel each other through electric forces. They practice asking questions about why those invisible interactions happen.
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Define a simple design problem that can be solved by applying scientific ideas…
3.PS2.4Students identify a real problem that magnets can help solve, such as keeping a door closed or sorting metal objects, then explain how magnetic force makes that solution work.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Plan and conduct investigations on the effects of balanced and unbalanced… | Students test what happens when forces push or pull an object from opposite sides. They learn that equal forces keep things still, while unequal forces make objects start moving, stop, or change direction. | 3.PS2.1 |
| Make observations and/or measurements of an object's motion to provide evidence… | Students watch a moving object, like a rolling ball or a swinging pendulum, and record what they notice. The goal is to find a repeating pattern they can use to predict where the object will go next. | 3.PS2.2 |
| Ask questions to determine cause and effect relationships of electric or… | Students learn that magnets can push or pull other objects without touching them, and that some objects attract or repel each other through electric forces. They practice asking questions about why those invisible interactions happen. | 3.PS2.3 |
| Define a simple design problem that can be solved by applying scientific ideas… | Students identify a real problem that magnets can help solve, such as keeping a door closed or sorting metal objects, then explain how magnetic force makes that solution work. | 3.PS2.4 |
From Molecules to Organisms: Structure and Function
From Molecules to Organisms: Structure and Function
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Develop and use models to describe that organisms have unique and diverse life…
3.LS1.1Living things follow the same basic pattern: they are born, grow up, reproduce, and die. Students study how that pattern plays out differently across animals and plants, comparing life cycles that look nothing alike but follow the same four stages.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Develop and use models to describe that organisms have unique and diverse life… | Living things follow the same basic pattern: they are born, grow up, reproduce, and die. Students study how that pattern plays out differently across animals and plants, comparing life cycles that look nothing alike but follow the same four stages. | 3.LS1.1 |
Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits
Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits
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Construct an argument that some animals form groups that help members survive
3.LS2.1Students study why some animals live in groups rather than alone. They look at real examples, like wolves hunting together or fish swimming in schools, and explain how the group helps each animal survive.
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Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence that plants and animals have…
3.LS3.1Students look at photos or data showing parents and offspring to find traits passed down through families, like coat color or leaf shape. They also notice that siblings or seeds from the same plant are similar but not identical.
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Use evidence to support the explanation that traits can be influenced by the…
3.LS3.2Living things inherit traits from their parents, but the environment shapes those traits too. Students look at real examples, like how a plant grows taller in sunlight than in shade, to show that surroundings affect how traits turn out.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Construct an argument that some animals form groups that help members survive | Students study why some animals live in groups rather than alone. They look at real examples, like wolves hunting together or fish swimming in schools, and explain how the group helps each animal survive. | 3.LS2.1 |
| Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence that plants and animals have… | Students look at photos or data showing parents and offspring to find traits passed down through families, like coat color or leaf shape. They also notice that siblings or seeds from the same plant are similar but not identical. | 3.LS3.1 |
| Use evidence to support the explanation that traits can be influenced by the… | Living things inherit traits from their parents, but the environment shapes those traits too. Students look at real examples, like how a plant grows taller in sunlight than in shade, to show that surroundings affect how traits turn out. | 3.LS3.2 |
Biological Unity and Diversity
Biological Unity and Diversity
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Analyze and interpret data from fossils to provide evidence of the organisms…
3.LS4.1Fossils are clues about ancient life. Students study fossil records to figure out what plants and animals looked like millions of years ago and what kind of place they called home.
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Use evidence to construct an explanation for how the variations in…
3.LS4.2Some animals are faster, better camouflaged, or built differently than others of their kind. Students learn why those differences matter: the individuals best suited to their environment are more likely to survive and have offspring.
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Construct an argument with evidence that in a particular habitat some organisms…
3.LS4.3Students look at a specific habitat and use evidence to explain why some animals and plants thrive there, others barely get by, and others cannot live there at all.
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Make a claim about the merit of a solution to a problem caused when the…
3.LS4.4Students pick a real-world solution to habitat change, such as planting native trees or building wildlife corridors, and argue whether it actually helps the plants and animals that live there.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Analyze and interpret data from fossils to provide evidence of the organisms… | Fossils are clues about ancient life. Students study fossil records to figure out what plants and animals looked like millions of years ago and what kind of place they called home. | 3.LS4.1 |
| Use evidence to construct an explanation for how the variations in… | Some animals are faster, better camouflaged, or built differently than others of their kind. Students learn why those differences matter: the individuals best suited to their environment are more likely to survive and have offspring. | 3.LS4.2 |
| Construct an argument with evidence that in a particular habitat some organisms… | Students look at a specific habitat and use evidence to explain why some animals and plants thrive there, others barely get by, and others cannot live there at all. | 3.LS4.3 |
| Make a claim about the merit of a solution to a problem caused when the… | Students pick a real-world solution to habitat change, such as planting native trees or building wildlife corridors, and argue whether it actually helps the plants and animals that live there. | 3.LS4.4 |
Earth's Systems
Earth's Systems
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Represent data in tables and graphical displays to describe typical weather…
3.ESS2.1Students collect weather data across the four seasons and show it in a chart or bar graph. The goal is to spot patterns, like why winter days are colder and shorter than summer days.
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Obtain and combine information to describe climates in different regions of the…
3.ESS2.2Students look at information from multiple sources to describe what the weather is typically like in different parts of the world, such as hot and dry in a desert or cold and snowy near the poles.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Represent data in tables and graphical displays to describe typical weather… | Students collect weather data across the four seasons and show it in a chart or bar graph. The goal is to spot patterns, like why winter days are colder and shorter than summer days. | 3.ESS2.1 |
| Obtain and combine information to describe climates in different regions of the… | Students look at information from multiple sources to describe what the weather is typically like in different parts of the world, such as hot and dry in a desert or cold and snowy near the poles. | 3.ESS2.2 |
Earth and Human Activity
Earth and Human Activity
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Make a claim about the merit of a design solution that reduces the impacts of a…
3.ESS3.1Students look at a real design (a seawall, a storm drain, a windbreak) and argue whether it actually helps protect people from storms, floods, or other dangerous weather. They back up their opinion with evidence.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Make a claim about the merit of a design solution that reduces the impacts of a… | Students look at a real design (a seawall, a storm drain, a windbreak) and argue whether it actually helps protect people from storms, floods, or other dangerous weather. They back up their opinion with evidence. | 3.ESS3.1 |
Common Questions
What science will students learn this year?
Students study forces and motion, including magnets and how pushes and pulls change the way things move. They also learn how plants and animals grow, pass on traits, and survive in different habitats. Weather, climate, and fossils round out the year.
How can families practice science at home?
Watch the weather together and keep a simple chart of temperature or rain for a week. Play with magnets on the fridge and ask what sticks and what does not. Compare leaves, pets, or family photos and talk about which traits got passed down.
What does motion and forces look like at this age?
Students roll balls, push toy cars, and try to predict where things will stop. They notice that a steady pattern, like a swing going back and forth, can be used to guess what happens next. Magnets are a big favorite.
How should the year be sequenced?
Many teachers open with forces and motion because it gives quick hands-on wins and builds investigation habits. Life science fits well in the middle, with life cycles leading into traits and survival. Weather, climate, and weather hazards close the year and connect to spring conditions outside.
Which topics usually need the most reteaching?
Traits influenced by the environment versus traits inherited from parents trips students up, since both can look similar in a plant or pet. Balanced and unbalanced forces also need repeated practice, especially the idea that a still object still has forces acting on it.
How can students practice arguing from evidence?
Several standards ask for a claim backed by evidence, such as why some animals form groups or whether a design fix for a flood would work. Short writing frames help: state the claim, give two pieces of evidence, and explain how the evidence supports the claim.
How do students learn about fossils and habitats?
Students look at pictures and casts of fossils and figure out what the land and water were like long ago. They also compare habitats today and explain why a frog thrives in a pond but not a desert. Trips to a local creek, park, or museum reinforce this well.
What should students be able to do by the end of the year?
Students should plan a simple investigation, collect data in a table or chart, and use that data to back up an answer. They should explain how traits, habitats, and weather affect living things, and design a basic solution to a weather hazard or magnet problem.
How do students study weather and climate?
Students record daily weather and graph it to find seasonal patterns, such as warmer afternoons in May or windy weeks in March. They also compare climates in places like a rainforest and a desert. At home, checking a weather app together and predicting tomorrow is great practice.