This is the year science moves from noticing the world to running real investigations with tools and measurements. Students plan small experiments, measure length and time, and chart what they find on bar graphs. They look at how forces move objects, how things dissolve in water, how animals adapt to where they live, and how the water cycle keeps soil and ecosystems alive. By spring, students can run a simple test, record the results, and explain what the evidence shows.
Students start the year learning how to ask testable questions, measure carefully with rulers and thermometers, and record what they find in charts and bar graphs. They practice habits they will use in every unit that follows.
Students explore how pushes and pulls change the way objects move and why the size and direction of a force matters. They try out simple machines like ramps, levers, and pulleys and see where these show up in everyday tools.
Students mix different solids and liquids with water to see what dissolves, what floats, and what settles. They test whether sugar or salt disappears faster in hot water than in cold water.
Students look at how animals and plants are built to survive where they live, from thick fur to sharp beaks. They study living and nonliving parts of ponds, forests, and other habitats, and use fossils as clues about the past.
Students dig into what soil is made of and why plants need it. They follow water as it moves between oceans, clouds, rain, and rivers, powered by the sun.
Students look at how people, fires, floods, and erosion change the places animals and plants live. They talk about why clean air, clean water, and healthy soil are worth protecting, and what they can do at home and school.
Reading a graph, measuring with a ruler, and asking "what if" questions are all part of scientific practice. In grade 3, students learn to plan simple investigations, record what they observe, and use their data to explain what happened.
Students learn to ask clear questions about what they observe and put a problem into words precise enough to investigate or solve.
Students practice turning curiosity into testable questions, then predict what they think will happen before they investigate.
Students learn to ask "what if" questions before running an experiment, such as wondering what would happen if a plant got more or less water. This is how scientists plan investigations before they test anything.
Students look at something that isn't working well and put the problem into words: what needs to change, and why the current situation falls short. That clear problem statement is the starting point for building or improving something.
Students design a simple test or experiment to answer a science question, then follow their plan and collect what they observe or measure.
Students plan and run simple experiments with teacher guidance, deciding what to test and how to record what they find out.
Students choose the right tool for the job before collecting data, such as a ruler for length or a thermometer for temperature. The choice depends on what they are measuring.
Students practice making close-enough guesses for measurements like how long an object is, how heavy it feels, or how warm a liquid might be, before checking with a ruler, scale, or thermometer.
Students measure length, mass, volume, and temperature using rulers, scales, measuring cups, and thermometers. They record readings in both metric units (centimeters, grams) and everyday U.S. units (inches, ounces).
Students practice reading a clock or timer to find out how much time has passed during an experiment or activity.
Students pick tools and materials to build something that fixes a real problem. The focus is on making a working design, not just drawing one.
Students look at data from an experiment, spot patterns, and decide what the results actually mean.
Reading a graph is one part of this skill. Students collect information from an experiment or observation, then sort it into a pictograph or bar graph so patterns are easier to see.
Students read bar graphs and pictographs, then explain what the data shows and what patterns or differences stand out.
Students look at test results to decide whether an object or tool did what it was supposed to do. If it didn't work as expected, that data points toward what needs fixing.
Students look at evidence from an experiment, write a conclusion that explains what they found, and then check whether their explanation actually holds up.
Students look at measurements and patterns from an investigation and use what they find to explain why something happened. The explanation has to be backed by actual evidence, not a guess.
Students think up more than one way to solve a problem, then compare those ideas to find which solution works best.
Students explain how a science concept (like how water flows or how forces push and pull) helped engineers solve a real problem. The focus is on connecting what scientists discovered to how a product or structure was built.
Students build or draw models to show how something works or looks, then use those models to explain their thinking or make predictions.
Students build or draw a simple model, like a diagram of the water cycle or a paper bridge, to show how something in nature works.
Students sketch or build a simple model, like a drawing or small mock-up, to show how a proposed object or tool would work before it's actually made.
Students find information from books, videos, or other sources, then decide if it answers their question and share what they learned with others.
Students read science articles, books, and reliable websites that match their grade level to learn about the natural world.
Students share what they found or built by talking, writing, or drawing so others can understand their work. This is how scientists and engineers check each other's ideas.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| The student will demonstrate an understanding of scientific and engineering… | Reading a graph, measuring with a ruler, and asking "what if" questions are all part of scientific practice. In grade 3, students learn to plan simple investigations, record what they observe, and use their data to explain what happened. | 3.1 |
| asking questions and defining problems | Students learn to ask clear questions about what they observe and put a problem into words precise enough to investigate or solve. | 3.1.a |
| ask questions that can be investigated and predict reasonable outcomes | Students practice turning curiosity into testable questions, then predict what they think will happen before they investigate. | 3.1.a.i |
| ask questions about what would happen if a variable is changed | Students learn to ask "what if" questions before running an experiment, such as wondering what would happen if a plant got more or less water. This is how scientists plan investigations before they test anything. | 3.1.a.ii |
| define a simple design problem that can be solved through the development of an… | Students look at something that isn't working well and put the problem into words: what needs to change, and why the current situation falls short. That clear problem statement is the starting point for building or improving something. | 3.1.a.iii |
| planning and carrying out investigations | Students design a simple test or experiment to answer a science question, then follow their plan and collect what they observe or measure. | 3.1.b |
| with guidance, plan and conduct investigations | Students plan and run simple experiments with teacher guidance, deciding what to test and how to record what they find out. | 3.1.b.i |
| use appropriate methods and/or tools for collecting data | Students choose the right tool for the job before collecting data, such as a ruler for length or a thermometer for temperature. The choice depends on what they are measuring. | 3.1.b.ii |
| estimate length, mass, volume | Students practice making close-enough guesses for measurements like how long an object is, how heavy it feels, or how warm a liquid might be, before checking with a ruler, scale, or thermometer. | 3.1.b.iii |
| measure length, mass, volume | Students measure length, mass, volume, and temperature using rulers, scales, measuring cups, and thermometers. They record readings in both metric units (centimeters, grams) and everyday U.S. units (inches, ounces). | 3.1.b.iv |
| measure elapsed time | Students practice reading a clock or timer to find out how much time has passed during an experiment or activity. | 3.1.b.v |
| use tools and/or materials to design and/or build a device that solves a… | Students pick tools and materials to build something that fixes a real problem. The focus is on making a working design, not just drawing one. | 3.1.b.vi |
| interpreting, analyzing | Students look at data from an experiment, spot patterns, and decide what the results actually mean. | 3.1.c |
| organize and represent data in pictographs or bar graphs | Reading a graph is one part of this skill. Students collect information from an experiment or observation, then sort it into a pictograph or bar graph so patterns are easier to see. | 3.1.c.i |
| read, interpret, and analyze data represented in pictographs and bar graphs | Students read bar graphs and pictographs, then explain what the data shows and what patterns or differences stand out. | 3.1.c.ii |
| analyze data from tests of an object or tool to determine if it works as… | Students look at test results to decide whether an object or tool did what it was supposed to do. If it didn't work as expected, that data points toward what needs fixing. | 3.1.c.iii |
| constructing and critiquing conclusions and explanations | Students look at evidence from an experiment, write a conclusion that explains what they found, and then check whether their explanation actually holds up. | 3.1.d |
| use evidence (measurements, observations, patterns) to construct or support an… | Students look at measurements and patterns from an investigation and use what they find to explain why something happened. The explanation has to be backed by actual evidence, not a guess. | 3.1.d.i |
| generate and/or compare multiple solutions to a problem | Students think up more than one way to solve a problem, then compare those ideas to find which solution works best. | 3.1.d.ii |
| describe how scientific ideas apply to design solutions | Students explain how a science concept (like how water flows or how forces push and pull) helped engineers solve a real problem. The focus is on connecting what scientists discovered to how a product or structure was built. | 3.1.d.iii |
| developing and using models | Students build or draw models to show how something works or looks, then use those models to explain their thinking or make predictions. | 3.1.e |
| use models to demonstrate simple phenomena and natural processes | Students build or draw a simple model, like a diagram of the water cycle or a paper bridge, to show how something in nature works. | 3.1.e.i |
| develop a model (e.g., diagram or simple physical prototype) to illustrate a… | Students sketch or build a simple model, like a drawing or small mock-up, to show how a proposed object or tool would work before it's actually made. | 3.1.e.ii |
| obtaining, evaluating | Students find information from books, videos, or other sources, then decide if it answers their question and share what they learned with others. | 3.1.f |
| read and comprehend reading-level appropriate texts and/or other reliable media | Students read science articles, books, and reliable websites that match their grade level to learn about the natural world. | 3.1.f.i |
| communicate scientific information, design ideas, and/or solutions with others | Students share what they found or built by talking, writing, or drawing so others can understand their work. This is how scientists and engineers check each other's ideas. | 3.1.f.ii |
Pushing or pulling harder makes an object move faster or farther. Pushing or pulling from a different direction changes where the object goes.
When more than one force pushes or pulls an object at the same time, the forces combine to decide which way the object moves and how fast.
When two forces push or pull an object at the same time, the stronger one wins. Students learn how to predict which way an object moves based on the combined push or pull acting on it.
Simple machines (like ramps, levers, and wheels) help students see how a small push or pull can move a heavier object, or change which direction something moves.
Simple machines (like levers and ramps) and compound machines (combinations of simple machines) show up in everyday tools. Students learn to recognize how these machines make work easier in real life.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| The student will investigate and understand that the direction and size of… | Pushing or pulling harder makes an object move faster or farther. Pushing or pulling from a different direction changes where the object goes. | 3.2 |
| multiple forces may act on an object | When more than one force pushes or pulls an object at the same time, the forces combine to decide which way the object moves and how fast. | 3.2.a |
| the net force on an object determines how an object moves | When two forces push or pull an object at the same time, the stronger one wins. Students learn how to predict which way an object moves based on the combined push or pull acting on it. | 3.2.b |
| simple machines increase or change the direction of a force | Simple machines (like ramps, levers, and wheels) help students see how a small push or pull can move a heavier object, or change which direction something moves. | 3.2.c |
| simple and compound machines have many applications | Simple machines (like levers and ramps) and compound machines (combinations of simple machines) show up in everyday tools. Students learn to recognize how these machines make work easier in real life. | 3.2.d |
Students learn why some things dissolve in water, some float, and some absorb it. They test materials like salt, sand, and cloth to see how each one behaves.
Some solids dissolve in water and disappear into it, while others just float or sink. Liquids like oil stay separate from water no matter how much students stir.
When a solid like sugar or salt mixes into water, it disappears faster in hot water than in cold. Students learn why temperature matters when dissolving things.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| The student will investigate and understand how materials interact with water | Students learn why some things dissolve in water, some float, and some absorb it. They test materials like salt, sand, and cloth to see how each one behaves. | 3.3 |
| solids and liquids mix with water in different ways | Some solids dissolve in water and disappear into it, while others just float or sink. Liquids like oil stay separate from water no matter how much students stir. | 3.3.a |
| many solids dissolve more easily in hot water than in cold water | When a solid like sugar or salt mixes into water, it disappears faster in hot water than in cold. Students learn why temperature matters when dissolving things. | 3.3.b |
Plants and animals have features that help them survive where they live. Students explore how those features, like a bird's beak shape or a cactus's thick stem, help each living thing find food, stay safe, and handle its surroundings.
Groups of animals or plants can slowly change over generations to better survive in their environment. A population that fits its surroundings well is more likely to live long enough to have offspring.
Adaptations are the traits that help an animal survive. Some are physical, like thick fur for cold weather. Others are behavioral, like migrating south for winter.
Fossils are the preserved remains or imprints of ancient plants and animals. Students learn how scientists use fossils to figure out what creatures looked like millions of years ago and what kind of place they lived in.
Aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems each host their own mix of plants and animals. Students explore why certain creatures live in ponds, forests, or deserts and what those habitats provide.
An ecosystem includes both living things (plants, animals, insects) and nonliving things (water, soil, sunlight). Students learn to sort what belongs in each group and explain how both types work together in one place.
Students learn that living things in an ecosystem depend on each other to survive. A wolf needs prey, prey needs plants, and plants need sunlight and soil.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| The student will investigate and understand that adaptations allow organisms to… | Plants and animals have features that help them survive where they live. Students explore how those features, like a bird's beak shape or a cactus's thick stem, help each living thing find food, stay safe, and handle its surroundings. | 3.4 |
| populations may adapt over time | Groups of animals or plants can slowly change over generations to better survive in their environment. A population that fits its surroundings well is more likely to live long enough to have offspring. | 3.4.a |
| adaptations may be behavioral or physical | Adaptations are the traits that help an animal survive. Some are physical, like thick fur for cold weather. Others are behavioral, like migrating south for winter. | 3.4.b |
| fossils provide evidence about the types of organisms that lived long ago as… | Fossils are the preserved remains or imprints of ancient plants and animals. Students learn how scientists use fossils to figure out what creatures looked like millions of years ago and what kind of place they lived in. | 3.4.c |
| The student will investigate and understand that aquatic and terrestrial… | Aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems each host their own mix of plants and animals. Students explore why certain creatures live in ponds, forests, or deserts and what those habitats provide. | 3.5 |
| ecosystems are made of living and nonliving components of the environment | An ecosystem includes both living things (plants, animals, insects) and nonliving things (water, soil, sunlight). Students learn to sort what belongs in each group and explain how both types work together in one place. | 3.5.a |
| relationships exist among organisms in an ecosystem | Students learn that living things in an ecosystem depend on each other to survive. A wolf needs prey, prey needs plants, and plants need sunlight and soil. | 3.5.b |
Soil is more than dirt. Students learn what soil is made of, how plants and animals depend on it, and why healthy soil matters for the living things around it.
Soil is made of sand, clay, bits of rock, and broken-down plant material. Students learn why each part matters to the plants and animals that depend on soil to live and grow.
Soil does more than hold a plant upright. Students learn that soil also supplies the nutrients a plant needs to grow.
Water moves in a continuous loop between the ground, oceans, and sky through evaporation, clouds, and rain. Students learn why that cycle keeps fresh water available for plants, animals, and people.
Water on Earth is stored in oceans, lakes, rivers, underground, glaciers, and even the air. Students learn that water shows up in far more places than just the tap or a rainstorm.
Water from oceans, lakes, and puddles evaporates because the sun heats it. That water vapor rises, forms clouds, and eventually falls back to earth as rain or snow.
Students learn that water moves in a repeating loop: it evaporates from lakes and oceans, forms clouds, then falls back to Earth as rain or snow.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| The student will investigate and understand that soil is important in ecosystems | Soil is more than dirt. Students learn what soil is made of, how plants and animals depend on it, and why healthy soil matters for the living things around it. | 3.6 |
| soil, with its different components, is important to organisms | Soil is made of sand, clay, bits of rock, and broken-down plant material. Students learn why each part matters to the plants and animals that depend on soil to live and grow. | 3.6.a |
| soil provides support and nutrients necessary for plant growth | Soil does more than hold a plant upright. Students learn that soil also supplies the nutrients a plant needs to grow. | 3.6.b |
| The student will investigate and understand that there is a water cycle and… | Water moves in a continuous loop between the ground, oceans, and sky through evaporation, clouds, and rain. Students learn why that cycle keeps fresh water available for plants, animals, and people. | 3.7 |
| there are many reservoirs of water on Earth | Water on Earth is stored in oceans, lakes, rivers, underground, glaciers, and even the air. Students learn that water shows up in far more places than just the tap or a rainstorm. | 3.7.a |
| the energy from the sun drives the water cycle | Water from oceans, lakes, and puddles evaporates because the sun heats it. That water vapor rises, forms clouds, and eventually falls back to earth as rain or snow. | 3.7.b |
| the water cycle involves specific processes | Students learn that water moves in a repeating loop: it evaporates from lakes and oceans, forms clouds, then falls back to Earth as rain or snow. | 3.7.c |
Plants, animals, and whole habitats can be changed by storms, floods, fires, or by what people build and remove. Students explore how both natural events and human actions shift the living world around them.
Pollution from cars, farms, and factories can make air harder to breathe, water unsafe to drink, and wild areas harder for animals to live in. Students learn how everyday human choices change those conditions.
Fresh water is limited on Earth, so students learn why it matters to use it carefully and what happens when communities waste or run out of it.
Fire, flood, disease, and erosion can change an ecosystem quickly or slowly. Students learn how each one shifts what plants and animals can survive in a place.
Soil takes hundreds of years to form, so students learn why it matters and how people can protect it from erosion and overuse.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| The student will investigate and understand that natural events and humans… | Plants, animals, and whole habitats can be changed by storms, floods, fires, or by what people build and remove. Students explore how both natural events and human actions shift the living world around them. | 3.8 |
| human activity affects the quality of air, water | Pollution from cars, farms, and factories can make air harder to breathe, water unsafe to drink, and wild areas harder for animals to live in. Students learn how everyday human choices change those conditions. | 3.8.a |
| water is limited and needs to be conserved | Fresh water is limited on Earth, so students learn why it matters to use it carefully and what happens when communities waste or run out of it. | 3.8.b |
| fire, flood, disease | Fire, flood, disease, and erosion can change an ecosystem quickly or slowly. Students learn how each one shifts what plants and animals can survive in a place. | 3.8.c |
| soil is a natural resource and should be conserved | Soil takes hundreds of years to form, so students learn why it matters and how people can protect it from erosion and overuse. | 3.8.d |
Alternate assessment program for eligible students with significant cognitive disabilities, covering state-tested grades and subjects.
Students study forces and simple machines like ramps and pulleys, how things mix and dissolve in water, animal and plant adaptations, soil, the water cycle, and how people and natural events change ecosystems. They also practice asking questions, measuring carefully, and using data to back up their ideas.
Cook together and notice what dissolves in hot versus cold water. Go outside and look for animal features that help them survive, like sharp claws or thick fur. Talk about where puddles go after the sun comes out. Five minutes of real-world noticing matters more than worksheets.
Many teachers start with the practices and measurement skills, then move into forces and matter in the fall, living systems and ecosystems in winter, and Earth systems and resources in spring. That order lets students build measurement and data habits early and apply them to bigger investigations later.
Some words matter, such as force, dissolve, adaptation, fossil, evaporation, and ecosystem. Memorizing definitions is less useful than using the words while doing something. Ask students to explain what dissolved in their drink or what adaptation helps a squirrel climb.
The water cycle and net force tend to be sticky. Students mix up evaporation and condensation, and they struggle when more than one force acts on an object. Plan extra hands-on time and quick sketching activities for both.
Short, focused investigations work best. Students should plan one question, change one thing, measure with rulers, scales, or thermometers, and record results in a simple bar graph or pictograph. Aim for several small investigations rather than a few long ones.
By spring, students should be able to measure length, mass, volume, and temperature with the right tool, read a bar graph, and use what they observed to explain why something happened. They should also describe how a plant or animal is suited to where it lives.
Give students a real problem, such as a cup that keeps spilling or a toy car that rolls too slow. Have them sketch a fix, build it from household materials, test it, and try one change. The point is the cycle of design, test, and improve, not a perfect product.