Kansas Education Resource Center

 

Grade  :  Grade 3
Content Area  :  Science, Approved 2007

1 Science as Inquiry
The student will experience science as full inquiry. In the elementary grades, students begin to develop the physical and intellectual abilities of science inquiry.
1.1 The student will develop the skills necessary to do full inquiry. Full inquiry involves asking a simple question, completing an investigation, answering the question, and sharing the results with others.
1.1.1 The student asks questions that he/she can answer by investigating.
1.1.2 The student plans and conducts a simple investigation.
1.1.3 The student employs appropriate equipment, tools, and safety procedures to gather data.
1.1.4 The student begins developing the abilities to communicate, critique, analyze his/her own investigations, and interprets the work of other students.

 

 

 

 

2 Physical Science
The student will increase their understanding of the properties of objects and materials that they encounter on a daily basis. The student will compare, describe, and sort and classify these materials by observable properties.
2.1 The student will develop skills to describe objects.
2.1.1 The student observes properties of objects and measures those properties using appropriate tools.
2.1.2 The student describes and classifies objects by more than one property.
2.1.3 The student observes and records how one object interacts with another object.
2.1.4 The student recognizes and describes the differences between solids, liquids, and gases.
2.2 The student will describe the motion of objects.
2.2.1 The student moves objects by pushing, pulling, throwing, spinning, dropping, and rolling; and describes the motion.
2.2.2 The student describes the change in position of objects when moved.
2.3 The student will recognize and demonstrate what makes sounds.
2.3.1 The student identifies that the source of sound is vibrations.
2.3.2 The student discriminates between sounds made by different objects.
2.3.3 The student discriminates between various pitches.
2.4 The student will experiment with electricity and magnetism.
2.4.1 The student demonstrates that magnets attract and repel.
2.4.2 The student designs a simple experiment to determine whether various objects will be attracted to magnets.
2.4.3 The student constructs a simple circuit.

 

 

 

 

3 Life Science
The student will develop an understanding of biological concepts through direct experience with living things, their life cycles, and their habitats.
3.1 The student will develop knowledge of organisms in their environment.
3.1.1 The student observes different organisms and compares and contrasts how similar functions are served by different structural characteristics.
3.1.2 The student compares basic needs of different organisms in their environment.
3.1.3 The student discusses ways organisms use their senses to survive in their environments.
3.2 The student will observe and illustrate the life cycles of various organisms.
3.2.1 The student compares, contrasts, and asks questions about life cycles of various organisms.

 

 

 

 

4 Earth and Space Science
The student will observe objects, materials, and changes in their environment, note their properties, distinguish one from another, and develop their own explanations making sense of their observations.
4.1 The student will develop an understanding of the properties of earth materials.
4.1.1 The student collects, observes properties, and classifies a variety of earth materials in his/her environment.
4.1.2 The student experiments with a variety of soil types (clay, silt, sand, and loam).
4.1.3 The student describes properties of water and process of the water cycle.
4.1.4 The student observes and records the properties of fossils and discusses what fossils are.
4.2 The student will observe and describe objects in the sky.
4.2.1 The student observes the moon and stars.
4.2.2 The student observes and compares the length of shadows.
4.2.3 The student discusses that the sun provides light and heat (electro-magnetic radiation) to maintain the temperature of the earth.
4.3 The student will develop skills necessary to describe changes in the earth and weather.
4.3.1 The student describes changes in the surface of the earth.
4.3.2 The student observes, describes, and records daily and seasonal weather changes.

 

 

 

 

5 Science and Technology
The student will have a variety of educational experiences which involve science and technology. The student will begin to understand the design process.
5.1 The student will work with a technology design.
5.1.1 The student identifies a simple design problem (designs a plan, implements the plan, evaluates the results, makes changes to improve the product, and communicates the results).
5.2 The student will apply their understanding about science and technology.
5.2.1 The student will understand that the design process produces knowledge that can be used to solve a problem and improve our world.
5.2.2 The student invents a product to solve problems.
5.2.3 The student works with others to solve problems.
5.2.4 The student develops an awareness that women and men of all ages, backgrounds, and ethnic groups engage in a variety of scientific and technological work.
5.2.5 The student investigates how scientists use tools to observe.

 

 

 

 

6 Science in Personal and Environmental Perspectives
The student will demonstrate personal health and environmental practices.
6.1 The student will develop an understanding of personal health.
6.1.1 The student discusses the nutritional value of various foods and their contribution to health.
6.1.2 The student discusses that safety involve preventing injury by avoiding inappropriate risks and dangers.
6.1.3 The student assumes some responsibility for his/her own health, and the health and well being of others.
6.2 The student will demonstrate an awareness of changes in the environment.
6.2.1 The student defines pollution.
6.2.2 The student develops personal actions to solve pollution problems in and around the neighborhood.
6.2.3 The student practices reducing, reusing, and recycling.

 

 

 

 

7 History and Nature of Science
The student will experience some things about scientific inquiry and learn about people from history.
7.1 The student will develop awareness that people practice science.
7.1.1 The student recognizes that students participate in science inquiry by asking questions.
7.1.2 The student studies the lives of people who made scientific contributions.