Roanoke County Public Schools
Grade 3 Science
Curriculum Guide
2012
Science 3 Curriculum
2012
Science Curriculum Guide
Revised 2012. Available at www.rcs.k12.va.us.
Roanoke County Public Schools does not discriminate with regard to race, color, age, national origin, gender, or handicapping condition in an educational and/or
employment policy or practice. Questions and/or complaints should be addressed to the Deputy Superintendent/Title IX Coordinator at (540) 562-3900 ext.
10121 or the Director of Pupil Personnel Services/504 Coordinator at (540) 562-3900 ext. 10181.
Acknowledgements
The following people have made tremendous contributions to the completion of this curriculum guide and all are appreciated.
Marianne Nester
Bonsack Elementary
Julie Sandzimier
Bonsack Elementary
Roanoke County Public Schools Administration
Dr. Lorraine Lange
Superintendent
Cecil Snead
Director of Secondary Instruction
Rebecca Eastwood
Director of Elementary Instruction
1
Julian Barnes
Science Coordinator
Science 3 Curriculum
2012
Table of Contents
Preface/Philosophy ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………3
Textbook/Resources Overview ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….4
Science 3 Standards of Learning for Virginia Public School………………………………………………………………………………………….5
Science 3 Curriculum Guide for Roanoke County Schools…...………………………………………………………………………………………14
Safety Guidelines ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..15
SOL 3.1: Scientific Investigation, Reasoning, and Logic…………………………………………………………………………………………….16
SOL 3.2: Force, Motion, and Energy…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………27
SOL 3.3: Matter………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………33
SOL 3.4: Life Processes………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………37
SOL 3.5: Living Systems……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..42
SOL 3.6: Living Systems……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..47
SOL 3.7: Interrelationships in Earth/Space Systems…………………………………………………………………………………………………52
SOL 3.8: Earth, Patterns, Cycles, and Change……………………………………………………………………………………………………….57
SOL 3.9: Earth, Patterns, Cycles, and Change……………………………………………………………………………………………………….62
SOL 3.10: Earth Resources…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...67
SOL 3.11: Earth Resources…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...72
Virginia Standards of Learning Assessment Testing Blue Print………………………………………………………………………………………76
Standards of Learning Enhanced Scope and Sequence/Supplemental Resources…………………………………………………………………….86
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Preface
This curriculum guide has been developed for elementary science teachers to assist them in using the most effective methods to meet the Standards
of Learning. It includes the information a teacher would need to build a foundation for instruction. This information, much of which has been
provided by the State Department of Education, has been compiled in one document. It includes an overview of the Science SOL as well as the
essential knowledge, skills, and processes a student is expected to master, as well as the Blueprints for Grade 3 Science. Websites, references to
Harcourt Science ©2005, a list of videos available through Roanoke County’s Media Center, suggested speakers and field trips, recommended
literature, a copy of Roanoke County Safety Contract, and sample activities are included to facilitate teacher planning toward increased science
literacy for all students.
Philosophy
Educators use the phrase “scientific literacy” to express the major objective of contemporary science education, an aim recognized for all students. In that
context, we have assumed the task of developing a curriculum for Science 3 that will contribute to the achievement of scientific literacy. Education in Science
3 should sustain students’ interest in the natural world, help students explore new areas of interest, improve their explanation of biological concepts, help them
develop an understanding and use of inquiry and technology, and contribute to their making informed personal and social decisions.
The scientifically literate student should understand principles and major concepts of science, the impact of humans on the biosphere, the process of scientific
inquiry, and the development of scientific theories. The scientifically literate student should develop appropriate personal values regarding scientific
investigations, biodiversity and cultural diversity, the impact of science on the world around them, and the importance of science to the individual. The
scientifically literate student should be able to think creatively and formulate questions about nature, reason logically and critically and evaluate information,
use technologies appropriately, make person and ethical decisions related to scientific issues, and apply knowledge to solve real-world problems.
Children are naturally curious and enjoy learning most when they are involved in problem-solving situations. Since science is an integral part of everyday life,
students need to be aware of their interactions and potential impact on the world around them.
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Textbook/Resources Overview
Harcourt Science develops concepts through a developmentally appropriate, consistent learning cycle that moves from a student-centered, hands-on activity
(investigate) to engaging informative text (learn about) to relating science to other areas of the curriculum and to real life (link). In the Investigate portion of the
lesson, clear photographs provide a visual representation of the procedure, to help students through the activity.
Scientific investigations, woven throughout Harcourt Science, lay the foundation for concept development. Every unit begins with a Unit Experiment that
involves students in the inquiry process. Every lesson also begins with hands-on activities that engage students in inquiry appropriate to their age and maturity.
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SCIENCE 3 STANDARDS OF LEARNING FOR
VIRGINIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Introduction
The Science Standards of Learning for Virginia Public Schools identify academic content for essential components of the science curriculum at
different grade levels. Standards are identified for kindergarten through grade five, for middle school, and for a core set of high school courses —
Earth Science, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. Throughout a student’s science schooling from kindergarten through grade six, content strands, or
topics are included. The Standards of Learning in each strand progress in complexity as they are studied at various grade levels in grades K-6, and
are represented indirectly throughout the high school courses. These strands are

Scientific Investigation, Reasoning, and Logic;

Force, Motion, and Energy;

Matter;

Life Processes;

Living Systems;

Interrelationships in Earth/Space Systems;

Earth Patterns, Cycles, and Change; and

Earth Resources.
Five key components of the science standards that are critical to implementation and necessary for student success in achieving science literacy are
1) Goals; 2) K-12 Safety; 3) Instructional Technology; 4) Investigate and Understand; and 5) Application. It is imperative to science instruction
that the local curriculum considers and addresses how these components are incorporated in the design of the kindergarten through high school
science program.
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Goals
The purposes of scientific investigation and discovery are to satisfy humankind’s quest for knowledge and understanding and to preserve and
enhance the quality of the human experience. Therefore, as a result of science instruction, students will be able to achieve the following objectives:
1. Develop and use an experimental design in scientific inquiry.
2. Use the language of science to communicate understanding.
3. Investigate phenomena using technology.
4. Apply scientific concepts, skills, and processes to everyday experiences.
5. Experience the richness and excitement of scientific discovery of the natural world through the collaborative quest for knowledge and
understanding.
6. Make informed decisions regarding contemporary issues, taking into account the following:

public policy and legislation;

economic costs/benefits;

validation from scientific data and the use of scientific reasoning and logic;

respect for living things;

personal responsibility; and

history of scientific discovery.
7. Develop scientific dispositions and habits of mind including:

curiosity;

demand for verification;

respect for logic and rational thinking;

consideration of premises and consequences;

respect for historical contributions;

attention to accuracy and precision; and
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patience and persistence.
8. Develop an understanding of the interrelationship of science with technology, engineering and mathematics.
9. Explore science-related careers and interests.
K-12 Safety
In implementing the Science Standards of Learning, teachers must be certain that students know how to follow safety guidelines, demonstrate
appropriate laboratory safety techniques, and use equipment safely while working individually and in groups.
Safety must be given the highest priority in implementing the K-12 instructional program for science. Correct and safe techniques, as well as wise
selection of experiments, resources, materials, and field experiences appropriate to age levels, must be carefully considered with regard to the
safety precautions for every instructional activity. Safe science classrooms require thorough planning, careful management, and constant
monitoring of student activities. Class enrollment should not exceed the designed capacity of the room.
Teachers must be knowledgeable of the properties, use, and proper disposal of all chemicals that may be judged as hazardous prior to their use in
an instructional activity. Such information is referenced through Materials Safety Data Sheets (MSDS). The identified precautions involving the
use of goggles, gloves, aprons, and fume hoods must be followed as prescribed.
While no comprehensive list exists to cover all situations, the following should be reviewed to avoid potential safety problems. Appropriate safety
procedures should be used in the following situations:

observing wildlife; handling living and preserved organisms; and coming in contact with natural hazards, such as poison ivy, ticks,
mushrooms, insects, spiders, and snakes;

engaging in field activities in, near, or over bodies of water;

handling glass tubing and other glassware, sharp objects, and labware;

handling natural gas burners, Bunsen burners, and other sources of flame/heat;

working in or with direct sunlight (sunburn and eye damage);

using extreme temperatures and cryogenic materials;

handling hazardous chemicals including toxins, carcinogens, and flammable and explosive materials;

producing acid/base neutralization reactions/dilutions;
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
producing toxic gases;

generating/working with high pressures;

working with biological cultures including their appropriate disposal and recombinant DNA;

handling power equipment/motors;

working with high voltage/exposed wiring; and

working with laser beam, UV, and other radiation.
The use of human body fluids or tissues is generally prohibited for classroom lab activities. Further guidance from the following sources may be
referenced:

OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration);

ISEF (International Science and Engineering Fair) rules; and

public health departments’ and school divisions’ protocols.
Instructional Technology
The use of current and emerging technologies is essential to the K-12 science instructional program. Specifically, technology must accomplish the
following:

Assist in improving every student’s functional literacy. This includes improved communication through reading/information retrieval (the
use of telecommunications), writing (word processing), organization and analysis of data (databases, spreadsheets, and graphics
programs), presentation of one’s ideas (presentation software), and resource management (project management software).

Be readily available and regularly used as an integral and ongoing part of the delivery and assessment of instruction.

Include instrumentation oriented toward the instruction and learning of science concepts, skills, and processes. Technology, however,
should not be limited to traditional instruments of science, such as microscopes, labware, and data-collecting apparatus, but should also
include computers, robotics, video-microscopes, graphing calculators, probeware, geospatial technologies, online communication,
software and appropriate hardware, as well as other emerging technologies.

Be reflected in the “instructional strategies” generally developed at the school division level.
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In most cases, the application of technology in science should remain “transparent” unless it is the actual focus of the instruction. One must expect
students to “do as a scientist does” and not simply hear about science if they are truly expected to explore, explain, and apply scientific concepts,
skills, and processes.
As computer/technology skills are essential components of every student’s education, it is important that teaching these skills is a shared
responsibility of teachers of all disciplines and grade levels.
Investigate and Understand
Many of the standards in the Science Standards of Learning begin with the phrase “Students will investigate and understand.” This phrase was
chosen to communicate the range of rigorous science skills and knowledge levels embedded in each standard. Limiting a standard to one
observable behavior, such as “describe” or “explain,” would have narrowed the interpretation of what was intended to be a rich, highly rigorous,
and inclusive content standard.
“Investigate” refers to scientific methodology and implies systematic use of the following inquiry skills:

observing;

classifying and sequencing;

communicating;

measuring;

predicting;

hypothesizing;

inferring;

defining, controlling, and manipulating variables in experimentation;

designing, constructing, and interpreting models; and

interpreting, analyzing, and evaluating data.
“Understand” refers to various levels of knowledge application. In the Science Standards of Learning, these knowledge levels include the ability
to:
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
recall or recognize important information, key definitions, terminology, and facts;

explain the information in one’s own words, comprehend how the information is related to other key facts, and suggest additional
interpretations of its meaning or importance;

apply the facts and principles to new problems or situations, recognizing what information is required for a particular situation, using the
information to explain new phenomena, and determining when there are exceptions;

analyze the underlying details of important facts and principles, recognizing the key relations and patterns that are not always readily
visible;

arrange and combine important facts, principles, and other information to produce a new idea, plan, procedure, or product; and

make judgments about information in terms of its accuracy, precision, consistency, or effectiveness.
Therefore, the use of “investigate and understand” allows each content standard to become the basis for a broad range of teaching objectives,
which the school division will develop and refine to meet the intent of the Science Standards of Learning.
Application
Science provides the key to understanding the natural world. The application of science to relevant topics provides a context for students to build
their knowledge and make connections across content and subject areas. This includes applications of science among technology, engineering,
and mathematics, as well as within other science disciplines. Various strategies can be used to facilitate these applications and to promote a better
understanding of the interrelated nature of these four areas.
Grade Three
THE THIRD-GRADE STANDARDS PLACE INCREASING EMPHASIS ON CONDUCTING INVESTIGATIONS. STUDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE ABLE TO
DEVELOP QUESTIONS, FORMULATE SIMPLE HYPOTHESES, MAKE PREDICTIONS, GATHER DATA, AND USE THE METRIC SYSTEM WITH
GREATER PRECISION. USING INFORMATION TO MAKE INFERENCES AND DRAW CONCLUSIONS BECOMES MORE IMPORTANT. IN THE AREA OF
PHYSICAL SCIENCE, THE STANDARDS FOCUS ON SIMPLE AND COMPOUND MACHINES, ENERGY, AND A BASIC UNDERSTANDING OF MATTER.
BEHAVIORAL AND PHYSICAL ADAPTATIONS ARE EXAMINED IN RELATION TO THE LIFE NEEDS OF ANIMALS. THE NOTION OF LIVING SYSTEMS
IS FURTHER EXPLORED IN AQUATIC AND TERRESTRIAL FOOD CHAINS AND DIVERSITY IN ECOSYSTEMS. PATTERNS IN THE NATURAL WORLD
ARE DEMONSTRATED IN TERMS OF THE PHASES OF THE MOON, TIDES, SEASONAL CHANGES, THE WATER CYCLE, AND ANIMAL AND PLANT
LIFE CYCLES. GEOLOGICAL CONCEPTS ARE INTRODUCED THROUGH THE INVESTIGATION OF THE COMPONENTS OF SOIL.
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Scientific Investigation, Reasoning, and Logic
3.1
The student will demonstrate an understanding of scientific reasoning, logic, and the nature of science by planning and conducting
investigations in which
a) observations are made and are repeated to ensure accuracy;
b) predictions are formulated using a variety of sources of information;
c) objects with similar characteristics or properties are classified into at least two sets and two subsets;
d) natural events are sequenced chronologically;
e) length, volume, mass, and temperature are estimated and measured in metric and standard English units using proper tools and
techniques;
f) time is measured to the nearest minute using proper tools and techniques;
g) questions are developed to formulate hypotheses;
h) data are gathered, charted, graphed, and analyzed;
i) unexpected or unusual quantitative data are recognized;
j) inferences are made and conclusions are drawn;
k) data are communicated;
l) models are designed and built; and
m) current applications are used to reinforce science concepts.
Force, Motion, and Energy
3.2
The student will investigate and understand simple machines and their uses. Key concepts include
a) purpose and function of simple machines;
b) types of simple machines;
c) compound machines; and
d) examples of simple and compound machines found in the school, home, and work environments.
Matter
3.3
The student will investigate and understand that objects are made of materials that can be described by their physical properties. Key
concepts include
a) objects are made of one or more materials;
b) physical properties remain the same as the material is changed in visible size; and
c) visible physical changes are identified.
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Life Processes
3.4
The student will investigate and understand that adaptations allow animals to satisfy life needs and respond to the environment. Key
concepts include
a) behavioral adaptations; and
b) physical adaptations.
Living Systems
3.5
The student will investigate and understand relationships among organisms in aquatic and terrestrial food chains. Key concepts
include
a) producer, consumer, decomposer;
b) herbivore, carnivore, omnivore; and
c) predator and prey.
3.6
The student will investigate and understand that ecosystems support a diversity of plants and animals that share limited resources. Key
concepts include
a) aquatic ecosystems;
b) terrestrial ecosystems;
c) populations and communities; and
d) the human role in conserving limited resources.
Interrelationships in Earth/Space Systems
3.7
The student will investigate and understand the major components of soil, its origin, and its importance to plants and animals
including humans. Key concepts include
a) soil provides the support and nutrients necessary for plant growth;
b) topsoil is a natural product of subsoil and bedrock;
c) rock, clay, silt, sand, and humus are components of soils; and
d) soil is a natural resource and should be conserved.
Earth Patterns, Cycles, and Change
3.8
The student will investigate and understand basic patterns and cycles occurring in nature. Key concepts include
a) patterns of natural events such as day and night, seasonal changes, simple phases of the moon, and tides;
b) animal life cycles; and
c) plant life cycles.
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Science 3 Curriculum
3.9
2012
The student will investigate and understand the water cycle and its relationship to life on Earth. Key concepts include
a) there are many sources of water on Earth;
b) the energy from the sun drives the water cycle;
c) the water cycle involves several processes;
d) water is essential for living things; and
e) water on Earth is limited and needs to be conserved.
Earth Resources
3.10
The student will investigate and understand that natural events and human influences can affect the survival of species. Key concepts
include
a) the interdependency of plants and animals;
b) the effects of human activity on the quality of air, water, and habitat;
c) the effects of fire, flood, disease, and erosion on organisms; and
d) conservation and resource renewal.
3.11
The student will investigate and understand different sources of energy. Key concepts include
a) energy from the sun;
b) sources of renewable energy; and
c) sources of nonrenewable energy.
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SCIENCE 3 CURRICULUM GUIDE FOR
ROANOKE COUNTY SCHOOLS
Suggested Timeline for Instruction
Scientific Investigation, Reasoning, and Logic………………………………………..ongoing
Force, Motion, and Energy…………………………………………………………….3 weeks
Matter…………………………………………………………………………….……..2 weeks
Life Processes: Animals……………………………………………………………….2 weeks
Living Systems: Food Chains………………………………………………….………2 weeks
Living Systems: Environments……………………………………………….………..3 weeks
Interrelationships in Earth/Space Station: Soil……………………………….………..1 week
Earth Patterns, Cycles, and Changes………………………………………….………..3 weeks
Earth Patterns, Cycles, and Changes: Water Cycle…………………………………...2 weeks
Resources: Survival of Species………………………………………………………..3 weeks
Resources: Sources of Energy…………………………………………………….…...3 weeks
**The number of weeks listed above represent periods of concentrated instruction. However, the SOLs are also integrated in the reading, social
studies, health, and math throughout the year to provide any other needed instruction.
Assessment
Students’ prior knowledge will be assessed either formally or informally.
Measures of assessment include, but are not limited to, multiple choice tests, quizzes, labs, portfolios, presentations, technology-based activities,
and projects.
Assessments will be based on how the content, process, and product of learning are adapted to provide differentiation. Strategies can include
compacting, independent projects, interest centers, tiered assignments, learning centers, flexible skills grouping, or high-level questions on test.
Assessment can also incorporate the theory of multiple intelligences or the eight ways of teaching: verbal/linguistic, logical/mathematical,
visual/spatial, bodily/kinesthetic, intrapersonal, interpersonal, naturalist, and musical/rhythmic.
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Safety Guidelines
SCIENCE SAFETY GUIDELINES
Elementary Schools
Your personal safety and that of others working near you depend upon the care with which you observe the rules listed below. Become familiar with
these rules and follow them AT ALL TIMES.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Listen carefully and follow ALL directions given by the teacher.
Inappropriate behavior during science activities is unacceptable.
Ask questions if you are unsure of what to do.
Never touch, taste, or smell any material unless directed by the teacher.
Students may be asked to secure long hair, remove jewelry, or adjust loose clothing in order to maintain safe working conditions.
Proper safety eyewear and protective aprons or smocks will be used when necessary.
Clear your work area of all extra books, papers, notebooks, etc. before beginning science activities. Always leave your work area clean and dispose of
trash as directed by the teacher.
8. Wash hands thoroughly after a science activity when directed by the teacher.
9. Tell the teacher about any accident, no matter what happens.
10. Science activities should not be done at home without adult supervision.
Additional safety instructions may be added to the back of this form by your science teacher.
Please detach bottom portion and return it to your science teacher.
I, _____________________________________, have read, understand, and agree to follow these science safety rules and
conduct guidelines. I agree to follow any additional verbal or written guidelines provided by my teacher. I also understand that I
am responsible for replacing any equipment or materials that I may damage. List any allergies or medical problems. If you wear
contact lenses, indicate this also.
__________________________________________ ________________________________
Signature of Student
Date
__________________________________________
Signature of Parent/Guardian
________________________________
Date
__________________________________________ ________________________________
School
Teacher
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Strand: Scientific Investigation, Reasoning, and Logic
Standard 3.1
The student will plan and conduct investigations in which











questions are developed to formulate hypotheses;
predictions and observations are made;
data are gathered, charted, and graphed;
objects with similar characteristics are classified into at least two sets and two subsets;
inferences are made and conclusions are drawn;
natural events are sequenced chronologically;
length is measured to the nearest centimeter;
mass is measured to the nearest gram;
volume is measured to the nearest milliliter and liter;
temperature is measured to the nearest degree Celsius; and
time is measured to the nearest minute.
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Understanding the Standard
This strand represents a set of systematic inquiry skills that defines what a student will be able to do when
conducting activities and investigations, and represents the student understanding of the nature of science. The
various skill categories are described in the “Investigate and Understand” section of the Introduction to the Science
Standards of Learning, and the skills in science standard 3.1 represent more specifically what a student should be
able to do as a result of science experiences in third grade. Across the grade levels, the skills in the “Scientific
Investigation, Reasoning, and Logic” strand form a nearly continuous sequence of investigative skills and an
understanding of the nature of science. It is important that the classroom teacher understand how the skills in
standard 3.1 are a key part of this sequence (i.e., K.1, K.2, 1.1, 2.1, 3.1, 4.1, 5.1, and 6.1). The third-grade curriculum
should ensure that skills from preceding grades are continuously reinforced and developed.
The skills defined in standard 3.1 are intended to define the “investigate” component of all of the other third grade
standards (3.2 – 3.11). The intent of standard 3.1 is that students will continue to develop a range of inquiry skills and
achieve proficiency with those skills in the context of the concepts developed at the third grade. Standard 3.1 does not
require a discrete unit on scientific investigation because the inquiry skills that make up the standard should be
incorporated in all the other third grade standards. For example, it is not expected that teachers should develop a
separate unit on the metric system, but that they should integrate metric measurement through the teaching of the rest
of the third grade standards. It is also intended that by developing these skills, students will achieve greater
understanding of scientific inquiry and the nature of science, as well as more fully grasp the content-related concepts.
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3.1
2012
The student will demonstrate an understanding of scientific reasoning, logic, and the nature of science by planning and conducting
investigations in which
a) observations are made and are repeated to ensure accuracy;
b) predictions are formulated using a variety of sources of information;
c) objects with similar characteristics or properties are classified into at least two sets and two subsets;
d) natural events are sequenced chronologically;
e) length, volume, mass, and temperature are estimated and measured in metric and standard English units using proper tools and
techniques;
f) time is measured to the nearest minute using proper tools and techniques;
g) questions are developed to formulate hypotheses;
h) data are gathered, charted, graphed, and analyzed;
i) unexpected or unusual quantitative data are recognized;
j) inferences are made and conclusions are drawn;
k) data are communicated;
l) models are designed and built; and
m) current applications are used to reinforce science concepts.
Essential Understanding,
Knowledge, Processes, and Skills
Understanding Standard 3.1
The nature of science refers to the
foundational concepts that govern the
way scientists formulate explanations
about the natural world. The nature of
science includes the following concepts:
a) the natural world is
understandable;
b) science is based on evidence,
both observational and
experimental;
c) science is a blend of logic and
innovation;
d) scientific ideas are durable yet
subject to change as new data are
collected;
In order to meet this standard, it is expected
that students will

make and communicate careful
observations.

demonstrate that observations should be
repeated to ensure accuracy.

classify objects into at least two major
sets and subsets based on similar
characteristics, such as predator/prey and
herbivore, carnivore, and omnivore.

sequence natural events chronologically
(Example: 3.8 — plant and animal life
cycles, phases of the moon, the water
cycle, and tidal change).
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Activities and Resources

HMH Science Fusion
Unit 1 – all
Unit 2 – Lesson 2, 4 Virtual Labs
Unit 3 – Lesson 2
Lesson 3, 5 Virtual Labs
Unit 4- Lesson 3
Lesson 2, 4 Virtual Labs
Unit 5- Lesson 3 Virtual Lab
Unit 6 – Lesson 2 Virtual Lab
Unit 7 – Lesson 3 Virtual Lab
Unit 8 –Lesson 1
Lesson 2 Virtual Lab
Unit 9- Lesson 2
Lesson 3, 5 Virtual Labs
Unit 10- Lesson 3 Virtual Lab
Science 3 Curriculum
e) science is a complex social
endeavor; and
f) scientists try to remain objective
and engage in peer review to
help avoid bias.
g) In grade three, an emphasis
should be placed on concepts a,
b, c, and e.




2012


Science assumes that the natural world is
understandable. Scientific inquiry can
provide explanations about nature. This
expands students’ thinking from just a
knowledge of facts to understanding how
facts are relevant to everyday life.
Science demands evidence. Scientists
develop their ideas based on evidence
and they change their ideas when new
evidence becomes available or the old
evidence is viewed in a different way.
Science uses both logic and innovation.
Innovation has always been an important
part of science. Scientists draw upon
their creativity to visualize how nature
works, using analogies, metaphors, and
mathematics.
Science is a complex social activity. It is
a complex social process for producing
knowledge about the natural world.
Scientific knowledge represents the
current consensus as to what is the best
explanation for phenomena in the natural
world. This consensus does not arise
automatically, since scientists with
different backgrounds from all over the
measure length to the nearest centimeter,
mass to the nearest gram, volume to the
nearest milliliter, temperature to the
nearest degree Celsius, and time to the
nearest minute, using the appropriate
instruments.
develop hypotheses from simple
questions. These questions should be
related to the concepts in the third-grade
standards. Hypotheses should be stated
in terms such as: “If an object is cut into
smaller pieces, then the physical
properties of the object and its smaller
pieces will remain the same.”

analyze data that have been gathered and
organized.

communicate results of investigations by
displaying data in the form of tables,
charts, and graphs. Students will
construct bar and picture graphs and line
plots to display data (Example: 3.7 —
comparison of types of soil and their
effect on plant growth).

communicate any unexpected or unusual
quantitative data that are noted.

make and communicate predictions
about the outcomes of investigations.

design and build a model to show
experimental results.
19

FOSS ~ Mixtures and Solutions Module

FOSS ~ Measurement Module

“Picturing the Scientist,” AIMS. Students
will draw a scientist at work, and compile
a profile of a typical scientist.

“What Is the Temperature?”, AIMS.
Students will learn how to read a
thermometer.

“When It’s Hot It’s Hot”, AIMS. Students
will compute the average temperature per
day and will graph the results.

“Raisin Fun”, AIMS. Students will collect
and record data from a slice of raisin bread
and from two brands of raisins.

“Cat Scan”, AIMS. Students will gain
experience in the construction and use of
bar graphs, circle graphs, binary tree
diagrams, and Venn diagrams.

“Just A Minute”, AIMS. The students will
make a timer which will measure a minute.
Science 3 Curriculum
2012
world may interpret the same data
differently. To build a consensus,
scientists communicate their findings to
other scientists and attempt to replicate
one another’s findings. In order to model
the work of professional scientists, it is
essential for third-grade students to
engage in frequent discussions with
peers about their understanding of their
investigations.

Questions frequently arise from
observations. Hypotheses can be
developed from those questions. Data
gathered from an investigation may
support a hypothesis. A hypothesis is a
statement written in a manner that
describes the cause and effect
relationship between the independent and
dependent variables in an experiment. At
the third-grade level, a method for
helping students understand how to
develop a hypothesis is to have them
build “if/then” statements (e.g., If heat is
added to ice, then the ice will melt.).

Complete observations are made using
all of the senses. Simple instruments can
help extend the senses (e.g., magnifying
glass enhances the vision of an item).

Predictions are statements of what is
expected to happen in the future based
on past experiences and observations.

In order for data from an investigation to
be most useful, it must be organized so
that it can be examined more easily.

“Have You Got a Minute?” AIMS.
Students will learn what they can do on
one minute.

“The Penny Sort”, AIMS. Students will
use the minting dates of 50 pennies as data
for graphing and finding the median and
mode.

“Massing About With Bats”, AIMS.
Students will find objects in their room
that approximate the masses of some bats.

Classification worksheet. Students will
classify a group of animals into vertebrates
and invertebrates and then into groups of
land or water animals.
Literature Links









20
Sheep in a Jeep by Nancy Shaw
The Popcorn Book byTomie Depoala
Archaeologist Dig for Clues by Kate Duke
Where Does Pepper Come From by
Brigitte Raab, Manuela Olten, and Alison
James
Seven Blind Mice by Ed Young
What is Smaller than a Pygmy Shrew by
Robert E Wells
How to Think Like a Scientist by Stephen
P. Kramer
What is a Scientist by Barbara Lehn
What is Science by Rebecca Kai Dotlich
Science 3 Curriculum

Charts and graphs are powerful tools for
reporting and organizing data.

It is sometimes useful to organize objects
according to similarities and differences.
By organizing objects in sets and
subsets, it may be easier to determine a
specific type of characteristic.

An inference is a tentative explanation
based on background knowledge and
available data.

A conclusion is a summary statement
based on the results of an investigation.

Putting natural events in a sequence
allows us to notice change over time.

Metric measures, including centimeters,
grams, milliliters, and degrees Celsius,
are a standard way to record
measurements. The metric system is
recognized everywhere around the
world.

When using any standard measurement
scale, measure to the marked increment
and estimate one more decimal place.
Scientists do not round their
measurements as this would be
inaccurate.

A bar graph can be horizontal or vertical,
and it compares amounts. Both the Xand Y-axis need to be identified.

A line plot shows the spread of data. (See
Grade 3 Mathematics Curriculum
Framework, Standard 3.17, page 31.)
2012
Speakers and Field Trips
 Mill Mountain Zoo Outreach Program
www.exemplum.com/mmzoo/SitePages/educat
ion.aspx
Animal Diets and Adaptations (also 3.4 and
3.5)

Science Museum of Western Virginia
At the museum:
1) Super Ball Science
2) Physical Properties and Physical
Changes in Matter
www.smwv.org/education/classesprek-12/
or
540-342-5721
or
email [email protected]
21
Science 3 Curriculum

A picture graph is similar to a bar graph
except that it uses symbols to represent
quantities.

Scientists use a variety of modes to
communicate about their work.
Examples of ways they communicate
include oral presentations; graphs and
charts created to visualize, analyze and
present information about their data; and
written reports.

In science, it is important that
experiments and the observations
recorded are replicable. There are two
different types of data – qualitative and
quantitative. Qualitative data deal with
descriptions and data that can be
observed, but not measured precisely.
Quantitative data are data that can be
counted or measured and the results can
be recorded using numbers. Quantitative
data can be represented visually in
graphs and charts. Quantitative data
define, whereas qualitative data describe.
Quantitative data are more valuable in
science because they allow direct
comparisons between observations made
by different people or at different times.
2012
22
Science 3 Curriculum
2012
Examples of Quantitative and Qualitative
Date
Third Graders



Qualitative Data
Friendly
Like science
Positive about
schoolwork
Quantitative Data
 25 students
 10 girls, 15
boys
 68 percent
have perfect
attendance
23
Science 3 Curriculum
2012
Strand: Force, Motion, and Energy
Standard 3.2
The student will investigate and understand simple machines and their uses. Key concepts include



types of simple machines (lever, screw, pulley, wheel and axle, inclined plane, and wedge);
how simple machines function; and
examples of simple machines found in the school, home, and work environment.
Understanding the Standard
.
This strand focuses on student understanding of what force, motion, and energy are and how the concepts are
connected. The major topics developed in this strand include magnetism, types of motion, simple and compound
machines, and energy forms and transformations, especially electricity, sound, and light. This strand includes science
standards K.3, 1.2, 2.2, 3.2, 4.2, 4.3, 5.2, 5.3, 6.2, and 6.3.
This standard introduces students to six types of simple machines, their uses, and examples of these six machines found in
everyday environments. These simple machines function to make doing work easier. Activities should focus on identifying the six
simple machines, explaining how they operate, and locating examples in everyday life that make a task easier at home, school,
and in the workplace. The students should have experiences with using the simple machines to determine how each makes a task
easier. It is intended that students will actively develop science investigation, reasoning, and logic skills (3.1) in the context of the
key concepts presented in this standard
24
Science 3 Curriculum
3.2
2012
The student will investigate and understand simple machines and their uses. Key concepts include
a) purpose and function of simple machines;
b) types of simple machines;
c) compound machines; and
d) examples of simple and compound machines found in the school, home, and work environments.
Essential Understanding,
Knowledge, Processes, and Skills
Understanding Standard 3.2

Simple machines are tools that make
work easier. Examples of tasks made
easier include lifting a heavy weight,
moving a heavy object over a distance,
pushing things apart, changing the
direction of a force, or holding an object
together.

The six simple machines are the lever,
inclined plane, wedge, wheel and axle,
screw, and pulley.

The lever is a stiff bar that moves about a
fixed point (fulcrum). It is a simple
machine that is used to push, pull, or lift
things. Examples include a seesaw,
crowbar, and shovel.


In order to meet this standard, it is expected
that students will


identify and differentiate the six types of
simple machines: lever, screw, pulley,
wheel and axle, inclined plane, and
wedge.
differentiate and classify specific
examples of simple machines found in
school and household items. These
include a screwdriver, nutcracker, screw,
flagpole pulley, ramp, and seesaw.

The inclined plane is a flat surface that is
raised so one end is higher than the
other. The inclined plane helps move
heavy objects up or down. An example is
a ramp.
analyze the application of and explain
the function of each of the six types of
simple machines. An example would be
that an inclined plane is a ramp to make
it easier for a heavy object to be moved
up or down.

The wedge is wide at one end and
pointed at the other to help cut or split
other objects. Examples include a knife
or ax.
identify and classify the simple machines
which compose a compound machine,
such as scissors, wheelbarrow, and
bicycle.

design and construct an apparatus that
contains a simple machine.
25
Activities and Resources

HMH Science Fusion
Unit 10- Lesson 1, 2
Lesson 3 Virtual Lab

FOSS ~ Levers and Pulleys Module

“Energy”, AIMS. An information sheet on
the types of simple machines and other
facts about energy.

“Take It Easy”, AIMS. Students will learn
how the six simple machines work.

“Fulcrums on the Move”, AIMS.
Students will discover that with a lever
less effort is needed as the fulcrum is
moved closer to the resistance force.

“A First-Class Job”, AIMS. Students will
discover that moving the fulcrum closer to
the resistance means the load cannot be
lifted as high.

“All Wound Up”, AIMS. Students will
create a thread-spool tractor and examine
the role of friction in its movement and
make modifications to make it travel
Science 3 Curriculum


2012
farther.
The wheel and axle consists of a rod
attached to a wheel. A wheel and axle
makes it easier to move or turn things.
Examples include bicycle wheels, roller
skates, and a door knob.
The screw is an inclined plane wrapped
around a cylinder or cone. A common
use of the screw is to hold objects
together. Examples include a jar lid and
wood screw.

The pulley is a wheel that has a rope
wrapped around it. Pulleys can be used
to lift heavy objects by changing the
direction or amount of the force.
Examples include a flagpole.

A compound machine is a combination
of two or more simple machines.
Examples include scissors, wheelbarrow,
and bicycle.
26

“Gearing Up”, AIMS. Students will
construct gears and discover the
relationship between the number of teeth
and the rotation.

“Making the Grade”, AIMS. Students will
discover that it takes less force to lift an
object along an inclined plane than it does
to lift it straight up.

“The Plane Truth”, AIMS. Students will
make and compare different surfaces of
inclined planes, testing the efficiency of
each surface.

“The Wedge-Ease”, AIMS.
Students will construct wedges from
cardboard and use weights to determine
which wedge pushes books apart with the
least force.

Resource chart showing names of simple
machines, a description of what it is, how
it helps us work, and examples.

“Simple Machines”. Worksheets that
provide questions about each simple
machine and the term efficiency.

“Work It Out with Simple Machines”,
Science Museum of Virginia. Students
will investigate simple machines and prove
that they make jobs easier.
Science 3 Curriculum
2012

An example of an information sheet for a
science project to be completed at home.

A Matching Game
Students will match vocabulary terms for
this unit.
Discovery Education





How Things Move (16:00)
Simple Machines (16:00)
Discovering Simple Machines: Work and
Energy (13:00)
A First Look: Simple Machines (17:00)
Simple Machines (14:35)
Videos / AV
V1087 3-2-1 Contact: Motion
V2238 The Way Things Work (levers)
V2239 The Way Things Work (wedge)
V2240 The Way Things Work (gear)
V2241 The Way Things work (screws)
V2377 Bill Nye: Friction
Speakers / Field Trips
Science Museum of Western Virginia
Outreach: Simple Machines
www.smwv.org/k-5-outreach/
27
Science 3 Curriculum
2012
Literature Links








28
Machine by Anne Rockwell
Curious George Rides a Bike by H.A.
Rey
The Way Things Work by David
Macaulay
Forces Make Things Work by
Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Simple Machines by Deborah Hodge
What is a Wheel and Axle(Whole
Series) by Lloyd Douglas
How Do You Lift a Lion? By Robert E
Wells
Magic School Bus Plays Ball by
Joanna Cole
Science 3 Curriculum
2012
Strand: Matter
Standard 3.3
The student will investigate and understand that objects can be described in terms of the materials they are made of
and their physical properties. Key concepts include



objects are made of smaller parts;
materials are composed of parts that are too small to be seen without magnification; and
physical properties remain the same as the material is reduced in size.
Understanding the Standard
This strand focuses on the description, physical properties, and basic structure of matter. The major topics developed
in this strand include concepts related to the basic description of objects, phases of matter (solids, liquids, and gases –
especially water), phase changes, mass and volume, and the structure of classification of matter. This strand includes
science standards K.4, K.5, 1.3, 2.3, 3.3, 5.4, 6.4, 6.5, and 6.6.
Students should understand that all objects are made of materials that have observable physical properties. Every
object that takes up space is made of matter. Materials can be different colors, shapes, textures, or sizes. They can be
hard or soft. The properties of objects can be used to sort or classify them. If materials are broken down into smaller
parts, each of these smaller parts still has the same physical properties as the original material. (Clear examples
include plastics, metal, paper, and ice. Substances that are coarse mixtures, i. e., many types of rock, will not be good
examples.) This standard introduces the concept that materials are made up of smaller parts that are too small to be
seen without magnification. It is intended that students will actively develop science investigation, reasoning, and
logic skills (3.1) in the context of the key concepts presented in this standard.
29
Science 3 Curriculum
3.3
2012
The student will investigate and understand that objects are made of materials that can be described by their physical properties. Key
concepts include
a) objects are made of one or more materials;
b) physical properties remain the same as the material is changed in visible size; and
c) visible physical changes are identified.
Essential Understanding,
Knowledge, Processes, and Skills
Understanding Standard 3.3

Objects are made of one or more
materials (e.g., toys, shoes, and
furniture).

Physical properties (e.g., color, texture,
phase, temperature, ability to dissolve in
water) remain the same even if the
visible material (e.g., plastic, paper,
metal, ice) is reduced in size.

Nanotechnology is the study of materials
at the molecular (atomic) scale. Items at
this scale are so small they are no longer
visible with the naked eye.
Nanotechnology has shown that the
behavior and properties of some
substances at the nanoscale (a nanometer
is one-billionth of a meter) contradict
how they behave and what their
properties are at the visible scale.
In order to meet this standard, it is expected
that students will





explain that physical properties are
observable characteristics that enable one
to differentiate objects.
infer that objects are made of one or
more materials based on observations of
the physical properties that are common
to each individual object.
compare the physical properties of
smaller, visible pieces of a material to
those physical properties of the entire
material.
conclude that materials have their own
set of physical properties that are
observable.
design an investigation to determine if
the physical properties of a material will
remain the same if the material is
reduced in size.
Activities and Resources

HMH Science Fusion
Unit 9 – Lesson 1, 2, 4
Lesson 3,5 Virtual Lab

FOSS ~ Mixtures and Solutions Module

FOSS ~ Matter and Energy Module

AIMS, “Melt an Ice cube”
Students will discover the fastest way to
melt ice and will find the best material to
keep ice from melting.

“Change Matters”, AIMS. Students will
determine whether various changes in
matter are physical or chemical.

“Magnify”, AIMS. Students will have
experience using a magnifying lens.

“Magniviewer”, AIMS. Students will
construct and use a microscope made with
a hand lens and a half-pint milk carton.

30
Discovery Education
Solids, Liquids, and Gases (21:00)
Science 3 Curriculum
2012



A First Look: Solids, Liquids, and Gases
(17:00)
Properties of Matter, Part 1 (20:00)
Properties of Matter, Part 2: Liquids,
Solids, and Gases (17:00)
Videos / AV
V1082 3-2-1 Contact: Air Is Matter
V2207 Take A Look 2: Matter
V2378 Bill Nye: Phases of Matter









31
Literature Links
Units Using Literature to Unite the
Curriculum, Vol. 2: A Teacher’s Resource
Book for Grades 3-5 by Catherine R. Ney
Bartholomew and the Oobleck by Dr.
Seuss
What is the World Made Of? Kathleen
Weidner Zoehfeld
Solids, Liquids and Gases by Ginger
Garrett
States of Matter- A Question and Answer
Book by Bayrock
Werewolves and States of Matter by Janet
Slingerland
The Solid Truth about the States of Matter
with Max Axiom , Super Scientist by
Agniesezka Biskup, Cynthia Martin and
Barbara Schultz
What’s the Matter in Mr. Whisker’s Room
by Michale Elsohn Ross and Paul Meisel
Touch It !: Materials, Matter and You by
Adrienne Mason and Claudia Davila
Science 3 Curriculum
2012
Speakers and Field Trips
Science Museum of Western Virginia
In Museum:
Physical Properties and Changes in Matter
www.smwv.org/education/classes-prek-12/
or
540-342-5721
or
email [email protected]
Outreach:
What Makes Soil (also 3.7)
www.smwv.org/k-5-outreach/
32
Science 3 Curriculum
2012
Strand: Life Processes
Standard 3.4
The student will investigate and understand that behavioral and physical adaptations allow animals to respond to life
needs. Key concepts include


methods of gathering and storing food, finding shelter, defending themselves, and rearing young; and
hibernation, migration, camouflage, mimicry, instinct, and learned behavior.
Understanding the Standard
This strand focuses on the life processes of plants and animals and the specific needs of each. The major topics
developed in the strand include basic needs and life processes of organisms, their physical characteristics, orderly
changes in life cycles, behavioral and physical adaptations, and survival and perpetuation of species. This strand
includes science standards K.6, K.7, 1.4, 1.5, 2.4, 3.4, and 4.4.
Students will compare and contrast the physical and behavioral characteristics of different animals that allow the
animals to adapt and respond to life needs. The students will need to describe specific examples of how animals
gather food, find shelter, defend themselves, and rear young. The concepts of hibernation, migration, camouflage,
mimicry, instinct, and learned behavior are specific ways in which animals respond to their environment. It is
intended that students will actively develop science investigation, reasoning, and logic skills (3.1) in the context of the
key concepts presented in this standard.
33
Science 3 Curriculum
3.4
2012
The student will investigate and understand that adaptations allow animals to satisfy life needs and respond to the environment.
Key concepts include
a) behavioral adaptations; and
b) physical adaptations.
Essential Understanding,
Knowledge, Processes, and
Skills
Understanding Standard
3.4




In order to survive, animals act in
different ways to gather and store
food, find shelter, defend
themselves, and rear their young.
Physical adaptations help animals
survive in their environment (e.g.,
camouflage, mimicry).
Various animals possess
adaptations which help them blend
into their environments to protect
themselves from enemies
(camouflage). Camouflage is the
means by which animals escape
the notice of predators, usually
because of a resemblance to their
surroundings using coloration or
outer coverage patterns.
Mimicry occurs when a species has
features similar to another species.
Either one or both are protected
when a third species cannot tell
them apart. (Mimicry happens in
both animal and plant species.)
Some animals look like other
animals to avoid being eaten
In order to meet this standard, it is
expected that students will

give examples of methods that
animals use to gather and store
food, find shelter, defend
themselves, and rear young.
Activities and Resources


HMH Science Fusion
Unit 3 – Lesson 4, 6
Lesson 5 Virtual Lab
http.//www.pen.k12.va.us./VDOE/Instruction/
OurLivingEnvironment.doc

describe and explain the terms
camouflage, mimicry, hibernation,
migration, dormancy, instinct, and
learned behavior.
http.//www.dgif.state.va.us/education/wildlife
ed.html


explain how an animal’s
behavioral adaptations help it live
in its specific habitat.
“Mealworms”, AIMS. Students will use science
process skills to become familiar with mealworms
and their life cycles.


distinguish between physical and
behavioral adaptations of animals.
“Now You See Them, Now You Don’t”, AIMS.
Students will determine how long it takes
earthworms to burrow into the ground.

compare the physical
characteristics of animals, and
explain how the animals are
adapted to a certain environment.

“Table Manners”, AIMS. Students will simulate
food gathering with four different types of insect
mouths.

compare and contrast instinct and
learned behavior.


create (model) a camouflage
pattern for an animal living in a
“Missing Moths’”, AIMS. Students will observe
an environment with a variety of moths to see the
effects of camouflage on animal visibility.

“Noses for Nectar”, AIMS. Students will

34
Science 3 Curriculum
(mimicry). This adaptation helps
protect them from their predators.
(For example, the viceroy butterfly
tastes good to birds, but the
monarch butterfly tastes bad.
Because the viceroy looks like the
monarch butterfly, it is safer from
predators.) Mimicry can also
occur as mimicked behaviors,
mimicked sounds, or mimicked
scents.




2012
specific dry-land or water-related
environment. (Relates to 3.6.)

design and construct a model of a
habitat for an animal with a
specific adaptation.
Behavioral adaptations allow
animals to respond to life needs.
Examples include hibernation,
migration, dormancy, instinct, and
learned behavior.
understand how bat adaptations contribute to plant
pollination.

“Sensational Ears”, AIMS. In a simulation
activity, students will attempt to catch a moving
object using only their sense of hearing
(echolocation).

“Make Believe Bats”, AIMS. Students will play a
game that simulates how bats use sound
(echolocation) to determine location of potential
prey.

“The Eyes Have It”, AIMS. Students will learn
about the different types of vision in animals.
Discovery Education
The Magic School Bus: Butterfly and The Bog
Beast (26:20)
Animal Adaptations (24:00)
Animals Around Us: Animal Adaptations: What
Are They? (14:00)
Animals around Us (21:04)
Some animals (e.g., groundhogs,
black bears) go into a deep sleep in
which their body activities slow
down due to seasonal changes and
they can live off stored food
(hibernation). Hibernation is a
condition of biological rest or
inactivity where growth,
development, and metabolic
processes slow down.

Some animals (e.g., geese,
monarch butterflies, tundra swans)
go on a long-distance journey from
one place to another (migration) in
search of a new temporary habitat
because of climate, availability of
food, season of the year, or
reproduction.
V2188 Take a Look 1: Birds



Videos / AV
V2146 Great Cover-Up: Animal Camouflage
V2142 Animals That Live In Groups
Speakers and Field Trips
Dormancy is a state of reduced
35
Science 3 Curriculum


2012
metabolic activity adopted by
many organisms (both plants and
animals) under conditions of
environmental stress or, when such
stressful conditions are likely to
appear, as in winter.
Mill Mountain Zoo Outreach Program
www.exemplum.com/mmzoo/SitePages/education.aspx
Animal Diets and Adaptations (also 3.1 and 3.5)
Some animals are born with
natural behaviors that they need in
order to survive in their
environments (instincts). These
behaviors are not learned but are
instinctive, such as a beaver
building a dam or a spider spinning
a web.


Literature Links



Some behaviors need to be taught
in order for the animal to survive,
such as a bear cub learning to hunt
(learned behavior).







36
Hibernation ( Patterns in Nature) by Margaret Hall
Hibernation Station by Michelle Meadows and
Kurt Cyrus
What is Hibernation? (Bobbie Kalman Books) by
John Crossingham and Bobbie Kalman
The Animals Winter Sleep by Lynda Graham –
Barber and Nancy Carol Willis
How and Why Animals Prepare for Winter (How
and Why) by Elaine Pascoe, Joel Kupperstein and
Dwight Kuhn
Animals in Winter by Henrietta Bancroft
Going Home: The Mystery of Animal Migration
by Marianne Berkes and Jennifer DiRubbio
The Journey:Stories of Migration by Cynthia
Rylant and Lambert Davis
What is Migration ? (Bobbie Kalman Books) by
John Crossingham and Bobbie Kalman
What are Camouflage and Mimicry? by John
Crossingham and Bobbie Kalman
What Color is Camouflage? Carolyn B Otto and
Megan Lloyd
How to Hide an Octopus and Other Sea Creatures
by Ruth Heller
Science 3 Curriculum
2012
Speakers and Field Trips
Science Museum Of Western Virginia
In Museum:1) Habitats
2)Adaptations
www.smwv.org/education/classes-prek-12/
or
540-342-5721
or
email [email protected]
Outreach: Many Links of a Food Chain
www.smwv.org/k-5-outreach/
37
Science 3 Curriculum
2012
Strand: Living Systems
Standard 3.5
The student will investigate and understand relationships among organisms in aquatic and terrestrial food chains.
Key concepts include



producer, consumer, decomposer;
herbivore, carnivore, omnivore; and
predator and prey.
Understanding the Standard
This strand begins in second grade and builds from basic to more complex understandings of a system, both at the
ecosystem level and at the level of the cell. The concept of kingdoms of living organisms and a general classifying
of them are also presented. The other major topics developed in the strand include the types of relationships among
organisms in a food chain, different types of environments and the organisms they support, and the relationship
between organisms and their nonliving environment. This strand includes science standards 2.5, 3.5, 3.6, 4.5, 5.5,
and 6.7.
This standard focuses on student understanding of the food chain in water and land environments. It focuses on the
types of relationships among living things and their dependence on each other for survival. The strand focuses on the
life processes of plants and animals and the specific needs of each. The major topics developed in the strand include
basic needs and life processes of organisms, their physical characteristics, orderly changes in life cycles, behavioral
and physical adaptations, and survival and perpetuation of species. This strand includes science standards K.6, 1.4,
1.5, 2.4, 3.4, 4.4, and 6.8. It is intended that students will actively develop science investigation, reasoning, and logic
skills (3.1) in the context of the key concepts presented in this standard.
38
Science 3 Curriculum
3.5
2012
The student will investigate and understand relationships among organisms in aquatic and terrestrial food chains. Key concepts
include
a) producer, consumer, decomposer;
b) herbivore, carnivore, omnivore; and
c) predator and prey.
Essential Understanding,
Knowledge, Processes, and
Skills
Understanding Standard
3.5


A food chain shows a food
relationship among plants and
animals in a specific area or
environment.

HMH Science Fusion
Unit 4 – Lesson 3
Lesson 4 Virtual Lab
differentiate between predators and
prey.

distinguish among producers,
consumers, herbivores, omnivores,
carnivores, and decomposers.
“Food Chains and Food Web”, AIMS. Information
sheets.

“Food Chains and Webs”, AIMS. Students will
learn about the interdependence of life from a
study of food chains and webs.

Worksheet showing a sample food chain.
Additional pictures are provided to set up different
food chains. Optical Data

“A Special Plot”, AIMS. Students will learn about
habitats through close observation of a small area
of a larger habitat.

“Animals of a Sort”, AIMS. Students will
construct a tree diagram form a given set of animal
pictures and related data.

“The Fallen Log”, Project Learning Tree.
Students will identify some of the organisms that
live in, on, and under fallen logs and describe the
In order to meet this standard, it is
expected that students will

Terrestrial organisms are found on
land habitats such as deserts,
grasslands, and forests. Aquatic
organisms are found in water
habitats such as ponds, marshes,
swamps, rivers, and oceans.


infer that most food chains begin
with a green plant.

A green plant makes its own food
using sunlight, air, and water.
Green plants are producers.

identify sequences of feeding
relationships in a food chain.


A consumer is an animal that eats
living organisms (plant or animal).
explain how a change in one part
of a food chain might affect the
rest of the food chain.

Certain organisms break down
decayed plants and animals into
smaller pieces that can be used
again by other living organisms.
These organisms are decomposers.


Activities and Resources
create and interpret a model of a
food chain showing producers and
consumers.
A food chain, which shows part of
a food web, can have an animal
that eats only plants (herbivore). It
39
Science 3 Curriculum
2012
can have an animal that eats only
other animals (carnivore). It can
also have an animal that eats both
plants and animals (omnivore).

An animal can hunt other animals
to get its food (predator).

An animal can be hunted by
another animal for food (prey).


process of decomposition.
“Nature’s Recyclers”, Project Learning Tree.
Students will explain the function of scavengers
and decomposers, and experiment with sowbugs to
determine their role in the ecosystem.
“Birds and Worms”, Project Learning Tree.
Students will simulate how predators use their
vision to find prey and describe some different
ways animals use camouflage.
Discovery Education


Food Chains and Webs (21:43)
You in the Food Web (18:48)
Videos / AV
V2069 Life Habitats: Puzzle of Rotting Logs
V1078 3-2-1 Contact – Food Chains
Speakers / Field Trips
Mill Mountain Zoo Outreach Program
www.exemplum.com/mmzoo/SitePages/education.aspx
Animal Diets and Adaptations (also 3.1 and 3.4)
Science Museum Of Western Virginia
In Museum: 1) Dig It
2) Food Chains
3) Habitats
www.smwv.org/education/classes-prek-12/
40
Science 3 Curriculum
2012
or
540-342-5721
or
email [email protected]
Outreach: Many Links of a Food Chain
www.smwv.org/k-5-outreach/






41
Literature Links
Who Eats What by Patricia Laubert and Holly
Keller
Food Chain Frenzy Magic School Bus by Anne
Capeli
Magic School Bus Gets Eaten by Pat Reif and
Carolyn Bracken
Food Chain by M.P. Robertson
Hey Diddle Diddle:A Food Chain Tale by Pam
Kapchinske and Sherry Rogers
What is a Food Chain? by Bobbie Kalman
Science 3 Curriculum
2012
Strand: Living Systems
Standard 3.6
The student will investigate and understand that environments support a diversity of plants and animals that share
limited resources. Key concepts include



water-related environments (pond, marshland, swamp, stream, river, and ocean environments);
dry-land environments (desert, grassland, rainforest, and forest environments); and
population and community.
Understanding the Standard
This strand begins in second grade and builds from basic to more complex understandings of a system, both at the
ecosystem level and at the level of the cell. The concept of kingdoms of living organisms and a general classifying
of them are also presented. The other major topics developed in the strand include the types of relationships among
organisms in a food chain, different types of environments and the organisms they support, and the relationship
between organisms and their nonliving environment. This strand includes science standards 2.5, 3.5, 3.6, 4.5, 5.5,
and 6.7.
Students should become familiar with several specific examples of aquatic and terrestrial environments and the
plants and animals unique to them. The environments to be discussed are the pond, marshland, swamp, stream,
river, and ocean for water-related environments and desert, grassland, rain forest, and forest for dry-land
environments. Water-related and dry-land environments contain many types of plants and animals that often
compete for the same natural resources. These resources are often shared. It is intended that students will actively
develop science investigation, reasoning, and logic skills (3.1) in the context of the key concepts presented in this
standard.
42
Science 3 Curriculum
3.6
2012
The student will investigate and understand that ecosystems support a diversity of plants and animals that share limited resources.
Key concepts include
a) aquatic ecosystems;
b) terrestrial ecosystems;
c) populations and communities; and
d) the human role in conserving limited resources.
Essential Understanding,
Knowledge, Processes, and
Skills
Understanding Standard
3.6





Water-related ecosystems include
those with fresh water or salt
water. Examples include ponds,
marshes, swamps, streams, rivers,
and oceans.
In order to meet this standard, it is
expected that students will

describe major water-related
ecosystems and examples of
animals and plants that live in each.
Dry-land ecosystems include
deserts, grasslands, rain forests,
and forests.

describe major dry-land
ecosystems and examples of
animals and plants that live in each.
There are distinct differences
among pond, marshland, swamp,
stream, river, ocean, desert,
grassland, rainforest, and forest
ecosystems.

compare and contrast water-related
and dry-land ecosystems.

explain how animals and plants use
resources in their ecosystem.
A population is a group of
organisms of the same kind that
lives in the same place. Examples
of a population are a flock of
swans in a pond, a school of fish
in a river, and a herd of cattle in
the grassland.

distinguish between a population
and a community.

predict what would occur if a
population in a specific ecosystem
was to die.

analyze models or diagrams of
different water-related ecosystems
in order to describe the community
of organisms each contains and
interpret how the organisms use the
A community is all of the
populations that live together in
the same place. An example of a
dry-land community would be a
43
Activities and Resources

HMH Science Fusion
Unit 4 Lesson 1, 3
Lesson 2 Virtual Lab
Unit 6 Lesson 1
Lesson 2 Virtual Lab

FOSS ~ Environment Module

“Census Takers”, AIMS. Students will take
samples of a critter population and estimate the
total population from the samples.

“Who’s Home in the Biome?”, AIMS. Students
will review which plants and animals are found in
each biome by playing a board game.

“What’s the Net Worth?”, AIMS. Students will
explore the complex biodiversity by role playing
the plants and animals in a rainforest food web.

“Tropical Treehouse”, Project Learning Tree.
Students will describe the plant and animals that
live in different levels of the tropical rainforest and
discuss a case study that involves the rights of
native inhabitants.
Science 3 Curriculum
forest made up of trees, squirrels,
worms, rabbits, and hawks. An
example of a water-related
community would be an ocean
made up of fish, crabs, and
seaweed.

Organisms compete for the
limited resources in their specific
ecosystem.
2012


resources in that ecosystem.

analyze models or diagrams of
different dry-land ecosystems in
order to describe the community of
organisms each contains and
interpret how the organisms use the
resources in that ecosystem.
“Habitat Pen Pals”, Project Learning Tree.
Students will distinguish between kinds of animals
that can and can’t live in a particular habitat.

“Charting Diversity”, Project Learning Tree.
Students will organize different species of plants
and animals according to various characteristics
and show how these characteristics help them to
adapt to their environment.
list ways that humans can help
conserve limited resources.
Humans need to help conserve
limited resources.
Discovery Education

The Magic School Bus: Hops Home (26:12)

Coastal Biomes: Where The Land Meets The Sea
(24:00)
Videos / AV
V2388 Bill Nye: Forest
V2071 Life Habitats: Woodland Stream
V2070 Life Habitats: What’s In Our Backyard
V2073 Life Habitats: The Forest Floor
V2068 Life Habitats Series, Secret of the Pond
Literature Links

44
Units Using Literature to Unite the Curriculum,
Science 3 Curriculum
2012








Vol. 2: A Teacher’s Resource Book for Grades 3-5
by Catherine R. Ney:
Jumanji by C. Van Allsburg
Mr. Popper’s Penguins by R. F. Atwater
The Great Kapok Tree by L. Cherry
Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain by Verna
Aardema
Many Biomes, One Earth by Sneed B. Collard III
and James M Needham
Explore the Tundra (Exploring the Biomes series)
by Linda Tagliaferro
Biomes and Ecosystems by Barbara J Davis
What are the Earth’s Biomes by Bobbie Kalman
Speakers and Field Trips
Mill Mountain Zoo Outreach
www.exemplum.com/mmzoo/SitePages/education.aspx
Happy Habitats and Enchanting Environments (also
3.9)
Science Museum of Western Virginia
In Museum: Wildfire
www.smwv.org/education/classes-prek-12/
or
540-342-5721
or
email [email protected]
Outreach:
45
Science 3 Curriculum
2012
Many Links of a Food Chain
www.smwv.org/k-5-outreach/
46
Science 3 Curriculum
2012
Strand: Interrelationships in Earth/Space Systems
Standard 3.7
The student will investigate and understand the major components of soil, its origin, and importance to plants and
animals including humans. Key concepts include




soil provides the support and nutrients necessary for plant growth;
topsoil is a natural product of subsoil and bedrock;
rock, clay, silt, sand, and humus are components of soils; and
soil is a natural resource and should be conserved.
Understanding the Standard
This strand focuses on student understanding of how Earth systems are connected and how Earth interacts with other
members of the solar system. The topics developed include shadows; relationships between the sun and Earth; weather
types, patterns, and instruments; properties of soil; characteristics of the ocean environment; and organization of the
solar system. This strand includes science standards K.8, 1.6, 2.6, 3.7, 4.6, 5.6, and 6.8.
Students should know that most plants grow in soil, and that people and many other animals are dependent on plants
for food. The nutrients in soil are materials that plants and animals need to live and grow. Soil takes a long time to
form; therefore, it should be conserved. Soil is made up of humus, silt, rock, and sand. Humus is decayed (once
living) matter in soil. It is intended that students will actively develop science investigation, reasoning, and logic skills
(3.1) in the context of the key concepts presented in this standard.
47
Science 3 Curriculum
3.7
2012
The student will investigate and understand the major components of soil, its origin, and its importance to plants and animals
including humans. Key concepts include
a) soil provides the support and nutrients necessary for plant growth;
b) topsoil is a natural product of subsoil and bedrock;
c) rock, clay, silt, sand, and humus are components of soils; and
d) soil is a natural resource and should be conserved.
Understanding Standard 3.7
Essential Understanding,
Knowledge, Processes, and Skills

Soil is important because many plants
grow in soil, and it provides support
and nutrients for the plants.
In order to meet this standard, it is expected
that students will

Over many years, weather, water, and
living organisms help break down
rocks and create soil (weathering).

Nutrients are materials that plants and
animals need to live and grow.




observe and recognize that soil, as a
natural resource, provides the support
and nutrients necessary for plant
growth.

Rock, clay, silt, sand, and humus are
components of soil.
understand the key terminology
related to soil, including humus,
nutrients, topsoil, and bedrock.

Topsoil is the upper soil surface and a
natural product of subsoil and bedrock.
Topsoil is best for plant growth.
interpret and illustrate a basic diagram
showing major soil layers, including
bedrock, subsoil, and topsoil.

analyze and describe the different
components of soil, including rock
fragments, clay, silt, sand, and humus.

explain how soil forms over time.

design an investigation to compare
how different types of soil affect plant
growth. This includes organizing data
in tables and constructing simple
graphs.
Subsoil and bedrock are layers of soil
under the topsoil that are formed over
a long period of time by the action of
water.

Subsoil and bedrock are not as good
for growing plants as is topsoil.

Humus is decayed matter in soil. It
adds nutrients to the soil. It is located
in the topsoil.

Clay contains tiny particles of soil that

collect, chart, and analyze data on soil
conservation on the school grounds.
48
Activities and Resources

HMH Science Fusion
Unit 6 Lesson 3

“What Makes Soil?” AIMS. Students will
explore the components of different soil
samples.

“Don’t Mix Me Up”, AIMS. Students will
determine which soil mixture promotes the
best growth by raining a plant from a seed.

“Which soil works best?” AIMS. Students
will plant seeds in a variety of soils to
determine the best type for plant growth.

“Soil Samplers”, AIMS. Students will
learn to recognize many different kinds of
materials in the soil by sorting and
grouping their findings.

“Soil Study”, AIMS. Students will observe
soil samples to discover that soil is made
from small bits of rock and once living
things.

“Sandpile”, AIMS. Students will observe
that sand is made from small bits of
Science 3 Curriculum

2012
hold water well and provides nutrients.

Sand is made up of small grains of
worn-down rock, has few nutrients,
and does not hold water well.
evaluate the importance of soil to
people.

describe how soil can be conserved.

Silt is made up of very small broken
pieces of rock. Its particles are larger
than clay and smaller than sand.

Since soil takes a long time to form, it
should be conserved, not wasted.
different rocks.
Speakers / Field Trips



Outreach Contact- Blue Ridge Soil and
Water Conservation – Kathy Smith- 540483-5341 ext. 117 [email protected]
Science Museum of Western Virginia
Outreach:
What Makes Soil?
www.smwv.org/k-5-outreach/
Literature Links










49
The Magic School Bus Inside the Earth by
Joanna Cole
Woods by Donald M. Silver
Dirt: The Scoop on Soil by Rosinsky,
Natalie M. Boyd and Sheree
Cracking Up: A Story about Erosion by
Bailey
The Magic School Bus Meets the Rot
Squad by Joanna Cole
Soil by Christin Ditchfield
Jump Into Science: Dirt by Steve Tomecek
and Nancy Woodman
Life in a Bucket of Soil by Alan Silverstein
and Virginia Silverstein
Wiggling Worms at Work by Wendy
Pfeffer and Steve Jenkins
Sand and Soil Earth’s Building Blocks by
Beth Gurney
Science 3 Curriculum
2012
Strand: Earth Patterns, Cycles, and Change
50
Science 3 Curriculum
2012
Standard 3.8
The student will investigate and understand basic sequences and cycles occurring in nature. Key concepts include


sequences of natural events (day and night, seasonal changes, phases of the moon, and tides); and
animal and plant life cycles.
Understanding the Standard
This strand focuses on student understanding of patterns in nature, natural cycles, and changes that occur both quickly and slowly
over time. An important idea represented in this strand is the relationship among Earth patterns, cycles, and change and their
effects on living organisms. The topics developed include noting and measuring changes, weather and seasonal changes, the water
cycle, cycles in the Earth-moon-sun system, and change in Earth’s surface over time. This strand includes science standards K.9,
K.10, 1.7, 2.7, 3.8, 3.9, 4.7, 4.8, and 5.7.
This standard focuses on students understanding that many events on Earth happen in cycles or patterns. Examples of
these patterns are day turning into night and night into day. Seasons cycle from fall to winter to spring to summer
and back to fall. Light reflecting from the sun causes the moon to appear illuminated. The phases of the moon appear
in sequence as the moon makes one revolution around the Earth. Seasons are caused by the tilt of the Earth as it
revolves around the sun. The main cause of the tides (high and low) is the gravitational attraction between the Earth
and the moon. Plants and animals also undergo life cycles from birth to death. It is intended that students will actively
develop science investigation, reasoning, and logic skills (3.1) in the context of the key concepts presented in this
standard.
3.8
The student will investigate and understand basic patterns and cycles occurring in nature. Key concepts include
a) patterns of natural events such as day and night, seasonal changes, simple phases of the moon, and tides;
b) animal life cycles; and
57
Science 3 Curriculum
2012
c) plant life cycles.
Understanding Standard 3.8

A cycle is a repeated pattern. A
sequence is a series of events that
occur in a natural order.

The pattern of day and night is caused
by the rotation of Earth. One complete
rotation occurs every 24 hours. The
part of Earth toward the sun has
daylight while the part of Earth away
from the sun has night.


The pattern of seasonal changes takes
place because Earth’s axis is tilted
toward or away from the sun during its
revolution around the sun. Because the
tilt of Earth on its axis is 23.5, the
sun’s energy is not equally intense at
different latitudes. Rays striking Earth
near the equator do so at close to a 90
angle. Rays striking Earth near the
poles do so at a much smaller angle
and thus the same amount of sunlight
is spread over a larger area. For this
reason, the same amount of energy
from the sun will be less intense nearer
the poles and these areas will have a
colder climate. Earth takes 365¼ days,
or one year, to make one revolution.
The cycle of moon phases occurs as
the moon makes one revolution around
Earth. The visible portion of the moon
that we see each night follows a
Essential Understanding,
Knowledge, Processes, and Skills
In order to meet this standard, it is expected
that students will


explain how some events in nature
occur in a pattern or cycle, such as the
seasons, day and night, phases of the
moon (first quarter, full, last [third]
quarter, new), tides, and life cycles.
recognize that the relationships that
exist between and among Earth, the
sun, and the moon result in day and
night, seasonal changes, phases of the
moon, and the tides.
Activities and Resources

HMH Science Fusion
Unit 3- Lesson 1, 2
Lesson 3 Virtual Lab
Unit 8- Lesson 1, 2

FOSS ~ Sun, Moon, and Stars Module

“A Time of Their Own”, AIMS. Students
will observe and compare the
metamorphoses of a butterfly and a moth.

“Butterfly Life Cycle”, Scott, Foresman
and Co. Students will name the stages in
the life cycle of a butterfly.

“A Seed Grows”, AIMS. Students will
grow a bean seed and watch how a plant
begins.

model and describe how Earth’s
rotation causes day and night.

model and describe how the sun’s rays
strike Earth to cause seasons.

observe, chart, and illustrate phases of
the moon (first quarter, full, last [third]
quarter, new), and describe the
changing pattern of the moon as it
revolves around Earth.

“Sunny-Side Up”, AIMS. Students will
discover information about the relationship
of the earth to the sun by studying shadow
patterns.

collect and analyze data from simple
tide tables to determine a pattern of
high and low tides.

“Facing Up to the Moon”, AIMS. Students
construct a moon-Earth model and use it to
determine how and in what order the
phases of the moon occur.
explain the pattern of growth and change
that organisms, such as the frog and
butterfly undergo during their life cycle.
58
Discovery Education
Science 3 Curriculum
2012


pattern.


The tides follow a pattern of two high
and two low tides every 24 hours. This
pattern is caused for the most part by
the gravitational attraction between
Earth and the moon.
Plant Life Cycles (20:00)
The Magic School Bus: Goes to Seed
(29:27)
Videos / AV
Plants and animals undergo life cycles
(e.g., Frogs begin as eggs in water. The
eggs grow into tadpoles, the tadpoles
eventually become frogs, and the adult
frogs lay eggs to start a new life cycle
over again. In the plant life cycle, a
seed grows into a new plant that forms
seeds. Then the new seeds repeat the
life cycle.).
V2393 Bill Nye: Earth’s Seasons
V2392 Bill Nye: The Moon
V2190 Take A Look: Seasons
V2185 Take A Look: The Moon
V2182 Take A Look: Plants
V2186 Take A Look: Growing Things
Literature Links









59
Using Literature to Unite the Curriculum,
Vol 2: A Teacher’s Resource Book for
Grades 3-5 by Catherine R. Ney:
The Great Kapok Tree by L. Cherry
The Moon: Jack and Jill and Other
Legends by F. Branley
Woods by Don M. Silver
Butterfly by Stephen Savage
Butterfly Story by Anca Hariton
Sunshine Makes the Seasons by Franklyn
M Branley
The Reasons for the Seasons by Gail
Gibbons
What Makes Day and Night by Franklyn
Science 3 Curriculum
2012






60
M Branley
From Seed to Pumpkin by Wendy Pferrer
How a Seed Grows by Helene Jordan
From Caterpillar to Butterfly by Helene
Jordan
From Tadpole to Frog by Wendy Pfeffer
The Moon Book by Gail Gibbons
The Moon Seems to Change by Franklyn
M Branley
Science 3 Curriculum
2012
Strand: Earth Patterns, Cycles, and Change
Standard 3.9
The student will investigate and understand the water cycle and its relationship to life on Earth. Key concepts include



the origin of energy that drives the water cycle;
processes involved in the water cycle (evaporation, condensation, precipitation); and
water supply and water conservation.
Understanding the Standard
This strand focuses on student understanding of patterns in nature, natural cycles, and changes that occur both
quickly and slowly over time. An important idea represented in this strand is the relationship among Earth patterns,
cycles, and change and their effects on living organisms. The topics developed include noting and measuring
changes, weather and seasonal changes, the water cycle, cycles in the Earth-moon-sun system, and change in Earth’s
surface over time. This strand includes science standards K.9, K.10, 1.7, 2.7, 3.8, 3.9, 4.7, 4.8, and 5.7.
This standard introduces students to the movement of water on the Earth by evaporation, condensation, and
precipitation which is called the water cycle. All the water on Earth is part of the water cycle. Water is stored in
ponds, lakes, streams, rivers, ground water, and in the oceans. Water is essential to maintain life on Earth and should
be conserved as a natural resource. It is intended that students will actively develop science investigation, reasoning,
and logic skills (3.1) in the context of the key concepts presented in this standard.
62
Science 3 Curriculum
3.9
2012
The student will investigate and understand the water cycle and its relationship to life on Earth. Key concepts include
a) there are many sources of water on Earth;
b) the energy from the sun drives the water cycle;
c) the water cycle involves several processes;
d) water is essential for living things; and
e) water on Earth is limited and needs to be conserved.
Essential Understanding,
Knowledge, Processes, and
Skills
Understanding Standard
3.9




The water cycle is the movement
of water from the ground to the
air and back to the ground by
evaporation, condensation, and
precipitation. The energy that
drives this cycle comes from the
sun.
During the water cycle, liquid
water is heated and changed to a
gas (water vapor). This process is
called evaporation. The gas
(water vapor) is cooled and
changed back to a liquid. This
process is called condensation.
Water as a liquid or a solid falls
to the ground as precipitation.
Our water supply on Earth is
limited. Pollution reduces the
amount of usable water;
therefore, the supply should be
conserved carefully.
Water is a simple compound
In order to meet this standard, it is
expected that students will

identify the sun as the origin of
energy that drives the water
cycle.

describe the processes of
evaporation, condensation, and
precipitation as they relate to the
water cycle.

construct and interpret a model
of the water cycle.

identify the different ways that
organisms get water from the
environment.

identify major water sources for
a community, including rivers,
reservoirs, and wells. Describe
the major water sources for the
local community.

explain methods of water
conservation in the home and
63
Activities and Resources

HMH Science Fusion
Unit 4 – Lesson 1, 5
Unit 6 - Lesson 1
Unit 7- Lesson 1, 2

FOSS ~ Water Planet Module

“Moving Water”, AIMS.
Students are introduced to the concept of water
changing forms through the process of evaporation and
condensation.

“Moving Raindrops”, AIMS.
Students construct a water cycle wheel to show how
the water moves from one step to another in the water
cycle.

“The Water Cycle”, Dirt-Cheap Science, Scholastic.
Students will use a word box to complete the blanks
that explain the water cycle.

“The Water Cycle”, Addison-Wesley. Students will use
words at the top to fill in the blanks to explain the
water cycle.
Science 3 Curriculum
essential for life on Earth. Living
cells are mostly water. In each
cell, the chemicals necessary for
life are dissolved in water.
2012
school.

identify and communicate the
importance of water to people
and to other living organisms.

analyze possible sources of
water pollution in their
neighborhoods, at school, and in
the local community. This
includes runoff from overfertilized lawns and fields, oil
from parking lots, eroding soil,
and animal waste.

“The Mini Water Cycle”, AIMS. Students will
demonstrate the processes of evaporation and
condensation within a miniature water cycle inside a
plastic bag.

“Moving Molecules”, AIMS. Students will determine
if the amount of surface area will affect the evaporation
rate of liquids.

“Pond Today—Meadow Tomorrow”, AIMS. Students
will examine the changes in the environment as they
simulate a pond turning into a meadow as the water
evaporates.

“Water Wonders”, Project Learning Tree. Students
will conduct an experiment to discover how plants
affect the movement and quality of water.

“Where Is Water?, AIMS. Students will identify the
places water is found.
“What Make Rain?, AIMS.
Students will focus on the water cycle.


“A Disappearing Act”, AIMS.
Students will see the result of water evaporating into
the atmosphere.

“Help Save the Birds!”, AIMS. Students will
understand the process of filtration by devising a
system to filter dirty water.
Discovery Education
64
Science 3 Curriculum
2012

The Magic School Bus: Gets Wet All Over (30:04)
Videos / AV
V1070 3-2-1 Contact - Water Cycle
V2200 Take A Look 1: Rain
V2389 Bill Nye: Water Cycle
Speakers / Field Trips

Western Virginia Water Authority
[email protected]

Outreach Contact- Blue Ridge Soil and Water
Conservation – Kathy Smith- 540-483-5341 ext. 117
[email protected]

Mill Mountain Zoo Outreach
www.exemplum.com/mmzoo/SitePages/education.aspx
Happy Habitats and Enchanting Environments (also
3.6)




65
Literature Links
Units Using Literature to Unite the Curriculum, Vol. 2:
A Teacher’s Resource book for Grades 3-5 by
Catherine R. Ney:
The Magic School Bus: At the Water Works by J.
Cole
The Magic School Bus at the Waterworks by Joanna
Cole
Open Well : The Story of Water on Earth by Rachelle
Strauss
Science 3 Curriculum
2012





Strand: Earth Resources
66
Down Came the Rain by Franklyn Branley
Water, Water, Everywhere by Arthur Dorros
A Drop: Around the World by Barbara McKinney
The Snowflake: A Water Cycle Story by Neil
Waldman
Magic School Bus-Wet All Over by Pat Reif
Science 3 Curriculum
2012
Standard 3.10
The student will investigate and understand that natural events and human influences can affect the survival of
species. Key concepts include




the interdependency of plants and animals;
the effects of human activity on the quality of air, water, and habitat;
the effects of fire, flood, disease, erosion, earthquake, and volcanic eruption on organisms; and
conservation, resource renewal, habitat management, and species monitoring.
Understanding the Standard
This strand focuses on student understanding of the role of resources in the natural world and how people can utilize
those resources in a sustainable way. An important idea represented in this strand is the concept of management of
resource use. This begins with basic ideas of conservation and proceeds to more abstract consideration of costs and
benefits. The topics developed include conservation of materials, soil and plants as resources, energy use, water,
Virginia’s resources, and how public policy impacts the environment. This strand includes science standards K.11, 1.8,
2.8, 3.10, 3.11, 4.9, and 6.9.
This standard reinforces the concept that plants and animals are dependent upon each other for survival. Living things
depend on other living thing to survive. Human and natural events can change habitats. Natural disasters such as fire,
flood, disease, erosion, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions can kill organisms and can destroy their habitats. Methods
of ensuring the survival of plant and animal species include specific conservation measures. These are resource
renewal, habitat management procedures, and species monitoring practices. It is intended that students will actively
develop science investigation, reasoning, and logic skills (3.1) in the context of the key concepts presented in this
standard.
67
Science 3 Curriculum
3.10
2012
The student will investigate and understand that natural events and human influences can affect the survival of species. Key
concepts include
a) the interdependency of plants and animals;
b) the effects of human activity on the quality of air, water, and habitat;
c) the effects of fire, flood, disease, and erosion on organisms; and
d) conservation and resource renewal.
Understanding Standard 3.10
Essential Understanding,
Knowledge, Processes, and Skills

Every organism depends on other
organisms to survive. This is called
interdependency.
In order to meet this standard, it is expected
that students will


Human actions, such as polluting, can
affect the survival of plants and
animals.
explain how organisms in an area are
dependent on each other.

Natural events, such as fires, floods,
diseases, and erosion, can also affect
the survival of plant and animal
species.
compare and contrast human
influences on the quality of air, water,
and habitats.

analyze the effects of fire, flood,
disease, and erosion on organisms and
habitats.

Conservation is the careful use and
preservation of our natural resources.

describe how conservation practices
can affect the survival of a species.

Resource renewal is a conservation
practice in which species are protected.
An example would be protecting
endangered plants by saving their
seeds, growing the seeds indoors, and
later putting the new plants back in
their natural habitats.

describe a conservation practice in the
local community.

68
Activities and Resources

HMH Science Fusion
Unit 3- Lesson 1
Unit 4- Lesson 1, 5
Unit 5- Lesson 2
Unit 6- Lesson 1

“People Need Plants”, AIMS.
Students will discover the many products
from plants.

“Agent Erosion”, AIMS. Students will
simulate the erosion caused by wind,
water, and ice and observe the effects.

“Quaking Earth”, AIMS. Students will do
two investigations that will give them an
idea what happens to the surface of Earth
and buildings on Earth when it quakes.

“Volcanoes”, AIMS. Students will be able
to describe a volcano and how it erupts.

“Three Cheers for Trees”, Project Learning
Tree. Students will describe how trees
benefit people and how trees may be used
to improve the human-made environment.
Science 3 Curriculum
2012


“Pollution Search”, Project Learning Tree.
Students will describe the effects that
various pollutants can have on people,
wildlife, and plants.
“Trees for Many Reasons”, Project
Learning Tree. Students will read, discuss,
and analyze The Lorax or
The Man Who Planted Trees
Relating it to the proper and improper use
of natural resources.
Videos / AV
V1069 3-2-1 Contact – Volcanoes
V1342 You Can Make a Difference
CD095 Earth’s Endangered Environments
V2015 America’s Great Volcanoes
LD32 Observing Fire
Speakers / Field Trips
Science Museum of Western Virginia
In Museum: Wildfire
www.smwv.org/education/classes-prek-12/
or
540-342-5721
or
email [email protected]
69
Science 3 Curriculum
2012











70
Literature Links
Fire in the Forest: A Cycle of Growth and
Renewal by Lawrence Pingle
The Summer Sands by Sherry Garland
Units Using Literature to Unite the
Curriculum, Vol.2: A Teacher’s Resource
Book for Grades 3-5 by Catherine R. Ney:
The Great Kapok Tree by L. Cherry
The Adventure of a Plastic Bottle : A Story
About Recycling by Alison Inches and
Pete Whitehead
The Three R’s: Reuse, Reduce, Recycle by
Nuria Roca and Rosa M Curto
Michael Recycle by Ellie Bethel and
Alexandra Colombo
Where Does the Garbage Go by Paul
Showers and Randy Chewning
Why Should I Recycle by Jen Green and
Mike Gordon
Oil Spill by Melvin Berger and Paul
Mirocha
The Lorax by Dr. Seuss
Science 3 Curriculum
2012
Strand: Earth Resources
Standard 3.11
The student will investigate and understand different sources of energy. Key concepts include





the sun’s ability to produce light and heat energy;
natural forms of energy (sunlight, water, wind);
fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas) and wood;
electricity, nuclear power; and
renewable and nonrenewable resources.
Understanding the Standard
This strand focuses on student understanding of the role of resources in the natural world and how people can utilize
those resources in a sustainable way. An important idea represented in this strand is the concept of management of
resource use. This begins with basic ideas of conservation and proceeds to more abstract consideration of costs and
benefits. The topics developed include conservation of materials, soil and plants as resources, energy use, water,
Virginia’s resources, and how public policy impacts the environment. This strand includes science standards K.11,
1.8, 2.8, 3.10, 3.11, 4.9, and 6.9.
This standard focuses on the Earth's major types of energy sources. The sun produces light and heat energy. Natural
forms of energy include sunlight, water, and wind. Important fossil fuels are coal, oil, or natural gas. They were
formed over millions of years by decaying plants and animals buried in layers of rock. Energy also comes from the
burning of wood and nuclear power. Sources of energy are classified either as renewable or nonrenewable. It is
intended that students will actively develop science investigation, reasoning, and logic skills (3.1) in the context of
the key concepts presented in this standard.
71
Science 3 Curriculum
3.11
2012
The student will investigate and understand different sources of energy. Key concepts include
a) energy from the sun;
b) sources of renewable energy; and
c) sources of nonrenewable energy.
Understanding Standard 3.11
Essential Understanding,
Knowledge, Processes, and Skills

In order to meet this standard, it is expected
that students will



The sun is the source of almost all
energy on Earth. The sun is the direct
source of light and thermal energy.
Sunlight, water, and wind are sources
of energy. The force of flowing water
and moving air (wind) can also be used
to generate electricity.
Wood comes from trees. It has many
important uses, including its use as a
fuel.
Some energy sources are renewable.
That means that they can be replaced.
Some energy sources are
nonrenewable. That means that once
they are used up, they are gone and
cannot be replaced. Coal, oil, and
natural gas are nonrenewable
resources.
Fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and natural
gas, are formed from decayed plants and
animals. The formation of fossil fuels takes
millions of years.

explain that the sun is the major source
of energy for Earth.

identify sources of energy and their
uses.

describe how solar energy, wind, and
moving water can be used to produce
electricity.

describe how fossil fuels are used as
an energy source.

compare and contrast renewable and
nonrenewable energy sources.

analyze the advantages and
disadvantages of using different
naturally occurring energy sources.

design a basic investigation to
determine the effects of sunlight on
warming various objects and materials,
including water.
72
Activities and Resources

HMH Science Fusion
Unit 4- Lesson 3, 5
Unit 6- Lesson 1
Unit 7 – Lesson 1

FOSS ~ Solar Energy Module

“Light Sources”, AIMS. Students will
investigate many light sources.

“Heat and Color”, AIMS. Students will
observe that dark colors absorb heat faster
han light colors.

“Which Way?”, AIMS. Students will
construct wind vane and understand why it
is important to know from which direction
the wind is blowing.

“Renewable or Not?”, Project Learning
Tree. Students will identify renewable,
nonrenewable, perpetual, reusable, and
recyclable resources and explain the
differences. They will also play a game
that simulates society’s use of these
resources.

“A Few of My Favorite Things”, Project
Learning Tree. Students will explain how
Science 3 Curriculum
2012
different materials that go into making a
product all come from natural resources.
Renewable and nonrenewable resources
are identified.


Discovery Education
The Magic School Bus: Get Charged
(24:04)
The Magic School Bus : Getting Energized
(28:47)
Videos / AV
V2201 Take A Look 1: Energy
V2204 Take A Look 2: Electricity
V2206 Take A Look 2: Friction
V2372 Bill Nye: Energy
V2377 Bill Nye: Friction
V598




73
What Energy Means
Speakers / Field Trips
Contact GE in Salem, VA to see if an
engineer can come speak about wind
turbines. (540) 387-8000 for switchboard
Science Museum of Western Virginia
Outreach: Let’s Get Energized
www.smwv.org/k-5-outreach/
Literature Links
Oscar and the Bird: A Book About
Electricity by Geoff Waring
Energy Makes Things Happen by
Science 3 Curriculum
2012




Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Switch On, Switch Off by Melvin Berger
Charged Up : The Story of Electricity by
Jacqui Bailey
The Magic School Bus and the Electric
Field Trip by Joanna Cole
The Shocking Truth about Energy by
Loreen Leedy
Virginia
Standards of Learning Assessments
Test Blueprint
Grade 3 Science
2010 Science
Standards of Learning
This revised test blueprint will be effective with the
administration of the 2012-2013 Science Standards
of Learning (SOL) tests.
74
Science 3 Curriculum
2012
Notice to the reader
In accordance with the requirements of the Civil Rights Act and other federal and state laws and regulations, this document has been reviewed to
insure that it does not reflect stereotypes based on race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.
The Virginia Department of Education does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin, religion, age, political affiliation,
veteran status, or against otherwise qualified persons with disabilities in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts
and other designated youth groups.
Copyright ©2011 by the Commonwealth of Virginia, Department of Education, P.O. Box 2120, Richmond, Virginia 23218-2120. All rights
reserved. Except as permitted by law, this material may not be reproduced or used in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without written permission from the copyright owner.
Commonwealth of Virginia public school educators may reproduce any portion of this test blueprint for noncommercial educational purposes
without requesting permission. All others should direct their written requests to the Virginia Department of Education, Division of Student
Assessment and School Improvement, at the above address, or by email to [email protected].
This revised test blueprint will be effective with the administration of the 2012-2013
Science Standards of Learning tests
General Test Information
Test Blueprint
Much like the blueprint for a building, a test blueprint serves as a guide for test construction. The blueprint indicates the content areas that will be
addressed by the test and the number of items that will be included by content area for the test as a whole. There is a blueprint for each test (e.g.
grade 3 reading, grade 5 mathematics, grade 8 science, Virginia and United States History).
Reporting Categories
Each test covers a number of Standards of Learning (SOL). In the test blueprint, the SOL are grouped into categories that address related concepts
and skills. These categories are labeled as reporting categories (RC). For example, a reporting category for the Grade 3 Science Standards of
Learning test is Force, Motion, Energy, and Matter. Each of the SOL in this reporting category addresses a skill involved in investigating and
understanding the concepts of force, motion, energy , or matter. When the results of the SOL test are reported, the scores will be presented for each
reporting category and as a total test score.
Assignment of Standards of Learning to Reporting Category
75
Science 3 Curriculum
2012
Different parts of a Standard of Learning may be assigned to different reporting categories. For example, Grade 2 SOL 2.7a, which covers the
effects of weather and seasonal changes, is assigned to the reporting category Life Processes and Living Systems in the Grade 3 Science SOL test.
However, 2.7b, which involves the weathering and erosion of land surfaces, is assigned to the reporting category Earth/Space Systems and Cycles.
Standards of Learning Excluded from Testing
In some content areas, there are SOL that do not lend themselves to assessment within the current format of the SOL tests. The SOL not test are
listed as “Excluded from Testing” at the end of the blueprint for each test. In Grade 3 Science there are no SOL that are excluded within the
current format of the SOL tests.
Coverage of Standards of Learning
Due to the large number of SOL in each grade level content area, every Standard of Learning will not be assessed on every version (form) of an
SOL test. By necessity, to keep the length of a test reasonable, each version will sample from the SOL within the reporting category. All SOL in
the blueprint will be tested within a three year period, and all of these SOL are eligible for inclusion on each version of an SOL test.
Use of the Curriculum Framework
The Grade 3 Science Standards of Learning, amplified by the Curriculum Framework, define the essential understandings, knowledge, and skills
that are measured by the Standards of Learning tests. The Curriculum Framework enhances understanding of the SOL, defines essential content
knowledge, and describes essential skills and processes the students need to master.
Reporting
Category
Assessed with
other SOL
Scientific
Investigation,
Reasoning, and Logic
Force, Motion, Energy,
and Matter
Grade 3 Science
Test Blueprint Summary Table
Grade 2
Grade 3
Number of
Standards of
Standards of
items
Learning
Learning
2.1m
3.1m
2.1a-l
3.1a-l
10
2.2a-b
2.3a-c
3.2a-d
3.3a-c
8
76
Science 3 Curriculum
Life Processes and
Living Systems
Earth/Space Systems
And Cycles
2012
2.4a-b
2.5a-d
2.7a
2.8a-d
2.6a-c
2.7b
3.4a-b
3.5a-c
3.6a-d
3.10a
3.7a-d
3.8a-c
3.9a-e
3.10b-d
3.11a-c
None
11
11
Excluded from
Testing
Subsumed Content*
Content in Kindergarten and Grade 1 SOL
Number of Operational Items
40
Number of Field Test Items**
10
Total Number of Items on Test
50
*The Virginia Science SOL are spiral in nature and are vertically aligned from Kindergarten through Physics. Because science content and
processes taught in kindergarten and first grade lay the foundation needed for ongoing science education in grades 2, 3, and beyond, the science
content for kindergarten and grade 1 is subsumed in the grade 3 Science SOL test.
**Field test items are being tried out with students for potential use on subsequent tests and will not be used to compute students’ scores on the
test.
This revised test blueprint will be effective with the administration of the 2012-2013
Science Standards of Learning tests
Grade 3 Science
Expanded Test Blueprint
Assessed with Other Standards of Learning
The following skill-based standards will be assessed through the reporting categories by applying them to other Standards of Learning content:
77
Science 3 Curriculum
2012
Grade 2 Standards of Learning
2.1
The student will demonstrate an understanding of scientific reasoning, logic, and the nature of
science by planning and conducting investigations in which
m) current applications are used to reinforce science concepts.
Grade 3 Standards of Learning
3.1
The student will demonstrate an understanding of scientific reasoning, logic, and the nature of science by planning and conducting
investigations in which
m) current applications are used to reinforce science concepts.
Reporting Category: Scientific Investigation, Reasoning, and Logic
Numbeer of Items: 10
Standards of Learning:
2.1
The student will demonstrate an understanding of scientific reasoning, logic, and the nature of science by planning and conducting
investigations in which
a) observations and predictions are made and questions are formed;
b) observations are differentiated from personal interpretation;
c) observations are repeated to ensure accuracy;
d) two or more characteristics or properties are used to classify items;
e) length, volume, mass, and temperature are measured in metric units and standard English units
using the proper tools;
f) time is measured using the proper tools;
g) conditions that influence a change are identified and inferences are made;
h) data are collected and recorded, and bar graphs are constructed using numbered axes;
i) data are analyzed, and unexpected or unusual quantitative data are recognized;
j) conclusions are drawn;
k) observations and data are communicated; and
l) simple physical models are designed and constructed to clarify explanations and show
relationships.
78
Science 3 Curriculum
2012
Grade 3 Standards of Learning
3.1
The student will demonstrate an understanding of scientific reasoning, logic, and the nature of science by planning and conducting
investigations in which
a) observations are made and are repeated to ensure accuracy;
b) predictions are formulated using a variety of sources of information;
c) objects with similar characteristics or properties are classified into at least two sets and two
subsets;
d) natural events are sequenced chronologically;
e) length, volume, mass, and temperature are estimated and measured in metric and standard English units using proper tools and
techniques;
f) time is measured to the nearest minute using proper tools and techniques;
g) questions are developed to formulate hypotheses;
h) data are gathered, charted, graphed, and analyzed;
i) unexpected or unusual quantitative data are recognized;
j) inferences are made and conclusions are drawn;
k) data are communicated; and
l) models are designed and built.
Reporting Category: force, Motion, Energy, and Matter
Number of items: 8
Standards of Learning:
Grade 2 Standards of Learning
2.2
The student will investigate and understand that natural and artificial magnets have certain characteristics and attract specific types of
metals . Key concepts include:
a) magnetism, iron, magnetic/nonmagnetic, poles, attract/repel; and
b) important applications of magnetism.
2.3
The student will investigate and understand basic properties of solids, liquids, and gases. Key concepts include
a) identification and distinguishing characteristics of solids, liquids, and gases;
b) measurement of the mass and volume of solids and liquids; and
79
Science 3 Curriculum
2012
c) changes in phases of matter with the addition of removal of energy.
Grade 3 Standards of Learning
3.2
The student will investigate and understand simple machines and their uses. Key concepts include
a) purpose and function of simple machines;
b) types of simple machines;
c) compound machines; and
d) examples of simple and compound machines found in the school, home, and work environments.
3.3
The student will investigate and understand that objects are made of materials that can be described by their physical properties. Key
concepts include
a) objects are made of one or more materials;
b) physical properties remain the same as the material is changed in visible size; and
c) visible physical changes are identified.
Reporting Category: Life Processes and Living Systems
Number of Items: 11
Standards of Learning:
Grade 2 Standards of Learning
2.4
The student will investigate and understand that plants and animals undergo a series of orderly changes as they mature and grow. Key
concepts include
a) animal life cycles; and
b) plant life cycles.
2.5
The student will investigate and understand that living things are part of a system. Key concepts include
a) living organisms are interdependent with their living and nonliving surroundings;
b) animal’s habitat includes adequate food, water, shelter or cover, and space;
c) habitats change over time due to many influences; and
d) fossils provide information about living systems that were on earth years ago.
2.7
The student will investigate and understand that weather and seasonal changes affect plants, animals, and their surroundings. Key
concepts include
80
Science 3 Curriculum
2012
a) effects of weather and seasonal changes on the growth and behavior of living things.
2.8
The student will investigate and understand that plants produce oxygen and food, are a source of useful products, and provide benefits in
nature. Key concepts include
a) important plant products are identified and classified;
b) the availability of plant products affects the development of a geographic area;
c) plants provide oxygen, homes, and food for many animals; and
d) plants help reduce erosion.
Grade 3 Standards of Learning
3.4
The student will investigate and understand that adaptations allow animals to satisfy life needs and respond to the environment. Key
concepts include
a) behavioral adaptations; and
b) physical adaptations.
3.5
The student will investigate and understand relationships among organisms in aquatic and terrestrial food chains. Key concepts include
a) producer, consumer, decomposer;
b) herbivore, carnivore, omnivore; and
c) predator andprey.
3.6
The student will investigate and understand that ecosystems support a diversity of plants and animals that share limited resources. Key
concepts include
a) aquatic ecosystems;
b) terrestrial ecosystems;
c) populations and communities; and
d) the human role in conserving limited resources.
3.10
The student will investigate and understand that natural events and human influences can affect the survival of species. Key concepts
include
a) the interdependency of plants and animals.
81
Science 3 Curriculum
2012
Reporting Category: Earth/Space Systems and Cycles
Number of Items: 11
Standards of Learning:
Grade 2 Standards of Learning
2.6
The student will investigate and understand basic types, changes, and patterns of weather. Key concepts include
a) identification of common storms and other weather phenomena;
b) the uses and importance of measuring, recording, and interpreting weather data; and
c) the uses and importance of tracking weather data over time.
2.7
The student will investigate and understand that weather and seasonal changes affect plants, animals, and their surroundings. Key
concepts include
b) weathering and erosion of land surfaces.
Grade 3 Standards of Learning
3.7
The student will investigate and understand the major components of soil, its origin, and its importance to plants and animals including
humans. Key concepts include
a) soil provides the support and nutrients necessary for plant growth;
b) topsoil is a natural product of subsoil and bedrock;
c) rock, clay, silt, sand, and humus are components of soils; and
d) soil is a natural resource and should be conserved.
3.8
The student will investigate and understand basic patterns and cycles occurring in nature. Key
concepts include
a) patterns of natural events, such as day and night, seasonal changes, simple phases of the moon,
and tides;
82
Science 3 Curriculum
2012
b) animal life cycles; and
c) plant life cycles.
3.9
The student will investigate and understand the water cycle and its relationship to life on Earth.
Key concepts include
a) there are many sources of water on Earth;
b) the energy from the sun drives the water cycle;
c) the water cycle involves several processes;
d) water is essential for living things; and
e) water on Earth is limited and needs to be preserved.
3.10
The student will investigate and understand that natural events and human influences can affect the survival of species. Key concepts
include
b) the effects of human activity on air, water and habitat;
c) the effects of fire, flood, disease, and erosion on organisms; and
d) conservation and resource renewal.
3.11
The student will investigate and understand different sources of energy. Key concepts include
a) energy from the sun;
b) sources of renewable energy; and
c) sources of nonrenewable energy.
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Science 3 Curriculum
2012
84
Science 3 Curriculum
2012
SOL Enhanced Scope and Sequence
http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/scope_sequence/science_scope_sequence/scopeseq_science3.pdf
Supplemental Resources
Interactive Reading and Notetaking: Science Grade 3
FOSS (Full Option Systemic Science)
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