Sparta Township School District
Unit Overview
Content Area: Science
Unit Title: Weather and Climate
Unit: 1
Grade Level: Third Grade
Timeline: 6 weeks; 1st Marking Period
Unit Summary: In this unit, students will explore the characteristics of weather, how it’s measured, and create
charts and graphs to identify patterns of weather over a given period of time. Based on different types of
weather, students will determine what design solutions can be used to reduce the impacts of hazardous weather.
They will be able to differentiate between weather and climate and compare the climates of various regions of
the world (rainforest, tundra, and desert).
Primary interdisciplinary connections: Math, English Language Arts, Social Studies, Technology, Character
21st Century themes and skills: Global Awareness, Creativity and Innovation, Critical Thinking and Problem
Solving, Media Literacy, ICT Literacy, Information Literacy
Unit Rationale: The students will have an understanding of weather, the effects and ways to reduce weatherrelated hazards, and the tools used to measure weather. In addition, students will identify patterns of climate in
different regions of the world, so they can compare them and apply the knowledge to their own community.
Learning Targets
Standards:
Sparta Township School District
Unit Essential Questions
 How does weather affect you?
 How can we identify patterns in the climates
of different places around the world?
Unit Enduring Understandings
 Weather is what is happening outside your window.
 People in different places protect themselves from
destructive weather.
 Data shows patterns in average temperature, precipitation,
and wind direction in a given location over a specific
period of time.
 Climate is the long-term state of weather. (over decades)
 There are patterns in different climates.
Unit Learning Targets
Students will ...
 Recognize that weather is what is happening outside your window.
Sparta Township School District
 Investigate and create the tools that measure temperature, precipitation and wind direction (thermometer,
rain gauge, wind vane).
 Record weather data on a chart over a period of time showing average temperature, precipitation and wind
direction.
 Create a bar graph or pictograph using the recorded data from the charts to show changes of weather over
the month.
 List design solutions used within communities due to destructive weather.
 Develop a logical argument for why design solutions (barriers, basements, storm windows, etc.) reduce the
impact of destructive weather.
 Explain the difference between weather and climate.
 Compare and contrast climates of rainforest (tropical wet), tundra, desert (arid).
 Research patterns in climatographs (precipitation and temperature) in the rainforest, desert, and tundra.
Teacher Instructional Resources
 Non-fiction books related to weather, climate, and precipitation
 Weather Instruments book pg. 3, pg. 5, pg. 8
 Weather chart
 Bar graph or pictograph worksheets
 www.weatherwizkids.com
 Tornado Chasers (guided reading book)
 Weather vs. Climate chart
 Climate research site: https://sites.google.com/site/climatetypes/
 Climatographs: Rainforest, Tundra, Desert
 Rainfall for Regions of the World
Integration of Technology:
 SMARTBoard, Internet
Technology Resources:
Click the links below to access additional resources used to design this unit:
 www.weatherwizkids.com
 https://sites.google.com/site/climatetypes/
Materials / Equipment Needed:
 Weather chart
 Climatographs (Rainforest, Tundra, Desert)
 Thermometers from the science closet
Opportunities for Differentiation:
-Graphic organizers/ note taking strategies
-Any additional research students choose to complete on their own
-Utilize pairing and grouping activities
-Deliver instruction in a variety of modalities (VAKT)
Sparta Township School District
Teacher Notes:
Unit Overview
Content Area: Science
Unit Title: Forces and Interactions
Unit: 2
Grade Level: Third Grade
Timeline: 2nd Marking Period
Unit Summary: In this unit, students will explore the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces of the motion
of an object. Based on patterns of motion, predictions will be made for the future movement of an object.
Students will understand how magnets works, the positive and negative poles of magnets, and the cause and
effect of magnetic interactions between two objects that are not in contact. Students will apply what they have
learned about magnets using problem solving techniques.
Primary interdisciplinary connections: English Language Arts, Math, Technology, Character Education
21st Century themes and skills: Creativity and innovation, Critical Thinking and Problem Solving,
Communication and Collaboration
Unit Rationale: The students will understand the impact of a force on an object even when two objects are not
touching. In addition, students explore how magnets work and are used to attract and repel objects in our daily
lives.
Learning Targets
Standards:
Sparta Township School District
Unit Essential Questions
 What makes an object move?
 What impact do magnets have on our
lives?
Unit Enduring Understandings
 All objects can move due to force.
 When there’s balanced force there’s no movement.
 Motion can create predictable patterns.
 Objects don’t need to touch to create motion due to
magnetism.
 Distance, number, and size of magnets affect the magnetic
force.
 Magnets are used to solve simple design problems.
Sparta Township School District
Unit Learning Targets
Students will ...
 Recognize that all objects can move with force.
 Distinguish between balanced force and unbalanced force.
 Investigate the different types of forces (gravity, weight, friction, wind, manpower, electricity, etc.)
 Recognize that an object in motion follows a pattern that is predictable.
 Investigate how magnets work.
 Prove that magnets do not need to touch all objects in order to create force.
 Distinguish between the effects of putting together similar and opposite poles of a magnet.
 Observe how distance, number, and size of magnets affect the magnetic force (using experiments and
website).
 Design a solution for a simple problem by applying scientific ideas about magnets.
Teacher Instructional Resources
 Forces and Motion book (Science closet)
 http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/index_flash.shtml (Choose examples of forces from: Ages
5-6, Ages 6-7, Ages 7-8, Ages 8-9, Ages 10-11)
 Worksheet on balanced forces and unbalanced forces
 The Mystery of Magnets (guided reading level 38) by Deborah Kekewich
 Magnetism experiment on YouTube
 FOSS packet for student activities and experiments
Integration of Technology:
 SMARTBoard, Internet
Technology Resources:
Click the links below to access additional resources used to design this unit:
 http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/index_flash.shtml (Choose examples of forces from: Ages
5-6, Ages 6-7, Ages 7-8, Ages 8-9, Ages 10-11)
 YouTube magnetism experiment
Materials / Equipment Needed:
 Various magnets: horseshoe, bar, donut shaped, small, medium, large
 Forces and Motion book
 Rope or yarn with a marked middle point for Tug of War
 Swing/ marble & bowl
 Mystery of Magnets (guided reading level 38)
 Magnets of different size
 Magnetic items for experiments
 Magnetism experiment on YouTube (to watch or recreate)
 FOSS packet with magnet experiments
Opportunities for Differentiation:
-Graphic organizers/ note taking strategies
-Any additional research students choose to complete on their own
Sparta Township School District
-Utilize pairing and grouping activities
-Deliver instruction in a variety of modalities (VAKT)
Teacher Notes:
Sparta Township School District
Unit Overview
Content Area: Science
Unit Title: Inheritance and Variation of Traits: Life Cycles and Traits
Unit: 3
Grade Level: Third Grade
Timeline: 3rd Marking Period
Unit Summary: In this unit, students will understand that plants and animals have unique and diverse life
cycles, but share common elements such as: birth, growth, reproduction, and death. In addition, plants and
animals have traits that are inherited from their parents and variations in these traits exist among similar
organisms. These traits can also be influenced by the environment and may provide advantages in surviving,
finding mates, and reproducing within their environment.
Primary interdisciplinary connections: English Language Arts, Technology, Character Education
21st Century themes and skills: Global awareness, Environmental literacy, Information Literacy, Critical
Thinking and Problem Solving, Communication and Collaboration
Unit Rationale: The students will understand similarities and differences in the plant and animal life cycles,
inherited traits, and how the environment can play a role in influencing their traits. In addition, students will
explain how these various characteristics can provide advantages for survival, finding mates, and reproduction
within their environment.
Learning Targets
Standards:
Sparta Township School District
Unit Essential Questions
 In what ways are life cycles of plants and
animals alike and different?
 What is the impact of the environment on
plants’ and animals’ traits?
 Why do plant and animal offspring resemble
or differ from their parents?
Unit Enduring Understandings
 Plants and animals have unique, but predictable life cycles.
 Offspring generally resemble their parents and each other,
but may vary in certain characteristics.
 Characteristics are inherited, however; some may be
caused by the environment.
 The environment can affect the development of plants and
animals.
Unit Learning Targets
Students will ...
 Identify that plants and animals have their own life cycle.
Sparta Township School District
 Investigate and draw conclusions about the patterns of certain animals’ life cycles. (monarch butterflies,
komodo dragons, giant panda, and poison dart frogs)
 Recognize the steps in a flowering plant life cycle.
 Distinguish between inherited traits and environmentally influenced traits of plants and animals.
 Draw conclusions about how plants’ and animals’ characteristics in an environment affect survival, finding
mates, and reproduction.
Teacher Instructional Resources
 Plant and Animal Life Cycles Publisher: Delta Science Readers (book closet)
 National Geographic Life Cycles books By: Tracey Reeder (monarch butterflies, komodo dragons,
giant panda, and poison dart frogs)
 Patterns of Life Cycles chart
 http://www.smithlifescience.com/mlmealworms.htm (Mealworms informational site)
 Animal Life Cycles video on United Streaming (14 minutes)
 Plant Life Cycles video on United Streaming (20 minutes)
 Mealworm booklet
Integration of Technology:
 SMARTBoard, internet
Technology Resources:
Click the links below to access additional resources used to design this unit:
 Animal Life Cycles video on United Streaming (14 minutes)
 Plant Life Cycles video on United Streaming (20 minutes)
 http://www.smithlifescience.com/mlmealworms.htm (Mealworms informational site)
Materials / Equipment Needed:
 Plant and Animal Life Cycles Publisher: Delta Science Readers
 National Geographic Life Cycles books By: Tracey Reeder (monarch butterflies, komodo dragons,
giant panda, and poison dart frogs)
 Patterns of Life Cycles chart
 Mealworms, corn meal, and classroom container
 Seeds, cups, and dirt
 Mealworm booklet
Opportunities for Differentiation:
-Graphic organizers/ note taking strategies
-Any additional research students choose to complete on their own
-Utilize pairing and grouping activities
-Deliver instruction in a variety of modalities (VAKT)
Teacher Notes:
Sparta Township School District
Unit Overview
Content Area: Science
Unit Title: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems
Unit: 4
Grade Level: Third Grade
Timeline: 4th Marking Period
Unit Summary: In this unit, students will examine why certain animals group together for survival. Students
will analyze and interpret data that fossils provide about the environment in which they lived long ago and
investigate how some organisms survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all in a
particular habitat. Additionally, they will determine the effects on plants and animals when the environment
changes.
Primary interdisciplinary connections: English Language Arts, Technology, Character Education
21st Century themes and skills: Global awareness, Environmental literacy, Information Literacy, Critical
Thinking and Problem Solving, Communication and Collaboration
Unit Rationale: The students will have an understanding for why animals group together for survival, how
fossil data provides information about the environment in which they lived long ago, and how current
organisms survive well, less well, or not at all within their habitat. Additionally, students will be able to
problem solve what happens to plants and animals when their environment changes.
Learning Targets
Standards:
Sparta Township School District
Unit Essential Questions
 How do animals rely on each other for
survival?
 What do fossils tell us about the past?
 How does the environment affect how well
an organism is able to survive?
Unit Learning Targets
Students will ...
Unit Enduring Understandings
 Some animals group together to help members survive.
 Fossils provide us with evidence about the organisms and
the environments in which they lived long ago.
 Organisms in particular habitats either survive well, less
well, or not at all.
 When a problem occurs in the environment, some types of
plants and animals may have to change in order to survive.
Sparta Township School District
 Recall previously learned habitats and key terms associated with habitats such as: organisms, species,
population, and community.
 Draw conclusions about how animals interact within an habitat/ecosystem.
 Investigate the relationship between animals in a food chain and food web.
 Formulate a list of animals that group together to help members of that group survive and explain why
animals do this.
 Interpret data about fossils and what that tells us about past and present plants, animals, and their
environment.
 Compare organisms that survive well, less well, or not at all in particular habitats.
 Analyze how plants and animals may change in order to survive when a problem occurs in the environment.
Teacher Instructional Resources
 Food Chains and Webs Publisher: Delta Science Readers
 Predator and Prey skills sheet
 Food Chain activity
 www.unitedstreaming.com (Search animal adaptations)
 Zebras By: Graham Meadow- GR big book, The Buzz about Honeybees by Emily Costello- GR big book,
and fish from fact sheet
 Fossil Seekers by Laura Buller (GR big book)
 www.pebblego.com
 www.brainpopjr.com
 Food chain game:http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/content/animals/kidscorner/games/foodchaingame.htm
 Scholastic studyjams/ecosystems
Integration of Technology:
SMARTBoard, Internet
Technology Resources:
Click the links below to access additional resources used to design this unit:
 www.unitedstreaming.com
 www.pebblego.com
 www.brainpopjr.com
Materials / Equipment Needed:
 Food Chains and Webs Publisher: Delta Science Readers
 Predator and Prey skills sheet
 Food Chain Game activity instructions and skills sheet
 Grouping for Survival (summative skills sheet
 Chocolate chip cookies and toothpicks
Opportunities for Differentiation:
-Graphic organizers/note taking strategies
-Any additional research students choose to complete on their own
-Utilize pairing and grouping activities
-Deliver instruction in a variety of modalities (VAKT)
Sparta Township School District
Teacher Notes:
Sparta Township School District