Study Buddy
Destination: Southeastern United States
Dear Parents,
We are sending the study buddy out today, and we’ll let you
know the test date closer to time. Remember, just like with the
last study buddy, if you study with your child and you sign saying
you have studied, your child receives 3 Bonus Points if they bring
back the study buddy on the day of the test.
Thanks,
3rd Grade Teachers
These are science concepts I will need to understand:
 Hurricanes form over warm water. Hurricanes are large
storms that produce strong winds and lots of rain. When
hurricanes reach land, they die down. Hurricanes can cause
lots of damage to buildings, and they can cause floods. The
hurricanes that hit the Southeast, start in the Atlantic Ocean
or the Caribbean Sea.
 Astronomy is the study of space. Astronomers use
telescopes to be able to see objects in space that are too far
away to see with your eyes.
 The Kennedy Space Center, found at Cape Canaveral,
Florida, is a place where astronauts work.
 Our galaxy is called the Milky Way.
 The sun is a giant star in the center of our solar system. The
sun provides both light and heat to Earth.
 There are 8 planets in our solar system. All of the planets
revolve around the sun. However, they travel at different
speeds. The planets are divided into two groups: the inner
planets and the outer planets.
 The inner planets include Mercury, Venus, Earth, and
Mars. All of the inner planets have rocky surfaces, iron cores,
and are terrestrial (which means Earth-like).
 Mercury is very hot when facing the sun (800 degrees F) and
very cold when facing away from the sun (-292 degrees F).
 Venus has a very thick atmosphere that traps heat. The
temperature on Venus stays about 840 degrees F.
 Earth has a hydrosphere (water) that covers almost ¾ of the
planet. Earth rotates once every 24 hours. Earth’s surface is
always changing because of wind, water, earthquakes,
hurricanes, storms, volcanoes, and people. Earth is 93 million
miles away from the sun. Earth has an atmosphere (air) that
protects the planet from the harmful rays of the sun. Our
atmosphere is like a blanket that keeps us warm and keeps
the water from escaping into space.
 Mars is nicknamed the Red Planet. Mars is about the same
size as Earth. There is a large canyon on Mars that makes
the Grand Canyon look like a ditch in the road.
 The outer planets include Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and
Neptune. The outer planets are gas giants and have rings.
The gases that make up these planets are hydrogen and
helium.
 Jupiter is the largest planet. It is so big that nearly 1,000
Earths could fit inside of it. Jupiter has a large red spot that is
really a large storm.
 Saturn is known for its many rings that are made of dust and
ice. Saturn is not as dense as water so that means it could
float!
 Uranus has an unusual tilt. It actually tilts on its side.
 Neptune has rings made of ice particles. It is very cold on
Neptune (-328 degrees F).
 Our universe contains all the planets and the stars.
 A group of stars is called a constellation. The Big Dipper is
an example of a constellation.
 The Earth rotates one time each day or 24 hours. When the
Earth is facing the sun, it is daytime. When the Earth is
facing away from the sun, it is nighttime. As the Earth
rotates, shadows change.
 The Earth is tilted on its axis so at different times of the year,
some parts of the Earth are tilted towards the sun. This is the
reason we have 4 seasons. When the Northern Hemisphere
is tilted towards the sun, the Southern Hemisphere is tilted
away from the sun. So, different hemispheres have opposite
seasons. For example, if the Northern Hemisphere is having
summer, the Southern Hemisphere, is having winter.
 The moon is a large chunk of rock that revolves around the
Earth. We only see one side of the moon because the moon
does not rotate. That is why the moon seems to change
shape. The changing shapes are called phases. It takes
about a month for the moon to cycle through these phases:
(new moon, waxing crescent, 1st quarter, waxing gibbous,
full moon, waning gibbous, last quarter, waning crescent,
new moon)
 Neil Armstrong was the first astronaut to stand on the moon.
His footprint is still there because there is no wind on the
moon.
 Gravity is the force that keeps our feet on the ground. The
force of gravity is stronger on Earth than the moon.
 The gravity of the Earth is what holds the moon in our orbit.
The pull of gravity between the Earth and the moon is the
reason for changing tides at the beach.
Some social studies concepts I will need to understand:
 The Caribbean Sea is located between South America and
North America.
 The Gulf of Mexico is like a c-shaped body of sea water.
 The Atlantic Ocean forms the Eastern boundary of the United
States.
 The Mississippi River is the oldest river in the United States.
 The mountain chain that is located in the Southeast is called
the Appalachian Mountains.
 There are 12 states that are considered part of the Southeast.
They include: Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North
Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee,
Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana.
 Each state has a capital city. Tallahassee, Florida; Atlanta,
Georgia; Columbia, South Carolina; Raleigh, North Carolina;
Richmond, Virginia; Charleston, West Virginia; Frankfort,
Kentucky; Nashville, Tennessee; Montgomery, Alabama;
Jackson, Mississippi; Little Rock, Arkansas; and Baton
Rouge, Louisiana.
 Florida is a peninsula. That means it is a piece of land
surrounded by water on three sides.
 The Everglades is a National Park located at the southern tip
of Florida.
 Beaches are located where the land connects to the sea.
Most states in the Southeast have beaches. Florida, Georgia,
South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia all touch the
Atlantic Ocean. Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana
all touch the Gulf of Mexico.
 A large delta has formed where the Mississippi River empties
into the Gulf of Mexico. A delta is a great place for farming,
but it can flood easily.
 Choosing to live or to build along the coast is a risk. You may
enjoy the beautiful beaches and warm sunshine, but you take
a risk because of the hurricanes that often hit these areas.
 Back in history, there were people who moved here to make
money. They raised large crops of cotton in the rich soil of
the southeast. These large cotton farms were called
plantations. In order to help do all of the hard work on the
plantations, the owners often bought slaves from Africa to
work.
Performances I will need to be able to do:
Can I locate all 12 Southeastern states on a map?
Can I locate the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, the
Mississippi River, the Appalachian Mountains, and the Caribbean
Sea on a map?
Can I sketch the phases of the moon?
Can I list the 8 planets in order?
Can I describe the effects of a hurricane?
Can I sketch a picture to show why we have daytime and
nighttime on Earth?
Can I explain why we have seasons?
Can I compare the inner planets to the outer planets?
Can I name the capital cites of each 12 Southeastern states?
Remember the test date will be at a later time. This study
buddy is to help you know what we are doing and to help you
share in your child’s education. Studying is a key to success.
Thank you for supporting your child by studying with them.
If your child has the study buddy signed and at school on the
day of the test then they will receive 3 Bonus Points. (Sign
me for +3) When you sign, you are a witness that your child
has studied at home. Good Luck!
_______________________________________ (parent signature)