Third Grade Science Vocabulary
Word
recycle
dispose
reuse
goggles
data
conclusion
predict
describe
observe
record
identify
investigate
evidence
analyze
Word
mass
matter
physical properties
Word
float
sink
Investigation Design & Safety
Definition
to use again, especially to reprocess
to place or set in a particular order; arrange
to use again, especially after salvaging or special treatment or processing.
a pair of tight-fitting eye glasses, often tinted or having side shields, worn to
protect the eyes from hazards such as wind, glare, water, or flying debris
Science information
made based on evidence
to say what you think will happen
saying or drawing what you see, hear, touch, taste or smell
to see, hear, touch, taste or smell
to write or draw
to tell what something is
to gather information
information or facts that make you believe something is true
to observe something carefully in order to understand it
Mass
Definition
a measure of the amount of matter in a solid, liquid, or gas
anything that has mass and takes up space
attributes that can be observed, measured, or changed without turning into a new
substance
Floating and Sinking
Definition
to rest on the surface or within a liquid
to fall or drop to the bottom of a liquid
Word
attract
force
magnet
magnetic
magnetism
pole
pull
push
repel
Magnetism
Definition
to pull together
a push or a pull
an object that attracts iron or steel
is attracted to a magnet
the pulling force between an object and a magnet
a place on a magnet where magnetism is the strongest
a force that moves an object closer to another object
a force that moves an object away from another object
to push away
Word
gas
liquid
matter
physical properties
solid
state of matter
temperature
Word
cooling
heating
temperature
melting
freezing
solid
condensation
evaporation
liquid
gas
States of Matter
Definition
a state of matter that takes both the shape and volume of its container
a state of matter that has a definite volume but takes the shape of its container
anything that has mass and takes up space
attributes that can be observed, measured, or changed without turning into a new
substance
a state of matter that has a definite shape and volume
a form that matter can take such as solid, liquid, or gas
the measure of how hot or cold something is
Heating & Cooling
Definition
taking heat energy away from a substance
adding heat energy to a substance
the amount of heat in matter
changing from a solid to a liquid state by adding heat energy
changing from a liquid to a solid state by taking heat energy away
a state of matter that has a definite shape and volume
changing from a gas to a liquid
changing from a liquid to a gas
a state of matter that has a definite volume but takes the shape of its container
a state of matter that takes both the shape and volume of its container
Mixtures
Word
mixture
strainer/sieve
substance
Word
energy
force
friction
gravity
magnetism
mechanical energy
motion
position
pull
push
weight
work
Word
energy
light energy
rays
source
Word
friction
heat/thermal energy
Definition
a combination of two or more materials that can be separated
a tool used to separate substances by their particle size
a specific kind of matter
Mechanical Energy
Definition
ability to cause movement or change
a push or a pull
a force caused by objects rubbing together that makes them slow down or stop
a force that pulls objects toward each other
the pulling force between an object and a magnet
energy of objects in motion
the movement of something from one place to another
an object’s location; where it is
a force that moves an object closer to another object
a force that moves an object away from another object
a measure of the force of gravity on an object
what is done when a force is used to move an object over a distance
Light Energy
Definition
ability to cause movement or change
energy that you can see
straight lines of light
where something comes from or begins
Thermal Energy
Definition
the rubbing of one object or surface against another
the energy of moving particles
Word
pitch
sound energy
sound waves
vibrate
vibrations
Sound Energy
Definition
how high or low a sound is
energy you can hear that is made when matter vibrates
the way that sound energy moves through matter
to move back and forth
repeated back and forth motions
Weather
Word
weather
temperature
wind
precipitation
thermometer
rain gauge
wind vane
Word
earthquake
erupt
flood
hill
hurricane
landform
landslide
lava
magma
mountain
plain
plates
rapid
tornado
tsunami
valley
volcano
Definition
a description of the outside air in a certain place at a certain time
a measure of how hot or cold something is
moving air
water that falls to the Earth in the form of rain, snow, sleet or hail
tool used to measure the amount of heat in the air
tool used to measure the amount of precipitation that falls
tool used to measure the direction wind is blowing
Earth’s Surface
Definition
shaking of the ground caused by the release of energy deep below the surface of
the Earth
to put gases, ash, and lava into the air or on the Earth’s surface
an event that happens when a body of water overflows onto land
a small mound of land
a severe tropical storm having winds greater than 74 miles per hour; starting near
the equator traveling in a northerly direction
a natural land shape on Earth’s surface
an event that happens when mud and rocks slide down a hill or mountain
magma that comes out of a volcano on the Earth’s surface
melted rock deep inside the Earth’s surface
the tallest landform on Earth; a large landform that rises up toward the sky
a large, flat area of land that does not have many trees
pieces of the Earth’s crust
very fast
violent storm with winds whirling around a small area of extremely low pressure
that appears as a dark funnel-shaped cloud causing damage along its path
a very large ocean wave caused by an underwater earthquake or volcanic
eruption
the low land between mountains
an opening in the Earth’s surface through which molten lava, ash, and gases
escape; over time a mountain can be created
Soil
Word
decomposition
soil
weathering
Definition
breaking down once living plants and animals into smaller pieces
the loose material that covers Earth’s surface made up of small pieces of rocks
and once living things
the breaking down of rock into tiny pieces by wind or water
Word
characteristics
conservation
conserve
material resources
natural resources
recycle
reduce
reuse
Word
community
drought
ecosystem
environment
habitat
organism
population
Word
carnivore
consume
ecosystem
food chain
herbivore
omnivore
predator
prey
Word
drought
extinct
flood
perish
survive
thrive
Word
adaptation
function
locomotion
protection
structure
support
Natural Resources
Definition
physical properties
the wise use of natural resources
use carefully to avoid waste or loss
natural resources that people use to make things
something from Earth that we can use to make things we want or need
to use a material to make something new instead of throwing it away
to use less of something
to use something again instead of throwing it away
Environments
Definition
a group of plants and animals living and interacting with each other in a habitat
a long period of little or no rainfall
living and nonliving things that interact to provide the basic needs of the
organisms that live there
everything in a habitat – both living and nonliving, including food, air, water, and
shelter
the environment in which an animal or plant normally lives or grows
a living thing
all the organisms of one type in a habitat
Food Chains
Definition
organism that eats animals
to eat
living and nonliving things that interact to provide the basic needs of the
organisms that live there
the path of energy from one organism to another in an ecosystem; arrows show
the flow of energy
organism that eats plants
organism that eats both plants and animals
animal that hunts and eats other animals
animal that is eaten by other animals
Environmental Changes
Definition
a long period of little or no rainfall
no longer exist
overflow of water on dry land
die
stay alive
grow strongly
Structure Function
Definition
inherited traits and learned behaviors that help a species meet its needs and
survive
a job or purpose
moving from place to place
keeping safe from harm
a part
hold up
Traits and Behaviors
Word
inherited trait
learned behavior
trait
behavior
instinct
offspring
adaptation
Word
germination
life cycle
seed
seedling
sprout
plant
fruit
frog egg
tadpole
larva
pupa
adult
Sun
star
orbit
revolve
Sun
star
dwarf planet
Earth
orbit
solar system
moon
planet
revolve
Definition
a characteristic that is passed from parents to their offspring
a behavior that an animal develops by observing other animals or by experience
a characteristic of an organism
something that an organism does to get the things it needs to survive
a behavior that an animal inherits from its parents; born knowing how to do it
without learning
new organisms produced by parents
inherited traits and learned behaviors that help organisms meet their needs and
survive
Life Cycles
Definition
process in which a plant begins to sprout
series of stages a living organism goes through as it grows, develops, and
matures
a structure produced by a plant that contains a tiny undeveloped plant and a
supply of food for the plant
a young plant that is grown from a seed
to begin to grow; give off shoots or buds
a living thing that cannot move from place to place on its own, makes its own food,
and produces offspring
the ripened part of a plant that produces seeds
laid in the water and covered with a jelly like substance
a young frog that has a tail and can breathe through its gills
hatches out of an egg, often worm-like
occurs as the larva changes completely inside a cocoon
fully developed and mature
The Sun
the closest star to Earth and the center of the solar system
a large sphere of hot gases that gives off light and heat energy
the path an object takes around another object in space
to move around something else
Solar System
the closest star to Earth and the center of the solar system
a large sphere of hot gases that gives off light and heat energy
orbits the Sun, but does not meet all the criteria to be a planet (Pluto)
the third planet from the Sun in the solar system
the path an object takes around another object in space
the Sun and all the objects that move around it
a round body that orbits around a planet
an object in space that orbits around the Sun, is round, and has cleared its orbit
to move around something else