Third Grade Science Standards
Content Standard
EALR 4: Physical Science
Big Idea: Energy: Transfer,
Transformation, and Conservation
Core Content: Forms of Energy
2-3 PS3A Heat, light, motion, electricity, and sound
are all forms of energy.
Performance Expectation
(Lesson Content Goals)
Science Content
Or Kits Used
Essential
Vocabulary
Assessments
Science
Demonstrations,
Labs, Activities
Science
Notebooking
Science Probe: 1-14
“The Mitten Problem”
Science Demo: “The
Tapping Finger”
Science Saurus
Science Probe: 2-5
“Turning the Dial”
Science Demo: “
The Vanishing
Reflection”
Supplemental
Materials
(Highlight denotes
District Content
Vocabulary)
Use the word energy to explain everyday activities (e.g.,
food gives people energy to play games).
Give examples of different forms of energy as observed
in everyday life: light, sound, and motion.
Explain how light, sound, and motion are all energy.
Textbook:
Science Horizons
Silver, Burdett &
Ginn, 1991
Circular motion
Electricity
Form
Forms of Energy
Function
Heat
Light
Motion
Sound
Classroom
Demonstrations
on District
Webpage
Science Short
Stories on
District Webpage
FOSS:
Magnetism and
Electricity
Science Probe: 2-6
“Boiling Time and
Temperature”
Science Probe: 2-7
“Freezing Ice”
Science Probe: 2-8
“What’s In the
Bubbles?”
Science Probe: 2-10
“Ice-Cold Lemonade”
Science Probe: 2-11
“Mixing Water”
Science Probe: 4-6
“Ice Water”
Science Probe: 4-7
“Warming Water”
Science Demo:
“Balls of Energy”
Science Demo:
“Cans of Sound
(The Bonko)”
Science Demo:
“Energy Abounds”
Science Demo:
“Energy
Conversions”
Science Demo:
“Energy I Use”
EALR 4: Earth and Space Science
Big Idea: Earth in the Universe
Core Content: The Sun’s Daily Motion
Performance Expectation
(Lesson Content Goals)
Science Content
Or Kits Used
Essential
Vocabulary
Supplemental
Materials
Assessments
Science
Demonstrations,
Labs, Activities
(Highlight denotes
District Content
Vocabulary)
2-3 ES1A Outdoor shadows are longest during the
morning and evening and shortest during
the middle of the day. These changes in the
length and direction of an object’s shadow
indicate the changing position of the Sun
during the day.
EALR 4: Life Science
Big Idea: Ecosystems
Core Content: Changes in Ecosystems
Mark the position of shadows cast by a stick
over the course of a few hours, and infer how
the Sun has moved during that time.*a
Observe that the length of shadows is
shortest at about noon, and infer that this is
because the Sun is highest in the sky (but not
directly overhead) at about that time. *a
Explain how shadows could be used to tell
the time of day.*b
Performance Expectation
(Lesson Content Goals)
Textbook:
Science Horizons
Silver, Burdett &
Ginn, 1991
Science Content
Or Kits Used
Direction
Distance
Evening
Infer
Length
Location
Longest
Morning
Position
Shadows
Shortest
Essential
Vocabulary
Science
Notebooking
Science Probe: 1-1
“Can It Reflect Light?”
Science Saurus
Science Probe: 1-2
“Apple In the Dark”
Classroom
Demonstrations
on District
Webpage
Science Short
Stories on
District Webpage
Supplemental
Materials
Science Demo:
“Sundial Time”
Science Probe: 1-3
“Birthday Candles”
Science Probe: 3-24
“Me and My Shadow”
Science Probe: 4-19
“Camping Trip”
Assessments
Science
Demonstrations,
Labs, Activities
(Highlight denotes
District Content
Vocabulary)
2-3 LS2A Ecosystems support all life on the planet,
including human life, by providing food,
fresh water, and breathable air.
Identify at least four ways that ecosystems
support life (e.g., by providing fresh water,
generating oxygen, removing toxic pollutants,
and providing sources of useful materials).
2-3 LS2B All ecosystems change over time as a result
of natural causes (e.g., storms, floods,
volcanic eruptions, fire). Some of these
changes are beneficial for the plants and
animals, some are harmful, and some have
no effect.
Describe three or more of the changes that
occur in an ecosystem or model of a natural
ecosystem (e.g., aquarium, terrarium) over
time, as well as how these changes may affect
the plants and animals living there.*a
2-3 LS2C Some changes in ecosystems occur slowly
and others occur rapidly. Changes can affect
life forms, including humans.
Explain the consequences of rapid
ecosystem change (e.g., flooding, wind storms,
snowfall, volcanic eruptions).
Explain the consequences of gradual
ecosystem change (e.g., gradual increase or
Textbook:
Science Horizons
Silver, Burdett &
Ginn, 1991
Atmosphere
Beneficial
Breathable air
Changes
Ecosystems
Effect
Floods
Food
Fresh water
Harmful
Human Life
Impact
Life
Life Forms
Model
Natural causes
Negative
Science
Notebooking
Science Probe: 1-17
“Is It Living?”
Science Saurus
Science Probe: 1-20
“Functions of Living
Things”
Classroom
Demonstrations
on District
Webpage
Science Short
Stories on
District Webpage
Science Demo:
“Elementary
Ecosystems”
Science Demo:
“Spinning the
EcoWeb”
decrease in daily temperatures, reduction or
increase in yearly rainfall).
2-3 LS2D Humans impact ecosystems in both positive
and negative ways. Humans can help
improve the health of ecosystems so that
they provide habitats for plants and animals
and resources for humans over the long
term. For example, if people use fewer
resources and recycle waste, there will be
fewer negative impacts on natural systems.
EALR 4: Life Science
Big Idea: Biological Evolution
Core Content: Variation of Inherited
Characteristics
2-3 LS3A There are variations among the same kinds
of plants and animals.
2-3 LS3B The offspring of a plant or animal closely
resembles its parents, but close inspection
reveals differences.
Nutrients
Planet
Positive
Reasoning
Resources
Species
Steam
Storms
System
Volcanic eruptions
Water vapor
Weathering
Describe a change that humans are making
in a particular ecosystem and predict how that
change could harm or improve conditions for
a given type of plant or animal.*b
Propose a plan to protect or improve an
ecosystem.
Performance Expectation
(Lesson Content Goals)
Science Content
Or Kits Used
Essential
Vocabulary
Supplemental
Materials
Assessments
Science
Demonstrations,
Labs, Activities
(Highlight denotes
District Content
Vocabulary)
Give examples of variations among
individuals of the same kinds of plants and
animals within a population (e.g., tall and
short pine trees, black cats and white cats,
people with blue eyes or brown eyes, with
freckles or without).
Compare the offspring of a plant or animal
with its parents, listing features that are
similar and that are different.
2-3 LS3C Sometimes differences in characteristics
give individual plants or animals an
advantage in surviving and reproducing.
Predict how differences in characteristics
might help one individual survive better than
another (e.g., animals that are stronger or
faster, plants or animals that blend into the
background, plants that grow taller or that
need less water to survive).
2-3 LS3D Fossils are often similar to parts of plants or
animals that live today.
Observe fossils and compare them to
similar plants or animals that live today (e.g.,
compare a fossil fern with a similar fern that
STC Kit:
Plant Growth and
Development
Textbook:
Science Horizons
Silver, Burdett &
Ginn, 1991
STC Kit: Rocks and
Minerals (PS2A,
PS2B, ES2A, LS3D,
Background
Behavior pattern
Blend
Characteristics
Different
Dinosaurs
Faster
Fossil evidence
Fossils
Mammoths
Offspring
Parents
Population
Prehistoric
Reproducing
Similar
Stronger
Survive
T-Rex
Trilobites
Variations
Science
Notebooking
Science Probe: 2-17
“Baby Mice”
Science Saurus
Science Probe: 2-19
“Habitat Change”
Classroom
Demonstrations
on District
Webpage
Science Short
Stories on
District Webpage
Science Probe: 2-22
“Mountaintop Fossil”
Science Probe: 3-14
“Does It Have a Life
Cycle?”
Science Probe: 4-14
“Chicken Eggs”
Science Demo:
“Variation of
Inherited
Characteristics”
grows today, a dinosaur leg bone with the leg
bone of a reptile that lives today, a mastodon
and an elephant).
2-3 LS3E Some fossils are very different from plants
and animals that live today.
Conclude from fossil evidence that once
there were species on Earth that are no longer
alive (e.g., T-Rex, trilobites).
Given pictures of animals that are extinct
(e.g., dinosaurs, mammoths), describe how
these animals are different from animals that
live today.
LS3E.