🔬

3rd Grade Science

A Christ-centered exploration of God's creation through life science, physical science, and earth science. Students develop scientific inquiry skills through hands-on investigations, learning to observe, question, predict, and draw conclusions. The curriculum emphasizes God as Creator and Designer, fostering wonder at the intricacy and order built into the natural world while developing stewardship responsibility.

180Lessons
36Weeks
30Min/Day

Year-Long Goals

1

Develop scientific inquiry skills including identifying variables, designing controlled experiments, and constructing explanations from evidence

2

Understand life cycles, inheritance, and how organisms interact with their environments

3

Explore forces, motion, magnetism, and simple machines through hands-on investigation

4

Investigate weather patterns, climate, fossils, and rocks while recognizing God's design in Earth's systems

5

Cultivate wonder at God's creation and understand science as a way of studying what God has made

36-Week Scope & Sequence

Click any week to see daily lesson details.

Week 1From Seed to Flower: Plant Life CyclesObservation and documentation of life cycle stages
Week 2How Plants ReproduceUnderstanding plant reproduction mechanisms
Week 3Animal Life Cycles: Diversity in DevelopmentComparing diverse life cycle patterns
Materials:
  • life cycle cards for various animals
  • chart paper
  • markers
  • library books or videos on metamorphosis
  • science journals
Week 4Traits: What We Inherit from Our ParentsUnderstanding inherited characteristics
Materials:
  • family photos (optional)
  • trait survey sheets
  • mirrors
  • colored pencils
  • plant samples showing variation
Week 5Organisms and Their EnvironmentsUnderstanding organism-environment interactions
Week 6Humans and the EnvironmentUnderstanding stewardship responsibility
Week 7Understanding ForcesIdentifying and describing forces
Week 8Motion and PatternsPredicting and describing motion patterns
Week 9The Power of MagnetismExploring magnetic properties and interactions
Materials:
  • bar magnets
  • horseshoe magnets
  • ring magnets
  • iron filings
  • paper clips
  • various objects to test
  • magnetic field viewers
  • compasses
Week 10Simple Machines: Tools That Help Us WorkUnderstanding mechanical advantage
Materials:
  • lever materials (rulers, fulcrums, weights)
  • pulleys and rope
  • inclined planes
  • screws and bolts
  • wedges
  • wheel and axle models
Week 11Compound Machines and EngineeringUnderstanding how simple machines combine
Week 12Weather Watching: Tools and ObservationsCollecting and recording weather data
Materials:
  • thermometers
  • rain gauges
  • wind vanes
  • anemometers (or materials to make them)
  • weather journals
  • cloud identification charts
Week 13Weather vs. ClimateDistinguishing between weather and climate patterns
Materials:
  • weather data from previous week
  • climate maps
  • graph paper
  • world map or globe
  • temperature data from different locations
Week 14Predicting Weather PatternsUsing data to make weather predictions
Week 15Fossils: Windows to the PastUsing fossils as evidence of past life
Week 16Rocks: Earth's Building BlocksClassifying rocks by properties and formation
Materials:
  • rock collection with igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic samples
  • hand lenses
  • vinegar for testing
  • hardness testing tools
  • classification charts
Week 17The Rock CycleUnderstanding cyclical processes in Earth systems
Week 18Minerals: Earth's Crystal TreasuresTesting and identifying mineral properties
Materials:
  • mineral samples
  • streak plates
  • hardness testing tools
  • magnifying glasses
  • penny, nail, glass for hardness tests
  • mineral identification charts
Week 19Review and Celebrate: Life ScienceSynthesizing and demonstrating life science learning
Week 20Review and Celebrate: Physical ScienceSynthesizing and demonstrating physical science learning
Week 21Review and Celebrate: Earth ScienceSynthesizing and demonstrating earth science learning
Week 22Introduction to MatterObserving and describing properties of matter
Week 23States of MatterUnderstanding and comparing states of matter
Materials:
  • ice cubes
  • water
  • balloons
  • various containers
  • thermometers
  • hot plate or heat source (adult supervision)
  • science journals
Week 24Changing States of MatterObserving and explaining state changes
Week 25Mixtures and SolutionsCreating and separating mixtures
Week 26Heat and TemperatureMeasuring and understanding thermal energy
Week 27Sound: Vibrations We Can HearUnderstanding sound production and properties
Week 28Light: Energy We Can SeeUnderstanding light properties and behavior
Week 29Electricity BasicsUnderstanding electrical circuits
Week 30Energy: Forms and TransformationsIdentifying energy forms and transformations
Week 31The Solar System: Our Place in SpaceUnderstanding Earth's place in the solar system
Week 32Exploring SpaceUnderstanding space exploration and technology
Week 33Scientific Method: Putting It All TogetherConducting complete scientific investigations
Week 34Science Fair: Student InvestigationsIndependent scientific inquiry and communication
Week 35Year in Review: Life and Earth ScienceSynthesizing year-long learning
Week 36Year in Review: Physical Science and CelebrationCelebrating year-long growth and achievement

Ready to Begin?

Start with Day 1 and work through at your own pace. Each lesson builds on the last!