Forces and motion
Students push, pull, and roll objects to see how forces change motion. They look for patterns, like a swing going back and forth, and use those patterns to predict what will happen next.
What does a student learn in
This is the year science turns into evidence. Students gather data about weather across the seasons, then use charts to spot patterns and predict what comes next. They study how living things grow up, pass on traits, and survive in their habitats, and they test how pushes, pulls, and magnets move objects. By spring, students can look at a simple chart or experiment and explain what it shows.
- Weather and climate
- Life cycles
- Inherited traits
- Habitats and survival
- Forces and motion
- Magnets
Year at a glance
How the year usually goes. Every school and district set their own curriculum, so treat this as a guide, not official pacing.
- 1
- 2
Magnets and invisible forces
Students explore magnets and static electricity, noticing how two objects can pull or push each other without touching. They then use what they learn to solve a small design problem with magnets.
- 3
Life cycles and traits
Students compare how plants and animals are born, grow, have young, and die. They notice which traits come from parents, like eye color or leaf shape, and which ones change based on where something lives.
- 4
Survival, groups, and fossils
Students look at how animals living in groups, like wolves or ants, help each other survive. They study fossils to picture animals from long ago and explain why some living things thrive in a habitat while others do not.
- 5
Weather, climate, and hazards
Students track temperature, rain, and wind across the seasons and chart what they find. They compare climates around the world and weigh ideas for protecting people from storms, floods, and other weather hazards.
Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 3.
Earth and Space Sciences
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Charting weather by season | Students record weather data in tables and charts to show what kind of weather a season typically brings, like cold and snowy winters or warm and rainy springs. | 3-ESS2-1 |
| Climates around the world | Students research what the weather is usually like in places around the world, such as rainforests, deserts, or snowy regions, and put that information together to describe each place's typical climate. | 3-ESS2-2 |
| Weather and the water cycle | Students plan and run a simple experiment to see how weather connects to water on Earth, like how rain, evaporation, or clouds form as part of the same cycle. | 3-ESS2-3 |
| Weather protection: does this design work? | Students pick a real weather problem (like flooding or heavy snow) and explain whether a solution (like a flood barrier or a snow roof) actually helps. They back up their opinion with evidence. | 3-ESS3-1 |
Life Science
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| How living things are born, grow, and die | Students compare the life cycles of different animals and plants, showing how each species follows its own path while every living thing is born, grows, reproduces, and dies. | 3-LS1-1 |
| Animal groups and survival | Animals like wolves, elephants, and fish can live in groups instead of alone. Students explain why, using examples that show how the group helps each animal find food, stay safe, or care for young. | 3-LS2-1 |
| Traits parents pass to offspring | Plants and animals get most of their traits from their parents. Students look at real data to see how traits like fur color or leaf shape are passed down, and why offspring in the same family still look a little different from one another. | 3-LS3-1 |
| How surroundings shape animal traits | Students learn that a trait like height or leaf size isn't decided by genes alone. They look at real examples to explain how sunlight, food, or other conditions can change how a living thing grows. | 3-LS3-2 |
| What fossils tell us about ancient life | Fossils are clues about life long ago. Students look at fossil evidence, such as bones or leaf prints, to figure out what ancient creatures looked like and what kind of place they lived in. | 3-LS4-1 |
| Survival advantages from variation within a species | Some animals are faster, better camouflaged, or stronger than others in their group. Students study why those differences help certain individuals survive long enough to have offspring. | 3-LS4-2 |
| Which animals fit which habitat | Students look at a specific habitat and use evidence to explain why some animals and plants thrive there, while others struggle or can't survive at all. | 3-LS4-3 |
| Animals and plants when environments change | Students pick a real-world solution to habitat change, such as replanting native plants after a wildfire, and explain why it would help animals and plants survive there. | 3-LS4-4 |
Physical Science
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Balanced and unbalanced forces and motion | Students push, pull, and test objects to figure out what makes them move, speed up, or stay still. The experiment shows what happens when forces on an object are equal versus unequal. | 3-PS2-1 |
| Predicting motion from patterns | Students watch a moving object (a rolling ball or a swinging pendulum) and look for a repeating pattern. Then they use that pattern to predict where the object will go next. | 3-PS2-2 |
| Magnets and electricity acting at a distance | Students ask questions about why magnets attract or repel each other without touching, or why certain objects move toward a charged surface. The focus is on figuring out what causes those invisible forces to push or pull. | 3-PS2-3 |
| Solving problems with magnets | Students think up a real problem a magnet could solve, like keeping a cabinet closed or sorting metal objects, then describe how the magnet's push or pull makes it work. | 3-PS2-4 |
Assessments
The state tests students at this grade and subject take.
NYSAA (New York State Alternate Assessment)
The alternate state test for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. NYSAA replaces the Grade 3-8 tests and Regents exams in ELA, math, and science for the small group of students whose IEP teams qualify them.
- When given:
- Spring window each year
- Frequency:
- Annual
Common Questions
What does science look like this year?
Students study weather and climate, how plants and animals grow and survive, and how forces like pushes, pulls, and magnets move things. Most of the work happens through hands-on investigations, not just reading. Students collect data, make charts, and explain what they notice.
How can families support science learning at home?
Track the weather together for a week and look for patterns. Watch ants or birds in the yard and talk about why they live in groups. Play with magnets on the fridge and ask what sticks and what does not. Ten minutes of noticing counts.
Why is so much time spent on weather and climate?
Students learn to read graphs and tables by tracking real weather data across seasons. They also compare climates in different parts of the world and think about how to protect people from storms and floods. It is one of the biggest pieces of the year.
How should the year be sequenced?
A common order is forces and motion in the fall, life cycles and traits through the winter, and weather, climate, and survival in habitats in the spring. Weather data collection can run all year as a background routine. Fossils fit well near the end of the life science unit.
What does mastery look like by June?
Students should be able to read a simple graph, describe a pattern, and back up an idea with evidence from an investigation or text. They should explain that traits come from parents but can also be shaped by the environment. They should design a simple solution to a real problem, such as a storm or a habitat change.
Which topics usually need the most reteaching?
Inherited traits versus learned or environmental traits trip up most students, especially with plants. The difference between balanced and unbalanced forces also needs repeated practice with real objects. Plan extra investigations and short writing tasks for both.
Does memorizing animal facts matter?
Not really. Students are expected to use evidence to explain ideas, such as why a wolf pack helps each wolf survive or why a fossil tells us about a long-ago swamp. Talking through the reasoning at home matters more than memorizing names.
How is engineering part of third grade science?
Students design solutions twice this year. Once for a weather hazard, such as a model roof that stands up to wind, and once for a magnet problem, such as a way to sort metal objects. Cardboard, tape, and household magnets are enough to practice this at home.
How do I know students are ready for next year?
By spring, students should be running short investigations with a clear question, recording results in a table, and writing a few sentences that use the data to support a claim. If that loop feels steady, fourth grade science will land well.