Grade 3 Science
Plants and Animals
Is It Dust, Dirt, Dandruff or a Seed?
This activity asks students to help Detective Le Plant discover how a seed grows into a plant. As the students search for clues they learn all about seeds and solve the case.
All About Birds
Students learn about the characteristics of birds, their diet, classification and more.There are links to information about specific birds, printouts, state birds, and more.
Plants and Animals Interact
Ecosystems
Students learn that everything in the natural world is connected. This page introduces ecosystems and their characteristics.
Deciduous Forest
This web page from NASA includes the location and characteristics of deciduous forests as well as information about the animals and plants that inhabit them.
Tropical Rainforest
This web page from NASA includes the location and characteristics of tropical rain forests as well as information about the animals and plants that inhabit them.
Exploring Ecosystems
Students investigate three different ecosystems and discover the plants, animals, and interactions that occur in each. Chapter 2- Living Things Depend on One Another
Food Webs
Students begin to understand ecosystems by building three food webs.
Earths Land
Minerals, Rocks, and Fossils
The Rock Cycle
This page designed for children by NASA explains the changes that occur during the Rock Cycle. There is a graphic that helps students
visualize the continuous cycle too. There is also a link that explains the Water Cycle.
Rocks on the Move
Rocks are always on the move through the rock cycle!
Click on parts of this rock cycle diagram to find out more about:
Sedimentary rocks
Igneous rocks
Metamorphic rocks
Types of Land
Students who explore this site from Harcourt will view definitions, pictures, and information for more than 20 different landforms and features.
Earthquakes
This page designed for kids by the U.S. Department of Interior is very informative and includes maps of recent earthquakes in the USA, Science Fair Project Ideas, puzzles and games,
as well as online activities.
Yellowstone Geysers
Students learn about geysers and can watch streaming videos that were captured at Yellowstone National Park. Have students choose modem speed 56 when they watch the clips.
The Dirt on Soil
This site from Discovery School allows students to explore the many layers of soil, view a field guide to learn about life in soil, and take a virtual animated journey underground.
Earth's Resources
Renewable or Nonrenewable?
This activity explains the management process for protecting natural resources. Students take virtual field trips several protected places. They explore the web sites to discover the unique features that make it worth protecting.
Dr. E's Energy Lab
This children's site is produced by the U.S. Department of Energy. Students learn about renewable energy including Wind Energy, Geothermal Energy, Solar Energy, and Alternative Fuels. There is an Energy Efficiency Tip page too. Each topic page links to other appropriate kid friendly sites that students can explore to increase their knowledge.
Recycling Kids Page
This interactive site is designed to teach students about the importance of waste reduction, recycling, and solid waste management. There are links to other environmental education and games sites included too.
Cycles on Earth and in Space
Kids Zone Water Cycle
The earth has a limited amount of water. That water keeps going around and around and around and around and (well, you get the idea) in what we call the "Water Cycle".
Observing Weather
Weather Wiz Kids
This page explains which weather instrument measures what, and how the instrument works. This site also includes information on all aspects of weather including hurricanes, tornadoes, winter storms, and much more.
Weather Watch
This interactive site from Scholastic allows students to 'test drive' the tools meteorologists use every day. Students click on each tool for more information along with instructions on building it and using it in an experiment.
Earth and Its Place in the Solar System
Seasons
This web page has links to information about the Earth's tilt, the effects of direct and indirect sunlight, and Earth's orbit. There is also a link that explains how the combination of these things cause the seasons.
Investigating Matter
Properties of Matter
This web page designed for kids explains all about matter. Physical and chemical properties are covered as well as how matter moves from one state to another. There are links to pages on solids, liquids, gases, and more.
Measuring Mass
This page shows a picture of a triple beam balance that is used to measure mass. There is a link to a page that describes how to use the balance and a link to a mass vs weight page. There are also three problems on the page that students can complete online.
Changes in Matter
Mixtures and Solutions
Students can learn about mixtures and solutions on these pages produced for students by Chem4kids.com.
Exploring Energy
How Batteries Work
This site prepared for students by the Eveready Battery Company has a page that explains how batteries work. Students can watch animations showing the construction of a battery and how a battery powers a device. There are links that include How Flashlights Work, History of Batteries, Science Projects and more.
Light and Light Waves
This web page helps students understand how light waves work. There is an animation that helps students visualize the movement of waves.
Sound Waves
This page explains what sound waves are and how they work. There is a mini-quiz at the end of the page that students can use to check their understanding.
What is Electricity?
This page explains what electricity is, where it comes from, and how it works. There are links to additional websites about electricity too.
What is Energy?
Students learn what energy is, how we measure energy, how energy can be transformed into another form, and about some different forms of energy.
Dr. E's Energy Lab
This web site produced by the U. S. Department of Energy exposes students different forms of renewable energy. Wind, Solar, Geothermal, and alternative fuels are all covered. There is also a link that encourages and shows children how to become more energy efficient at home and at school.
Chapter 2- Heat
Heat and Energy Transfer
This page discusses the three ways that thermal energy is transferred and what happens as a result of transfer. This page can help students understand what heat is and how it occurs.
How does a Thermometer Work?
This page explains how the thermometers that we use today work. The history of the thermometer and there are links to other thermometer related pages that expand on the same thermometer topics. Chapter 3- Forces and Motion
Forces: Pushes and Pulls
This site explains to students that although we can't actually see forces we do see their effects on objects. Students see what those effects can be. They learn about Sir Isaac Newton and how force is measured. There are links that explain other topics about forces including acceleration, speed, springs.
Newton's Laws of Motion
This web page states Newton's three laws of motion and describes the physical principles he discovered over 300 years ago.
Gravity
Students learn what gravity is on this page. There are links to other pages that have more information about forces.
Simple Machines
This site teaches students about the six simple machines. Each page has information and activities for student use. There is a short online quiz for students to test their knowledge.
More Simple Machines
This page includes examples and activities to help students understand how simple machines make work easier.