Georgia Science Learning Standards — Grade 3

Students will be aware of the importance of curiosity, honesty, openness, and skepticism in science and will exhibit these traits in their own efforts to understand how the world works.

Keep records of investigations and observations and do not alter the records later.

Offer reasons for findings and consider reasons suggested by others

Take responsibility for understanding the importance of being safety conscious

Students will have the computation and estimation skills necessary for analyzing data and following scientific explanations.

Add, subtract, multiply, and divide whole numbers mentally, on paper, and with a calculator.

Use commonly encountered fractions halves, thirds, and fourths (but not sixths, sevenths, and so on) in scientific calculations.

Judge whether measurements and computations of quantities, such as length, weight, or time, are reasonable answers to scientific problems by comparing them to typical values.

Students will use tools and instruments for observing, measuring, and manipulating objects in scientific activities utilizing safe laboratory procedures.

Choose appropriate common materials for making simple mechanical constructions and repairing things.

Use computers, cameras and recording devices for capturing information.

Identify and practice accepted safety procedures in manipulating science materials and equipment.

Students will use ideas of system, model, change, and scale in exploring scientific and technological matters.

Observe and describe how parts influence one another in things with many parts.

Use geometric figures, number sequences, graphs, diagrams, sketches, number lines, maps, and stories to represent corresponding features of objects, events, and processes in the real world.

Identify ways in which the representations do not match their original counterparts.

Students will communicate scientific ideas and activities clearly.

Write instructions that others can follow in carrying out a scientific procedure.

Make sketches to aid in explaining scientific procedures or ideas.

Use numerical data in describing and comparing objects and events.

Locate scientific information in reference books, back issues of newspapers and magazines, CD-ROMs, and computer databases.

Students will question scientific claims and arguments effectively.

Support statements with facts found in books, articles, and databases, and identify the sources used.

Students will be familiar with the character of scientific knowledge and how it is achieved.

Similar scientific investigations seldom produce exactly the same results, which may differ due to unexpected differences in whatever is being investigated, unrecognized differences in the methods or circumstances of the investigation, or observational uncertainties.

Some scientific knowledge is very old and yet is still applicable today.

Students will understand important features of the process of scientific inquiry. Students will apply the following to inquiry learning practices:

Scientific investigations may take many different forms, including observing what things are like or what is happening somewhere, collecting specimens for analysis, and doing experiments.

Clear and active communication is an essential part of doing science. It enables scientists to inform others about their work, expose their ideas to criticism by other scientists, and stay informed about scientific discoveries around the world.

Scientists use technology to increase their power to observe things and to measure and compare things accurately.

Science involves many different kinds of work and engages men and women of all ages and backgrounds.

.Students will investigate the physical attributes of rocks and soils.

Explain the difference between a rock and a mineral.

Recognize the physical attributes of rocks and minerals using observation (shape, color, texture), measurement, and simple tests (hardness).

Use observation to compare the similarities and differences of texture, particle size, and color in top soils (such as clay, loam or potting soil, and sand).

Determine how water and wind can change rocks and soil over time using observation and research..

Students will investigate fossils as evidence of organisms that lived long ago.

Investigate fossils by observing authentic fossils or models of fossils or view information resources about fossils as evidence of organisms that lived long ago.

Describe how a fossil is formed.

Students will investigate the habitats of different organisms and the dependence of organisms on their habitat.

Differentiate between habitats of Georgia (mountains, marsh/swamp, coast, Piedmont, Atlantic Ocean) and the organisms that live there.

Identify features of green plants that allow them to live and thrive in different regions of Georgia.

Identify features of animals that allow them to live and thrive in different regions of Georgia.

Explain what will happen to an organism if the habitat is changed.

Students will recognize the effects of pollution and humans on the environment.

Explain the effects of pollution (such as littering) to the habitats of plants and animals.

Identify ways to protect the environment. Conservation of resources Recycling of materials

Students will investigate how heat is produced and the effects of heating and cooling, and will understand a change in temperature indicates a change in heat.

Categorize ways to produce heat energy such as burning, rubbing (friction), and mixing one thing with another.

Investigate how insulation affects heating and cooling.

Investigate the transfer of heat energy from the sun to various materials.

Use thermometers to measure the changes in temperatures of water samples (hot, warm, cold) over time.

Students will investigate magnets and how they affect other magnets and common objects.

Investigate to find common objects that are attracted to magnets.

Investigate how magnets attract and repel each other.