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- Science: 3rd Grade
North Carolina - Science: 3rd Grade
Essential Standards | Adopted: 2010
NCES.3.P: : Forces and Motion
NCES.3.P.1: : Understand motion and factors that affect motion.
NCES.3.P.1.1: : Infer changes in speed or direction resulting from forces acting on an object.
Force and Fan Carts
Explore the laws of motion using a simple fan cart. Use the buttons to select the speed of the fan and the surface, and press Play to begin. You can drag up to three objects onto the fan cart. The speed of the cart is displayed with a speedometer and recorded in a table and a graph. 5 Minute Preview
Free Fall Tower
Recreate Galileo's famous experiment by dropping objects off the Tower of Pisa. You can drop ping pong balls, golf balls, soccer balls or watermelons. Objects can be dropped in air or no air, with or without a parachute. The speed of each object is shown on a speedometer and a graph. 5 Minute Preview
NCES.3.P.1.2: : Compare the relative speeds (faster or slower) of objects that travel the same distance in different amounts of time.
Measuring Motion
Go on an African safari and observe a variety of animals walking and running across the savanna. Videotape the animals, and then play back the videotape to estimate animal speeds. Which animals run fastest? 5 Minute Preview
NCES.3.P.1.3: : Explain the effects of earth’s gravity on the motion of any object on or near the earth.
Free Fall Tower
Recreate Galileo's famous experiment by dropping objects off the Tower of Pisa. You can drop ping pong balls, golf balls, soccer balls or watermelons. Objects can be dropped in air or no air, with or without a parachute. The speed of each object is shown on a speedometer and a graph. 5 Minute Preview
NCES.3.P: : Matter: Properties and Change
NCES.3.P.2: : Understand the structure and properties of matter before and after they undergo a change.
NCES.3.P.2.2: : Compare solids, liquids, and gases based on their basic properties.
Phases of Water
Heat or cool a container of water and observe the phase changes that take place. Use a magnifying glass to observe water molecules as a solid, liquid, or gas. Compare the volumes of the three phases of water. 5 Minute Preview
NCES.3.P.2.3: : Summarize changes that occur to the observable properties of materials when different degrees of heat are applied to them, such as melting ice or ice cream, boiling water or an egg, or freezing water.
Phases of Water
Heat or cool a container of water and observe the phase changes that take place. Use a magnifying glass to observe water molecules as a solid, liquid, or gas. Compare the volumes of the three phases of water. 5 Minute Preview
NCES.3.P: : Energy: Conservation and Transfer
NCES.3.P.3: : Recognize how energy can be transferred from one object to another.
NCES.3.P.3.1: : Recognize that energy can be transferred from one object to another by rubbing them against each other.
Conduction and Convection
Two flasks hold colored water, one yellow and the other blue. Set the starting temperature of each flask, choose a type of material to connect the flasks, and see how quickly the flasks heat up or cool down. The flasks can be connected with a hollow pipe, allowing the water in the flasks to mix, or a solid chunk that transfers heat but prevents mixing. 5 Minute Preview
NCES.3.P.3.2: : Recognize that energy can be transferred from a warmer object to a cooler one by contact or at a distance and the cooler object gets warmer.
Conduction and Convection
Two flasks hold colored water, one yellow and the other blue. Set the starting temperature of each flask, choose a type of material to connect the flasks, and see how quickly the flasks heat up or cool down. The flasks can be connected with a hollow pipe, allowing the water in the flasks to mix, or a solid chunk that transfers heat but prevents mixing. 5 Minute Preview
NCES.3.E: : Earth in the Universe
NCES.3.E.1: : Recognize the major components and patterns observed in the earth/moon/sun system.
NCES.3.E.1.1: : Recognize that the earth is part of a system called the solar system that includes the sun (a star), planets, and many moons and the earth is the third planet from the sun in our solar system.
Solar System
Explore our solar system and learn the characteristics of each planet. Compare the sizes of planets and their distances from the Sun. Observe the speeds of planetary orbits and measure how long each planet takes to go around the Sun. 5 Minute Preview
NCES.3.E.1.2: : Recognize that changes in the length and direction of an object’s shadow indicate the apparent changing position of the Sun during the day although the patterns of the stars in the sky, to include the Sun, stay the same.
Seasons: Earth, Moon, and Sun
Observe the motions of the Earth, Moon and Sun in three dimensions to explain Sunrise and Sunset, and to see how we define a day, a month, and a year. Compare times of Sunrise and Sunset for different dates and locations. Relate shadows to the position of the Sun in the sky, and relate shadows to compass directions. 5 Minute Preview
NCES.3.L: : Ecosystems
NCES.3.L.2: : Understand how plants survive in their environments.
NCES.3.L.2.1: : Remember the function of the following structures as it relates to the survival of plants in their environments:
NCES.3.L.2.1.d: : Flowers – attract pollinators and produce seeds for reproduction
Flower Pollination
Observe the steps of pollination and fertilization in flowering plants. Help with many parts of the process by dragging pollen grains to the stigma, dragging sperm to the ovules, and removing petals as the fruit begins to grow. Quiz yourself when you are done by dragging vocabulary words to the correct plant structure. 5 Minute Preview
NCES.3.L.2.2: : Explain how environmental conditions determine how well plants survive and grow.
Growing Plants
Investigate the growth of three common garden plants: tomatoes, beans, and turnips. You can change the amount of light each plant gets, the amount of water added each day, and the type of soil the seed is planted in. Observe the effect of each variable on plant height, plant mass, leaf color and leaf size. Determine what conditions produce the tallest and healthiest plants. Height and mass data are displayed on tables and graphs. 5 Minute Preview
NCES.3.L.2.3: : Summarize the distinct stages of the life cycle of seed plants.
Flower Pollination
Observe the steps of pollination and fertilization in flowering plants. Help with many parts of the process by dragging pollen grains to the stigma, dragging sperm to the ovules, and removing petals as the fruit begins to grow. Quiz yourself when you are done by dragging vocabulary words to the correct plant structure. 5 Minute Preview
Correlation last revised: 10/4/2022
About STEM Cases
Students assume the role of a scientist trying to solve a real world problem. They use scientific practices to collect and analyze data, and form and test a hypothesis as they solve the problems.
Each STEM Case uses realtime reporting to show live student results.
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STEM Cases take between 30-90 minutes for students to complete, depending on the case.
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Multiple grade-appropriate versions, or levels, exist for each STEM Case.
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