Year 3
The science inquiry skills and science as a human endeavour strands are described across a two-year band. In their planning, schools and teachers refer to the expectations outlined in the achievement standard and also to the content of the science understanding strand for the relevant year level to ensure that these two strands are addressed over the two-year period. The three strands of the curriculum are interrelated and their content is taught in an integrated way. The order and detail in which the content descriptions are organised into teaching and learning programs are decisions to be made by the teacher.
Incorporating the key ideas of science
Over Years 3 to 6, students develop their understanding of a range of systems operating at different time and geographic scales.
In Year 3, students observe heat and its effects on solids and liquids and begin to develop an understanding of energy flows through simple systems. In observing day and night, they develop an appreciation of regular and predictable cycles. Students order their observations by grouping and classifying; in classifying things as living or non-living they begin to recognise that classifications are not always easy to define or apply. They begin to quantify their observations to enable comparison, and learn more sophisticated ways of identifying and representing relationships, including the use of tables and graphs to identify trends. They use their understanding of relationships between components of simple systems to make predictions.
(source: www.australiancurriculum.edu.au)
Achievement Standard
By the end of Year 3, students use their understanding of the movement of Earth, materials and the behaviour of heat to suggest explanations for everyday observations. They group living things based on observable features and distinguish them from non-living things. They describe how they can use science investigations to respond to questions.
Students use their experiences to identify questions and make predictions about scientific investigations. They follow procedures to collect and record observations and suggest possible reasons for their findings, based on patterns in their data. They describe how safety and fairness were considered and they use diagrams and other representations to communicate their ideas.
(source: www.australiancurriculum.edu.au)
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Heat Sources Cut-and-Paste Worksheet
Explore different types of heat sources with your students using this cut-and-paste worksheet.
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States of Matter: Gases – Poster
An educational poster explaining the properties of gases.
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Movement of the Sun, Earth and Moon Model
Demonstrate the interplay and movements of the sun, Earth and moon with this hands-on model.
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What is Heat? Thermal Energy Teaching Slides
Guide students through learning about thermal energy with this set of ‘What is Heat?’ teaching slides.
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Heat Insulators Science Experiment (Keeping Out the Heat)
Investigate heat insulators with your students using this engaging science experiment.
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Phases of the Moon – Comprehension Worksheet
Analyse different moon phases and how their visual appearances change over time with this reading comprehension worksheet.
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Living or Non-living Things – Interactive Activity
Identify living and non-living things with this self-checking interactive activity.
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What is Heat? Worksheet
A worksheet to help students understand heat energy.
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Free Planet Colouring Pages
Use these black and white planet templates as colouring in pages for your students.
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Moon Phases Diagram
Learn the phases of the moon in the southern hemisphere with this set of two posters.
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Moon Phases – Cut and Paste Activity
Create a diagram showing the different moon phases and their names with this cut-and-paste activity sheet.
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Rotation vs. Revolution – Cut and Paste Worksheet
Demonstrate an understanding of rotation vs. revolution with this cut and paste worksheet.
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Melting and Freezing - Worksheet
An activity to demonstrate how a change of state between solid and liquid (and back again) can be caused by adding or removing heat.
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Sources of Heat Teaching Slides
Learn about the different sources of heat with this set of engaging teaching slides.
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Heat Transfer Posters
Display these posters to check understanding or reinforce the teaching and learning of how heat energy transfers.
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Year 3 Heat Energy Vocabulary Cards
Explore heat energy vocabulary with this set of thermal energy vocabulary cards.
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Living and Non-Living Things - Word Wall Vocabulary
Discover the world of living and nonliving things, starting with a printable vocabulary word wall.
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Living or Non-living? Colour by Code Worksheet
Practice identifying living and non-living things with this colour-by-code worksheet.
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What's the Use? PowerPoint - Developing a Hypothesis to Investigate
A teaching presentation discussing the development of a scientific hypothesis.
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Types of Insects - Minibeast Fact Cards
Discover facts and features of a variety of insects with a handy set of insect fact cards.
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Forms of Energy (Heat, Light and Sound) Worksheet
Guide your students to identify different forms of energy with this cut and paste worksheet.
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Plant Growth Chart Worksheet
Record the growth and changes in a plant over time with one of our differentiated plant growth charts.
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Design a Planet Project
Explore the different planets during this design your own planet project for kids.
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Heat Conductors Science Experiment (Feel the Heat)
Investigate heat conductors with your students using this engaging science experiment.
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Heat Sources Sorting Activity
Explore various sources of heat with this printable sorting activity for your students.
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What is Heat? Poster
Explore the concept of heat energy with this classroom poster.
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Forms of Energy Poster Pack
Display information about mechanical, electrical, light, thermal and sound energy with this poster pack.
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The Moon of Planet Earth Worksheet
Engage your students with a high-interest reading passage about the moon with this informative article and accompanying response sheet.
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R.E.R.U.N. - Writing a Scientific Conclusion Poster
An educational poster introducing the students to the R.E.R.U.N. method for writing a scientific conclusion.
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Features of a Graph
A poster showing the main features of a graph.
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What is a Fair Test? - Middle Years PowerPoint
A 17 slide PowerPoint to use when teaching your students about how to make a fair test in Science.
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Planets Collaborative Colouring Display
Combine colouring with awareness of the planets and the solar system with this collaborative colouring sheet.