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)
- Plus Plan
Initiating a Scientific Investigation Worksheet
A worksheet to help the students begin the process of a scientific investigation.
- Free Plan
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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Thinking Like a Scientist PowerPoint
A 20 slide teaching presentation to use when introducing your students to the scientific method.
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Forms of Energy – Year 4 Science Experiments for Kids
Investigate mechanical, electrical, light, thermal and sound energy with this set of science activities for kids.
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What is Pollution? Instructional Slide Deck
Show your students the types of pollution and their effects with an instructional slide deck.
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Rotation vs. Revolution – Sorting Activity
Determine if examples are due to Earth’s rotation or revolution with this sorting activity.
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When Winter Comes - Keeping Warm Worksheet
A poem to activate students' prior knowledge about keeping warm.
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Freedom of Choice PowerPoint - Developing Scientific Lines of Questioning
A teaching presentation discussing the development of scientific lines of questioning.
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Order of the Planets Display Banner
Display this banner visually showing the order of the planets for students when they are learning about the solar system.
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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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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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Critically Endangered Species Map – Poster
A poster of the world map featuring 64 species and subspecies that are on the critically endangered list.
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States of Matter: Gases – Poster
An educational poster explaining the properties of gases.
- Free Plan
The Relative Distance From the Sun to Earth
Scaled images of the sun and Earth to use when exploring relative size and distance.
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Conductors and Insulators Poster
A poster highlighting conductors and insulators of heat energy.
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Nocturnal vs. Diurnal Animals Interactive Task Cards
Identify nocturnal and diurnal animals with an engaging, interactive task card game.
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Wheel of Heat Transfer Project
Explore the process of heat transfer with this engaging wheel of heat project.
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Heat Transfer Methods Worksheet Pack
Learn about the different ways heat can be transferred using this guided set of heat transfer worksheets.
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Forms of Energy Poster Pack
Display information about mechanical, electrical, light, thermal and sound energy with this poster pack.
- Free Plan
Moon Phases Diagram
Learn the phases of the moon in the southern hemisphere with this set of two posters.
- Plus Plan
Night and Day Word Wall
A set of vocabulary words related to night and day.
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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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Sun, Earth and Moon Task Cards
Review information about the Earth, Sun and moon with this set of task cards.
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Endangered Species Facts – Task Cards
Fact cards featuring 64 species and subspecies that are on the critically endangered list.
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Earth, Sun and Moon Pictures
Colourful pictures of the sun, Earth and moon.
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Classifying Vertebrates Flow Chart Poster
Classify vertebrates using an animal classification flowchart poster.
- Free Plan
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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Heat Transference Worksheet
A worksheet to help students identify examples of heat transference.
- Free Plan
Day and Night Venn Diagram
Brainstorm the similarities and differences between day and night using this Venn Diagram worksheet with your students.
- Plus Plan
Winter Animal Adaptations - Peg Cards
Discover which behavioural adaptations animals use to survive the winter with a set of Animals in Winter Clip Cards.
- Plus Plan
Plant Journal Observation Worksheets
Observe and record information about plants with a printable plant journal worksheet.
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How is Plastic Recycled? – Recycling Worksheets
Explore the process of recycling plastic with a printable recycling worksheet.