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
Heat Conductors Science Experiment (Feel the Heat)
Investigate heat conductors with your students using this engaging science experiment.
- Free Plan
Forms of Energy (Heat, Light and Sound) Worksheet
Guide your students to identify different forms of energy with this cut and paste worksheet.
- Plus Plan
Earth and Space Vocabulary Posters
Display this set of 18 mini-posters in your classroom when learning about Earth and space vocabulary.
- Plus Plan
Celestial Bodies – Earth, Sun and Moon – Teaching Presentation
Learn information about the Earth, sun and moon while comparing the physical characteristics of each with this 22-slide teaching presentation.
- Plus Plan
Planets Collaborative Colouring Display
Combine colouring with awareness of the planets and the solar system with this collaborative colouring sheet.
- Plus Plan
What is Heat? Thermal Energy Teaching Slides
Guide students through learning about thermal energy with this set of ‘What is Heat?’ teaching slides.
- Plus Plan
Heat Sources Poster Set
Display these heat sources posters during your heat energy science unit.
- Plus Plan
Heat Transfer Posters
Display these posters to check understanding or reinforce the teaching and learning of how heat energy transfers.
- Plus Plan
Heat Conductors and Insulators Sorting Worksheet
Explore materials and everyday items as heat conductors or heat insulators during your heat energy unit plan with this cut-and paste worksheet.
- Free Plan
Lab Safety Interactive and Printable Cloze Reading Activity
Assess students' understanding of lab safety rules and expectations with this cloze reading activity.
- Plus Plan
Earth, Sun and Moon – Poster Pack
Display these posters with information about the Earth, Sun and moon in your science classroom.
- Plus Plan
Initiating a Scientific Investigation Worksheet
A worksheet to help the students begin the process of a scientific investigation.
- Plus Plan
Interplay of the Sun, Earth and Moon Poster
A poster showing the interplay of the Sun, Earth and Moon.
- Plus Plan
Design a Planet Project
Explore the different planets during this design your own planet project for kids.
- Free Plan
Heat Energy Word Search
Help students remember heat energy vocabulary with this word search.
- Free Plan
Plant Growth Chart Worksheet
Record the growth and changes in a plant over time with one of our differentiated plant growth charts.
- Plus Plan
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.
- Plus Plan
States of Matter: Liquids – Poster
An educational poster explaining the properties of liquids.
- Plus Plan
Moving Heat Worksheet
A worksheet to help students understand how heat moves.
- Plus Plan
Earth, Sun and Moon Pictures
Colourful pictures of the sun, Earth and moon.
- Plus Plan
Year 3 Sources of Heat Worksheet Pack
Learn all about different thermal energy sources with this set of heat worksheets.
- Plus Plan
Moon Phases – Cut and Paste Activity
Create a diagram showing the different moon phases and their names with this cut-and-paste activity sheet.
- Plus Plan
Living or Non-living Things – Interactive Activity
Identify living and non-living things with this self-checking interactive activity.
- Plus Plan
Rotation vs. Revolution – Cut and Paste Worksheet
Demonstrate an understanding of rotation vs. revolution with this cut and paste worksheet.
- Plus Plan
The Heat is On Worksheet
A worksheet to consolidate your students' understanding of heat energy.
- Plus Plan
Types of Insects - Minibeast Fact Cards
Discover facts and features of a variety of insects with a handy set of insect fact cards.
- Plus Plan
Year 3 Heat Energy Vocabulary Cards
Explore heat energy vocabulary with this set of thermal energy vocabulary cards.
- Plus Plan
Does the Sun Transfer Heat? – Science Experiment
Discover how the sun transfers thermal energy and which objects absorb more heat with this science experiment for kids.
- Free Plan
Living or Non-living? Colour by Code Worksheet
Practice identifying living and non-living things with this colour-by-code worksheet.
- Plus Plan
States of Matter: Solids – Poster
An educational poster explaining the properties of solids.
- Plus Plan
What is Heat? Worksheet
A worksheet to help students understand heat energy.
- Plus Plan
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.