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
Living & Non-Living Things - Picture Sort
Sort biotic vs. abiotic things and discuss their characteristics with a hands-on living vs. nonliving picture sort.
- Free Plan
Living and Non-Living Things Poster
Highlight the differences between living and non-living things with an illustrative Living vs. Nonliving Things Anchor Chart
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Living and Non-Living Things Teaching Slides
Discover living and nonliving things with an engaging Living vs. Nonliving things teaching slide deck.
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What Do Living Things Need to Survive? PowerPoint
Teach your students what living things need to survive with an engaging, interactive teaching slide deck.
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Solids, Liquids and Gases PowerPoint
Teaching your students about solids, liquids and gases with an engaging interactive teaching slide presentation.
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Animal Classes Word Search Pack - Upper Years
Review vocabulary related to animal classes and characteristics of animals with a pack of printable animal classification word searches.
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Earth's Rotation and Revolution – Teaching Presentation
Explore the difference between rotation and revolution while learning about the day and night cycle, what causes the seasons to change and more with this teaching presentation.
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States of Matter Virtual Escape Room Game - Laboratory Lockdown
Use a States of Matter Virtual Escape Room activity to engage and excite your students about the forms and changes seen in matter.
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Living or Non-Living? Worksheet
A worksheet that explores living and non-living things.
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Column / Bar Graph Poster
Hang this column / bar graph poster in your classroom to teach your students about the different parts of this commonly used graph.
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Planet Fact File Pack with Comprehension Worksheets
Learn the facts of each of the planets in our solar system with these planet fact file sheets and accompanying comprehension worksheets.
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Comprehending Science - States of Matter Worksheet Pack
Use our Comprehending Science - States of Matter Worksheet Pack to review concepts related to solids, liquids, and gases.
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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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If I Could Create My Own Planet Craft Template
Explore planets and let your students get creative by developing their own planet.
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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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STEM Challenge Planning Guide-Upper Years
Use this STEM Challenge Planning sheet with to keep your students on task and organised when completing STEM challenges.
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Naked Mole Rat - Reading Comprehension Worksheets
Read and learn facts about the naked mole rat with a printable reading comprehension worksheet pack for year 4 and 5.
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Thinking Like a Scientist - Scientific Method PPT
Introduce your students to the scientific process with an interactive Scientific Method PPT.
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What is a Fair Test? PowerPoint - Year 3 and Year 4
Teach your Year 3 and 4 students about fair tests with an engaging 'What is a Fair Test? Teaching Slide Presentation.
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Day and Night Cycle Poster
Display information about Earth’s day and night cycle with this colourful science poster.
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States of Matter Maze Worksheets
Practise identifying examples of solids, liquids, and gases with a set of printable States of Matter Maze Worksheets.
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3 States of Matter - I Spy Worksheets
Recognise examples of solids, liquids, and gases with a pack of printable States of Matter I Spy Worksheets!
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Classification of Animals - PowerPoint
Teach your students about the different classes of animals and their characteristics with an Animal Classification teaching presentation.
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Interplay of the Sun, Earth and Moon Poster
A poster showing the interplay of the Sun, Earth and Moon.
- Free Plan
Heat Energy Word Search
Help students remember heat energy vocabulary with this word search.
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Earth, Sun and Moon – Poster Pack
Display these posters with information about the Earth, Sun and moon in your science classroom.
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Properties of Solids, Liquids, and Gases Interactive Game
Discover the properties of solids, liquids, and gases with an engaging Properties of Matter Interactive Game.
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Animal Adaptations - Informative Writing Prompt Worksheets
Write to describe animals and their adaptations with a printable pack of informative writing worksheets.
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Heat Transfer Posters
Display these posters to check understanding or reinforce the teaching and learning of how heat energy transfers.
- 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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Planets of the Solar System – Project Template
Create a visual display of information about the planets of the solar system using this project template.
- Free Plan
Free Planet Colouring Pages
Use these black and white planet templates as colouring in pages for your students.