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
Changing States
A 60-minute lesson in which students will observe how a change of state between solid and liquid can be caused by adding or removing heat.
- Plus Plan
Thermal Conductors - Feel the Heat
A 60 minute lesson in which students will investigate which materials are the best thermal conductors.
- Plus Plan
Changing States – Assessment
An assessment task in which students will demonstrate knowledge and understanding of how adding and removing heat can cause solids and liquids to change states.
- Plus Plan
Moving Heat
A 60 minute lesson in which students will explore the concept of heat transference.
- Plus Plan
Recycling Case Study – Soft Plastics
A 60-minute lesson in which students will explore how changes from solid to liquid and liquid to solid can help in the process of recycling plastic.
- Plus Plan
Adding Heat
A 60-minute lesson in which students will investigate what happens when heat is applied to a range of solids.
- Plus Plan
Sources of Heat
A 60 minute lesson in which students will identify kinetic, electrical and chemical sources of heat energy.
- Plus Plan
Removing Heat
A 60-minute lesson in which students will investigate what happens when heat is removed from a range of liquids.
- Plus Plan
What is Heat?
A 60 minute lesson in which students will explore the concept of heat as a form of energy.
- Plus Plan
What is a Fair Test? (Middle Years)
- Plus Plan
Changing States of Matter Video – How Long Will It Take to Melt?
Watch this fun changing states of matter science experiment video with your Year 3 class, and skip the melty classroom mess!