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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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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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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Solids, Liquids and Gases PowerPoint
A 31 slide editable PowerPoint template to use when teaching your students about solids, liquids and gases.
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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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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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Planets Fact Sheets and Comprehension Worksheets
Learn the facts of each of the planets in our solar system with these fact files and matching comprehension worksheets.
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Living & Non-Living Things - Picture Sort
Sort biotic vs. abiotic things and discuss their characteristics with a hands-on living vs. nonliving picture sort.
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Earth and Space Vocabulary Posters
Display this set of 18 mini-posters in your classroom when learning about Earth and space vocabulary.
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Properties of Solids, Liquids and Gases – Worksheet
A cut and paste activity that explores the properties of solids, liquids and gases.
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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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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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Changing States – Worksheet
A worksheet to consolidate your students' understanding of state changes from solid to liquid and liquid to solid.
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Solids, Liquids and Gases – Sorting Activity
A sorting activity to help students identify solids, liquids and gases.
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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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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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Day and Night – Worksheet
Encourage your students to illustrate the day and night cycle with this free worksheet.
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How to Make a Sundial
Print this sundial science worksheet, and follow the instructions to make a sundial with your students when exploring concepts of time.
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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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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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Planets of the Solar System – Project Template
Create a visual display of information about the planets of the solar system using this project template.
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Heat Sources Poster Set
Display these heat sources posters during your heat energy science unit.
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Rotation vs. Revolution Poster Set
Display information in your classroom about the differences between rotation and revolution with this poster set.
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Interplay of the Sun, Earth and Moon Poster
A poster showing the interplay of the Sun, Earth and Moon.
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Roll to Create an Animal - Adaptations Game
Roll to create an animal with cool adaptations using a fun dice game and report template.
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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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States of Matter: Liquids – Poster
An educational poster explaining the properties of liquids.
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Day and Night Venn Diagram
Brainstorm the similarities and differences between day and night using this Venn Diagram worksheet with your students.
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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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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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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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Day and Night Cycle Poster
Display information about Earth’s day and night cycle with this colourful science poster.
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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.