Essential Assessment Alignment Tool - Grade 3 Science

Core Curriculum SOI / Assessments / ILOs
STANDARD I: Students will understand that the shape of Earth and the moon are spherical and that Earth rotates on its axis to produce the appearance of the sun and moon moving through the sky.
Objective 1: Describe the appearance of Earth and the moon.
  1. Describe the shape of Earth and the moon as spherical.
  2. Explain that the sun is the source of light that lights the moon.
  3. List the differences in the physical appearance of Earth and the moon as viewed from space.
Objective 2: Describe the movement of Earth and the moon and the apparent movement of other bodies through the sky.
  1. Describe the motions of Earth (i.e., the rotation [spinning] of Earth on its axis, the revolution [orbit] of Earth around the sun).
  2. Use a chart to show that the moon orbits Earth approximately every 28 days.
  3. Use a model of Earth to demonstrate that Earth rotates on its axis once every 24 hours to produce the night and day cycle.
  4. Use a model to demonstrate why it seems to a person on Earth that the sun, planets, and stars appear to move across the sky.
/ Objective 1
Discussion
  1. Describe the similarities and differences of the moon and earth.
Constructed Response
  1. Draw pictures of the earth and moon.
  2. Where does the moon get its light?
Task
  1. In small groups have students model the light from the sun reflected off the moon.
Objective 2
Discussion
  1. How does the Earth move?
  2. Describe the motions of Earth.
Constructed Response
  1. Have students describe a chart that shows the moon orbiting Earth approximately every 28 days.
Task
  1. Have students model, with a styrofoam ball and skewer, how the earth rotates on its axis then model the revolution of the earth around the sun.
  2. Have students put a sticker on a globe where they live, shine a light on the globe where the sticker is. Is it day or night? Turn the globe counterclockwise until the sticker is away from you. Is it day or night? Ask students to describe why there is night and day.
  3. Have students use a model of the solar system to explain why it seems the sun, planets, and stars appear to move across the sky.

Core Curriculum SOI / Assessments / ILOs
STANDARD II: Students will understand that organisms depend on living and nonliving things within their environment.
Objective 1: Classify living and nonliving things in an environment.
  1. Identify characteristics of living things (i.e., growth, movement, reproduction).
  2. Identify characteristics of nonliving things.
  3. Classify living and nonliving things in an environment.
Objective 2: Describe the interactions between living and nonliving things in a small environment.
  1. Identify living and nonliving things in a small environment (e.g., terrarium, aquarium, flowerbed) composed of living and nonliving things.
  2. Predict the effects of changes in the environment (e.g., temperature, light, moisture) on a living organism.
  3. Observe and record the effect of changes (e.g., temperature, amount of water, light) upon the living organisms and nonliving things in a small–scale environment.
  4. Compare a small–scale environment to a larger environment (e.g., aquarium to a pond, terrarium to a forest).
  5. Pose a question about the interaction between living and nonliving things in the environment that could be investigated by observation.
/ Objective 1
Discussion
  1. Describe characteristics of nonliving things.
Constructed Response
  1. Write three characteristics of living things.
  2. Graphic organizer of living and nonliving things.
  3. Show students an example of a living thing and have them write or describe why it can be classified as living.
Task
  1. Give students two bins one for living and one for nonliving. Have them go outside and collect ten living things and ten nonliving things. Have them justify why each item is in its bin (also Obj. 2).
  2. Cut out items from a magazine and label as living or nonliving.
Objective 2
Discussion
  1. Describe how temperature, light, or moisture effect living organisms.
Constructed Response
  1. Have students describe what would happen if living things did not exist in an environment or if nonliving things did not exist in an environment (e.g., What would happen if we didn’t have water? What would happen if we didn’t have meat-eaters?)
Task
  1. Have students record observations of the effect of changes upon living organisms and nonliving things.

Core Curriculum SOI / Assessments
STANDARD III: Students will understand the relationship between the force applied to an object and resulting motion of the object.
Objective 1: Demonstrate how forces cause changes in speed or direction of objects.
  1. Show that objects at rest will not move unless a force is applied to them.
  2. Compare the forces of pushing and pulling.
  3. Investigate how forces applied through simple machines affect the direction and/or amount of resulting force.
Objective 2: Demonstrate that the greater the force applied to an object, the greater the change in speed or direction of the object.
  1. Predict and observe what happens when a force is applied to an object (e.g., wind, flowing water).
  2. Compare and chart the relative effects of a force of the same strength on objects of different weight (e.g., the breeze from a fan will move a piece of paper but may not move a piece of cardboard).
  3. Compare the relative effects of forces of different strengths on an object (e.g., strong wind affects an object differently than a breeze).
  4. Conduct a simple investigation to show what happens when objects of various weights collide with one another (e.g., marbles, balls).
  5. Show how these concepts apply to various activities (e.g., batting a ball, kicking a ball, hitting a golf ball with a golf club) in terms of force, motion, speed, direction, and distance (e.g. slow, fast, hit hard, hit soft).
/ Objective 1
Discussion
  1. Why is a still object not moving?
  2. Push a toy car across the floor and ask the student to describe the pushes and pull on the car as it move and slows and stops.
Construction Response
  1. Explain how forces can cause change in speed.
Task.
  1. As students participate in a sport activity (tug of war, swinging a golf club, swinging a bat, throwing a football, swinging on a swing) have them describe whether they are pushing or pulling or both.
  2. Have two spoons for each student, one that says “pull” and one that says “push.” Have students hold up the correct spoon for whether it’s a push or a pull.
Objective 2
Discussion
  1. How do you make an object go further?
  2. Place object of various weights, and shapes on a table in various positions (e.g., pop can on side to roll and upright to slide). Ask student to predict which object will be blown off the table by the fan you have in your room. Students will need to defend their predictions and use evidence. (use weight, friction, rolling, etc) Question their predictions. Cause and effect statement rather than “cause”.
Constructed Response
  1. What would happen if a bowling ball (large mass) was hit with a golf ball (smaller mass)? What would happen if a golf ball (smaller mass) was hit with a larger ball?
Task
  1. Swinging hammers activity – have students predict what happens to an object after it has been hit.
  2. Hit a ball, kick a ball, hit a golf ball, etc and have students describe force, motion, speed, and direction.
  3. Have students make “skimmers” to compare the effects of a force on objects of different weights.

Core Curriculum SOI / Assessments
STANDARD IV: Students will understand that objects near Earth are pulled toward Earth by gravity.
Objective 1: Demonstrate that gravity is a force.
  1. Demonstrate that a force is required to overcome gravity.
  2. Use measurement to demonstrate that heavier objects require more force than lighter ones to overcome gravity.
Objective 2: Describe the effects of gravity on the motion of an object.
  1. Compare how the motion of an object rolling up or down a hill changes with the incline of the hill.
  2. Observe, record, and compare the effect of gravity on several objects in motion (e.g., a thrown ball and a dropped ball falling to Earth).
  3. Pose questions about gravity and forces.
/ Objective 1
Discussion
  1. How do you make an object move?
  2. What happens when you throw a ball?
Constructed Response
  1. Describe why when you throw a ball up, it doesn’t keep going up.
  2. Is gravity a force and what does that mean?
Task
  1. Throw (or use pendulum and same height) various size balls (of various weights) with a constant force and have students describe what happened.
Objective 2
Discussion
  1. What would happen if you rolled a ball up a hill?
Constructed Response
  1. How does the height of a ramp affect the distance an object would travel?
  2. Write three questions you have about gravity. Write three questions you have about forces.
  3. If a piece of paper drops to the floor, what are three questions you could have about this?
  4. Why is the saying, “What goes up, must come down,” usually true?
Task
  1. Drop water balloons from various heights. Have students observe, record, and compare the effect of different heights on the water balloons.
  2. Uphill Battle from CORE Academy 2004, to assess effects of gravity on an object. Describe why the ball does not travel up as far on the opposite side as the side you released the ball.

Core Curriculum SOI / Assessments
STANDARD V: Students will understand that the sun is the main source of heat and light for things living on Earth. They will also understand that the motion of rubbing objects together may produce heat.
Objective 1: Provide evidence showing that the sun is the source of heat and light for Earth.
  1. Compare temperatures in sunny and shady places.
  2. Observe and report how sunlight affects plant growth.
  3. Provide examples of how sunlight affects people and animals by providing heat and light.
  4. Identify and discuss as a class some misconceptions about heat sources (e.g., clothes do not produce heat, ice cubes do not give off cold).
Objective 2: Demonstrate that mechanical and electrical machines produce heat and sometimes light.
  1. Identify and classify mechanical and electrical sources of heat.
  2. List examples of mechanical or electrical devices that produce light.
  3. Predict, measure, and graph the temperature changes produced by a variety of mechanical machines and electrical devices while they are operating.
Objective 3: Demonstrate that heat may be produced when objects are rubbed against one another.
  1. Identify several examples of how rubbing one object against another produces heat.
  2. Compare relative differences in the amount of heat given off or force required to move an object over lubricated/non–lubricated surfaces and smooth/rough surfaces (e.g., waterslide with and without water, hands rubbing together with and without lotion).
/ Objective 1
Discussion
  1. Why is it cooler at night than in the day?
  2. How does the sun affect plant growth?
  3. How does the sun affect animals?
  4. Does a sweater produce heat? Does an ice cube produce cold?
Constructed Response
  1. Describe two ways the sun affects you. Describe two ways the heat affects you.
  2. Describe why you might want a sweater when it’s cold outside.
Task
  1. Compare temperatures in various locations. Why is there a difference in the temperature? Is the air warmer in the sun? Why does it feel like it is warmer in the sun? Is the sun’s energy hitting your skin?
  2. Grow plants in different locations (one with sun, one without) and observe what happens to the plants.
  3. Have students check temperatures in different rooms in their homes. Are rooms with more sunlight/windows warmer?
Objective 2
Discussion
  1. Why does something get warm when you turn it on? Do some things get warmer than others?
  2. Do machines always give off heat and light?
  3. Is the computer room warmer than other rooms in your school?
Constructed Response
  1. Have students provide examples of mechanical sources that produce heat or light and electrical sources that produce heat or light.
  2. Have students categorize mechanical and electrical devices.
Task
  1. Heat scavenger hunt. Have students go around the school and write down things that produce heat. Have them also include a list of things that produce light.
  2. Graph the temperature changes produced by a variety of machines and electrical devices while they are operating.
Objective 3
Discussion
  1. What happens when you rub your hands together?
  2. How do you warm your hands when you are outside on a cold day? Why do you rub your hands together?
Constructed Response
  1. Why does a lubricated surface have less friction?
  2. Why do you think slides at swimming pools have water on running down them?
  3. Describe three toys or games that have friction to help them work.
Task
  1. Have students rub their hands together. Then rub their hands on their pants. Which produces more heat? Why? Have students put lotion on their hands and rub together again. What happened to the heat?
  2. Have students rub sand paper on a piece of wood and touch the wood, then do it on carpet, linoleum, or grass.