Rockingham County Public Schools

Third Grade Science Benchmarks

A Guide for Parent Involvement

 

1st Nine Weeks

 

Scientific investigation; 3.1

á       Develop questions to formulate hypotheses

á       Make predictions and observations

á       Gather, chart, and graph data (line plot, picture graph, and bar graph)

á       Classify objects with similar characteristics into at least two sets and two subsets

á       Make inferences and draw conclusions

á       Sequence natural events chronologically

 

Measurement; 3.1

á       Measure length to the nearest centimeter

á       Measure mass to the nearest gram

á       Measure volume the nearest milliliter and liter

á       Measure temperature to the nearest degree Celsius

á       Measure time is to the nearest minute

 

Matter 3.3

á       Objects are made of one or more materials that can be described by their physical properties

á       Materials are composed of parts that are too small to be seen without magnification

á       Physical properties remain the same as the material is reduced in size

 

Animal adaptations; 3.4

á       Methods of gathering and storing food, finding shelter, defending themselves, and rearing young

á       Hibernation, migration, camouflage, mimicry, instinct, and learned behavior

 

Aquatic and terrestrial food chains; 3.5

á       Producer, consumer, decomposer

á       Herbivore, carnivore, omnivore

á       Predator/prey

 

Habitats; 3.6

á       Water-related environments

á       Pond

á       Marshland

á       Swamp

á       Stream

á       River

á       Ocean

á       Dry-land environments

á       Desert

á       Grassland

á       Rainforest

á       Forest

á       Population and community

 

Cycles 3.8

á       Animal and plant life cycles

 

Review of K-2 Science SOLs

 

 

 

 

2nd Nine Weeks

 

Scientific investigation; 3.1

á       Develop questions to formulate hypotheses

á       Make predictions and observations

á       Gather, chart, and graph data (line plot, picture graph, and bar graph)

á       Classify objects with similar characteristics into at least two sets and two subsets

á       Make inferences and draw conclusions

á       Sequence natural events chronologically

 

Measurement; 3.1

á       Measure length to the nearest centimeter

á       Measure mass to the nearest gram

á       Measure volume the nearest milliliter and liter

á       Measure temperature to the nearest degree Celsius

á       Measure time is to the nearest minute

 

Simple machines 3.2

á       Types of simple machines (lever, screw, pulley, wheel and axle, inclined plane, wedge)

á       How simple machines function

á       Example of simple and compound machines found in the school, home, and work environment

á       Compound machines (scissors, wheelbarrow, and bicycle)

 

Matter 3.3

á       Objects are made of one or more materials that can be described by their physical properties

á       Materials are composed of parts that are too small to be seen without magnification

á       Physical properties remain the same as the material is reduced in size

 

Animal adaptations; 3.4

á       Methods of gathering and storing food, finding shelter, defending themselves, and rearing young

á       Hibernation, migration, camouflage, mimicry, instinct, and learned behavior

 

Aquatic and terrestrial food chains; 3.5

á       Producer, consumer, decomposer

á       Herbivore, carnivore, omnivore

á       Predator/prey

 

Habitats; 3.6

á       Water-related environments

á       Pond

á       Marshland

á       Swamp

á       Stream

á       River

á       Ocean

á       Dry-land environments

á       Desert

á       Grassland

á       Rainforest

á       Forest

á       Population and community

 

Cycles 3.8

á       Animal and plant life cycles

 

 

Sources of energy 3.11

á       SunÕs ability to produce light and heat energy

á       Sources of energy (sunlight, water, wind)

á       Fossil fuel (coal, oil, natural gas)

á       Wood

á       Renewable and nonrenewable energy resources

 

Review of K-2 Science SOLs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3rd Nine Weeks

 

Scientific investigation; 3.1

á       Develop questions to formulate hypotheses

á       Make predictions and observations

á       Gather, chart, and graph data (line plot, picture graph, and bar graph)

á       Classify objects with similar characteristics into at least two sets and two subsets

á       Make inferences and draw conclusions

á       Sequence natural events chronologically

 

Measurement; 3.1

á       Measure length to the nearest centimeter

á       Measure mass to the nearest gram

á       Measure volume the nearest milliliter and liter

á       Measure temperature to the nearest degree Celsius

á       Measure time is to the nearest minute

 

Simple machines 3.2

á       Types of simple machines (lever, screw, pulley, wheel and axle, inclined plane, wedge)

á       How simple machines function

á       Example of simple and compound machines found in the school, home, and work environment

á       Compound machines (scissors, wheelbarrow, and bicycle)

 

Soil 3.7

á       Provides support and nutrients necessary for plant growth

á       Topsoil, a natural product of subsoil and bedrock

á       Components of soils (rock, clay, silt, sand, humus)

á       Soil is a natural resource to be conserved

 

Cycles 3.8

á       Patterns of natural events

á       Day and night

á       Seasonal changes

á       Phases of the moon

á       Tides

 

Water cycle 3.9

á       Energy from the sun drives the water cycle

á       Processes involved in the water cycle

á       Evaporation

á       Condensation

á       Precipitation

á       Water supply and water conservation

á       Water is essential for living things

 

Conservation 3.10

á       Interdependency of plants and animals

á       Human effects on the quality of air, water, and habitat

á       Effects of fire, flood, disease, and erosion on organisms

á       Conservation and resource renewal

 

Review of K-2 Science SOLs

 

 

 

4th Nine Weeks

 

Scientific investigation; 3.1

á       Develop questions to formulate hypotheses

á       Make predictions and observations

á       Gather, chart, and graph data (line plot, picture graph, and bar graph)

á       Classify objects with similar characteristics into at least two sets and two subsets

á       Make inferences and draw conclusions

á       Sequence natural events chronologically

 

Measurement; 3.1

á       Measure length to the nearest centimeter

á       Measure mass to the nearest gram

á       Measure volume the nearest milliliter and liter

á       Measure temperature to the nearest degree Celsius

á       Measure time is to the nearest minute

 

Soil 3.7

á       Provides support and nutrients necessary for plant growth

á       Topsoil, a natural product of subsoil and bedrock

á       Components of soils (rock, clay, silt, sand, humus)

á       Soil is a natural resource to be conserved

 

Cycles 3.8

á       Patterns of natural events

á       Day and night

á       Seasonal changes

á       Phases of the moon

á       Tides

 

Water cycle 3.9

á       Energy from the sun drives the water cycle

á       Processes involved in the water cycle

á       Evaporation

á       Condensation

á       Precipitation

á       Water supply and water conservation

á       Water is essential for living things

 

Conservation 3.10

á       Interdependency of plants and animals

á       Human effects on the quality of air, water, and habitat

á       Effects of fire, flood, disease, and erosion on organisms

á       Conservation and resource renewal

 

á       Review of K-2 Science SOLs

 

 

SOL Test

 

Enrichment activities, investigations and projects based on interest areas in science.

 

 

 

 

**  The numbers throughout the Benchmarks refer to the Virginia Science Standards of Learning objectives.  For example, Ò3.4Ó refers to Third Grade SOL objective number Ò4Ó.