This is the year science becomes hands-on investigation with real measurements. Students plan simple experiments, use rulers and scales to collect data, and explain what they found with charts and short write-ups. They study how forces move objects, how weather and the solar system work, and how plants and animals survive in their habitats. By spring, students can run a simple experiment and share the results in a clear paragraph or labeled diagram.
Students start the year learning how to ask testable questions, run safe experiments, and record what they observe. They practice using rulers, thermometers, and balances, then share results in writing and drawings.
Students sort objects by physical properties like size, mass, and whether they sink or float. They explore how heat, light, sound, and electricity move between objects in everyday situations.
Students push, pull, and roll objects to see how force changes motion. They notice patterns, like how heavier objects need a bigger push, and predict what will happen next.
Students look at how land, water, air, and living things connect on Earth. They track weather, talk about how people affect the planet, and study patterns of the sun, moon, and planets.
Students study how plants and animals survive in their environments and how food and energy move through a habitat. They also learn how living things grow, reproduce, and pass traits to their young.
Students plan and carry out simple science investigations to answer a real question, choosing the right tools and staying safe while they work.
Students ask questions about the world around them, plan simple experiments, build or draw models to explain what they observe, and look for patterns in the data they collect.
Students use rulers, thermometers, and other tools to measure things in science class, recording their results in standard units like centimeters or degrees Celsius so the numbers can be compared and understood.
Students explain what they found in an investigation and back it up with data. They share conclusions by writing, speaking, or creating charts and diagrams.
Recurring ideas show up across all of science. Students learn to spot them, like how a pattern in weather connects to a pattern in plant growth, or how cause and effect explains both a melting ice cube and a falling rock.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Investigation | Students plan and carry out simple science investigations to answer a real question, choosing the right tools and staying safe while they work. | TX-SCI.PRAC.3.1 |
| Scientific and Engineering Practices | Students ask questions about the world around them, plan simple experiments, build or draw models to explain what they observe, and look for patterns in the data they collect. | TX-SCI.PRAC.3.2 |
| Tools and Measurement | Students use rulers, thermometers, and other tools to measure things in science class, recording their results in standard units like centimeters or degrees Celsius so the numbers can be compared and understood. | TX-SCI.PRAC.3.3 |
| Communicate Findings | Students explain what they found in an investigation and back it up with data. They share conclusions by writing, speaking, or creating charts and diagrams. | TX-SCI.PRAC.3.4 |
| Recurring Themes and Concepts | Recurring ideas show up across all of science. Students learn to spot them, like how a pattern in weather connects to a pattern in plant growth, or how cause and effect explains both a melting ice cube and a falling rock. | TX-SCI.PRAC.3.5 |
Students learn that every material around them has physical properties you can measure, like how heavy or long something is, and that those properties determine what the material is good for.
Energy takes different forms and moves from one object to another. Students explore how heat, light, and sound behave, and what happens when objects interact and energy passes between them.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Properties of Matter | Students learn that every material around them has physical properties you can measure, like how heavy or long something is, and that those properties determine what the material is good for. | TX-SCI.ME.3.1 |
| Energy Forms and Transfers | Energy takes different forms and moves from one object to another. Students explore how heat, light, and sound behave, and what happens when objects interact and energy passes between them. | TX-SCI.ME.3.2 |
Students push or pull objects to see how force and mass affect the way things move. A heavier object needs more force to get moving than a lighter one.
Students watch how objects move, measure that movement, and use what they notice to predict what will happen next. This could mean timing a rolling ball or tracking a swinging pendulum.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Forces and Motion | Students push or pull objects to see how force and mass affect the way things move. A heavier object needs more force to get moving than a lighter one. | TX-SCI.FME.3.1 |
| Patterns of Motion | Students watch how objects move, measure that movement, and use what they notice to predict what will happen next. This could mean timing a rolling ball or tracking a swinging pendulum. | TX-SCI.FME.3.2 |
Students learn that Earth is made up of four connected parts: land, water, air, and living things. They explore how those parts interact with each other, like how rain shapes the ground or how soil supports plant life.
Students observe how weather changes day to day and learn what shapes the climate of a place over time. They also look at how human choices, like burning fuel or clearing land, can affect the air and weather patterns around them.
Students learn why the Sun appears to move across the sky each day, why we see different seasons, and how the Moon changes shape over the course of a month. It all comes down to how Earth and the Moon move through space.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Earth's Systems | Students learn that Earth is made up of four connected parts: land, water, air, and living things. They explore how those parts interact with each other, like how rain shapes the ground or how soil supports plant life. | TX-SCI.ESS.3.1 |
| Weather and Climate | Students observe how weather changes day to day and learn what shapes the climate of a place over time. They also look at how human choices, like burning fuel or clearing land, can affect the air and weather patterns around them. | TX-SCI.ESS.3.2 |
| Space and the Solar System | Students learn why the Sun appears to move across the sky each day, why we see different seasons, and how the Moon changes shape over the course of a month. It all comes down to how Earth and the Moon move through space. | TX-SCI.ESS.3.3 |
Students learn how living things are built and behave in ways that help them survive where they live. A cactus stores water, a bird grows thick feathers, a frog hides in mud. Structure and behavior work together to keep organisms alive.
Students learn how energy moves through a food chain and how animals, plants, and other living things depend on each other to survive in the same place.
Students learn that living things have offspring that look similar to their parents because traits get passed down. They also explore how young animals and plants grow and change over time.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Organisms and Environments | Students learn how living things are built and behave in ways that help them survive where they live. A cactus stores water, a bird grows thick feathers, a frog hides in mud. Structure and behavior work together to keep organisms alive. | TX-SCI.ORG.3.1 |
| Ecosystems | Students learn how energy moves through a food chain and how animals, plants, and other living things depend on each other to survive in the same place. | TX-SCI.ORG.3.2 |
| Heredity and Reproduction | Students learn that living things have offspring that look similar to their parents because traits get passed down. They also explore how young animals and plants grow and change over time. | TX-SCI.ORG.3.3 |
Federally administered sample-based assessment in reading, mathematics, science, writing, and other subjects. NAEP results inform state-by-state comparisons rather than individual student or school accountability.
Students study four big areas: properties of matter and energy, forces and motion, Earth and space, and living things and their environments. They also learn how to plan a simple experiment, measure with rulers and thermometers, and explain what their results mean.
Cook together and talk about what melts, freezes, or dissolves. Watch the weather for a week and write down what changes. Go outside and notice which animals live where and what they eat. Asking why and how questions matters more than knowing the answer.
Not really. The focus is on observing carefully, measuring, and explaining what they see. Knowing a few key ideas helps, like the parts of a plant or the names of the planets, but the bigger goal is thinking like a scientist.
Most teachers start with matter and measurement because it builds the lab habits students use all year. Forces and motion fits well next, then Earth and space in winter, and living things in spring when outdoor investigations are easier.
Energy transfer trips students up because it feels invisible. Forces and motion gets confused with speed alone, and ecosystems often turn into a list of animals instead of how energy moves through them. Plan extra hands-on time for these.
Students should ask a question, predict what will happen, change one thing while keeping others the same, measure with a tool, and explain their results. The investigation can be short. The thinking is what matters.
Students learn to use rulers in centimeters, thermometers, balances, and graduated cylinders to collect numbers, not just guesses. Practicing at home with a kitchen scale or measuring cup helps a lot. Let them read the number and write it down.
By spring, students should plan a simple experiment, record measurements in a table, and explain a cause-and-effect pattern in their own words. They should also describe basic ideas about matter, forces, weather, the solar system, and how living things survive.