Science

Science — Grade 3

American Curriculum · Ages 8-9

Third grade science introduces forces and the idea that patterns let us predict. Students investigate balanced and unbalanced forces, the effect of friction, and magnetic and electric forces acting without contact.

Life science covers life cycles, inherited versus acquired traits, how traits help organisms survive, and what fossils tell us about environments long ago. Earth science studies weather patterns, climate in different regions, and how people reduce the impact of weather hazards.

Key topics covered

• Forces & Motion — Balanced and unbalanced forces, friction, and predicting motion from patterns.
• Magnets & Electric Forces — Forces that act at a distance without objects touching.
• Life Cycles — Birth, growth, reproduction and death across different organisms.
• Traits & Inheritance — Inherited and acquired traits, variation, and how traits aid survival.
• Fossils & Past Environments — What fossils reveal about organisms and the environments they lived in.
• Weather & Climate — Weather patterns, regional climate, and reducing weather-hazard impacts.