Grade 3 Science: how to help at home
What your child learns in Grade 3 science in the Nova Scotia Curriculum, and simple things to try at home.
The Big Ideas this year
- Earth and Space Science: Soil. Learners will analyse soil in the environment.
- Life Science: Plants. Learners will investigate plants in the environment.
- Physical Science: Invisible Forces. Learners will investigate invisible forces.
- Physical Science: Structures. Learners will construct a structure in response to a design challenge.
Easy ways to practise science at home
- Try a kitchen experiment, such as what dissolves in water and what floats or sinks.
- Keep a simple weather or moon log for a month.
- Ask “What do you think will happen?” and then test it.
- Visit a park, beach or creek and look for living things and their habitats.
What each unit covers
Plant Parts & Needs
Roots, stems, leaves, flowers (with the stamen and pistil), fruit, seeds and cones, plus what plants need to live: air, water, light, heat, nutrients and space.
How Plants Grow & Change
From seed to flower and back to seed, how seeds travel, how plants react to light and seasons, and how they use sunlight, water and carbon dioxide to make food and release oxygen.
Pushes, Pulls & Forces
Forces as pushes and pulls, contact and non-contact forces (gravity, magnetism, static electricity), friction, how bigger forces change motion more, and helmets and seat belts as safety devices.
Structures & Their Jobs
What makes something a structure, how its shape fits its job (a bowl-shaped nest, a sloped roof), structures built by animals and by people, and how they change the environment.
Strong & Stable
Strength as holding a load and stability as staying balanced, how shape, a wide base and materials help, and how struts (pushed) and ties (pulled) work in a frame.
What the report card levels look like at home
- Needs development
- Just getting started with this idea. Short, regular practice with lots of support helps most.
- Developing as expected
- Understands parts of it and is building confidence. Keep practising the tricky parts.
- Well developed
- Has it! Mixed review now and then keeps it strong.
- Well developed and extending
- Applies it confidently, even in new or harder situations. Try challenge mode and real-life problems.
Your child’s teacher decides the level on the report card. Read the Nova Scotia report card guide.
Common questions
Try a kitchen experiment, such as what dissolves in water and what floats or sinks. Keep a simple weather or moon log for a month. Keep sessions short, about 10 to 15 minutes, and stop on a success.
The Nova Scotia Curriculum Grade 3 science units include plant parts & needs, how plants grow & change, pushes, pulls & forces, structures & their jobs, strong & stable.
Free printable Grade 3 science practice sheet
Questions from every unit, with an answer key.