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Grade 3 Kits

Grade 3 Units

Third graders take on the role of scientists and engineers, exploring butterfly life cycles, weather patterns, invisible forces and ecosystem changes. Through hands-on investigations and problem-solving challenges, they uncover the connections between science and the world around them.

Generations of Butterflies

Despite the long journey and its short lifespan, a special generation of monarch butterflies migrates to Mexico and doesn’t

return north. Students observe butterflies and radish plants through their life stages—birth, growth, reproduction and death—

and study how inherited traits help organisms survive, find mates and reproduce.

Kit Details

Suggested Length: 9 weeks

Number of Sessions: 24

NYSSLS Alignment: Inheritance and Variations of Traits: Life Cycles and Traits

Teacher Resources (password required)

Investigating Weather and Climate

Students dive into the world of weather, exploring the water cycle, weather-related hazards and how climates vary across

different regions of the world. Together, students use weather tools to plan and carry out investigations, while gathering data and making observations. To wrap up, students create a presentation about the weather and climate of a global location.

Kit Details

Suggested Length: 13 weeks

Number of Sessions: 25

NYSSLS Alignment: Weather and Climate

Teacher Resources (password required)

Invisible Forces

Tug of war contests, ramps with cars, pendulums, magnets and static electricity are used to explore contact and non-contact

forces. Students focus on balanced and unbalanced forces to understand and predict future motion. As engineers, students

design and build a Rube Goldberg device incorporating the invisible forces learned throughout the kit experiences.

Kit Details

Suggested Length: 7 weeks

Number of Sessions: 20

NYSSLS Alignment: Forces and Interactions

Teacher Resources (password required)

Where are the Wolves?

The reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone National Park changed its ecosystem; it’s up to the students to find out how.

They learn that wolves no longer live in New York and debate whether the species should return to Adirondack Park. Students study animal adaptations, group versus solitary behaviors and why certain organisms thrive in specific habitats.

Kit Details

Suggested Length: 9 weeks

Number of Sessions: 25

NYSSLS Alignment: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems

Teacher Resources (password required)

Suggested Grade 3 Pathways

To assist district decisions surrounding curriculum planning, BOCES 4 Science teachers created suggested pathways based on unit length and the typical school calendar. You can choose to follow a suggested pathway, use it as a reference or create your own science curriculum journey.

Suggested Pathway A

Investigating Weather and Climate → Where are the Wolves? → Invisible Forces → Generations of Butterflies

In the Investigating Weather and Climate unit, local and global weather data is collected and analyzed. After interpreting data and revealing patterns in weather and climate in different areas, students design a presentation to communicate their learning to others.
Climate regions are, again, used in the Where are the Wolves? unit to determine if a wolf can live in a particular environment. The effects of wolves added to the Yellowstone Park and Adirondack Park ecosystems are explored as students continue to learn about the interdependence of plants and animals in an environment.
Cause and effect relationships are further explored in the Invisible Forces unit. Students carry out investigations to determine how forces affect the pattern of motion of an object. Students apply their learning about forces to design and build a Rube Goldberg machine.
Using live butterfly larvae in the Generations of Butterflies unit, the patterns of change within a life cycle are identified as common in all plants and animals. Students interpret data showing how the environment influences the inherited traits of plants and animals. Inherited traits can also provide advantages in survival.

Suggested Pathway B

Generations of Butterflies → Invisible Forces → Investigating Weather and Climate → Where are the Wolves?

In the Generations of Butterflies unit, students are introduced to the stages of a life cycle that are common in all plants and animals using live butterfly larvae. The effect of inherited traits that cause plants and animals to have advantages in survival are also introduced.
Cause and effect relationships are further explored in the Invisible Forces unit. Students carry out investigations to determine how forces affect the motion of an object. Students apply their learning about forces to design and build a Rube Goldberg machine.
The relationship of the parts of a system in the Invisible Forces unit will be further explored in the Investigating Weather and Climate unit. Local weather data is collected throughout the unit. In addition, students collect data about climates around the world. After interpreting data and revealing patterns in weather and climate in different areas, students design a presentation to communicate their learning to others.
Climate regions are, again, used in the Where are the Wolves? unit to determine if a wolf can survive in a particular environment. The impact of wolves in an ecosystem is explored as students continue to learn about the interdependence of plants and animals in an environment.

Find Out More About BOCES 4 Science Kits

Check out the Overview page that highlights state alignment to performance expectations.
Look through the BOCES 4 Science Catalog for pricing and ordering details.
Take advantage of upcoming Professional Learning Opportunities offered by science experts.

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