Third Grade

High Priority Standards (Missouri Learning Standards, National, CREDE, etc.)

Missouri Learning Goal 3.LS3.C.1

Learning GoalStudents can construct an argument with evidence that in a particular habitat some organisms can survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all.

Proficiency Scale
4: Student demonstrates advanced application and understanding of environmental impacts on ecosystems.

3: Student demonstrates mastery with the learning goal as evidenced by:

• evaluating evidence to determine the similarities and differences in needs among at least 3 types of organisms.
• evaluating evidence to determine how and what features of the habitat meet and do not meet the needs of each of the organisms.
• constructing an argument with evidence that suggests a cause-and-effect relationship within the system between the characteristics of a habitat and the survival of organisms within it.

2: Student demonstrates he/she is nearing proficiency by:

• describing the characteristics of a given particular environment.
• describing the characteristics and needs of a particular organism.

1: Student demonstrates limited understanding of environmental impacts on ecosystems.

Learning Targets - Life and Environment Unit

Science and Engineering Practices
Engaging in argument from evidence in grades 3–5 builds on K–2 experiences and progresses to critiquing the scientific explanations or solutions proposed by peers by citing relevant evidence about the natural and designed worlds.

Disciplinary Core Ideas
For any particular environment, some kinds of organisms survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all.

Cross Cutting Concept
Cause and effect relationships are routinely identified and used to explain change.

High Priority Standards (Missouri Learning Standards, National, CREDE, etc.)

Missouri Learning Goal 3.LS3.D.1

Learning GoalStudents can make a claim about the merit of a solution to a problem caused when the environment changes and the types of plants and animals that live there may change.

Proficiency Scale
4: Student demonstrates advanced application and understanding of environmental impacts on ecosystems.

3: Student demonstrates mastery with the learning goal as evidenced by:

• evaluating the solution to the problem and describing how well the proposed solution reduces the impact of the problem created by the environmental change in the system.
• describing how the solution makes changes to one part of the system, affecting the other parts of the system and how the solution affects plants and animals.

2: Student demonstrates he/she is nearing proficiency by:

• describing a system of plants, animals, and a given environment within which they live before the given environmental change occurs.
• describing a given change in the environment.
• describing how the change in the given environment causes a problem for existing plants and animals living within that area.

1: Student demonstrates limited understanding of environmental impacts on ecosystems.

Learning Targets - Life and Environment Unit

Science and Engineering Practices

• Engaging in argument from evidence in grades 3–5 builds on K–2 experiences and progresses to critiquing the scientific explanations or solutions proposed by peers by citing relevant evidence about the natural and designed worlds.
• Make a claim about the merit of a solution to a problem by citing relevant evidence about how it meets the criteria and constraints of the problem.

Disciplinary Core Ideas

• When the environment changes in ways that affect a place’s physical characteristics, temperature, or availability of resources, some organisms survive and reproduce, some move to new locations, some move into the transformed environment, and some die.
• Populations live in a variety of habitats, and change in those habitats affects the organisms living there.

Cross Cutting Concept

• A system can be described in terms of its components and their interactions.
• Knowledge of relevant scientific concepts and research findings is important in engineering.

High Priority Standards (Missouri Learning Standards, National, CREDE, etc.)

Missouri Learning Goal 3.LS1.B.1

Learning GoalStudents can develop models to compare and contrast observations on the life cycles of different plants and animals.

Proficiency Scale
4: Student demonstrates advanced application and understanding of life cycles and traits.

3: Student demonstrates mastery with the learning goal as evidenced by:

• developing models and identifying the following:
  • organisms (both plant and animal)
  • birth
  • growth
  • reproduction
  • death
• describing the causal direction of the cycle.
• describing that although organisms can display life cycles that look different, they all follow the same pattern.

2: Student demonstrates he/she is nearing proficiency by:

• developing models and identifying some but not all of the following:
  • organisms (both plant and animal)
  • birth
  • growth
  • reproduction
  • death
• describing that organisms are born, grow and die in a pattern known as a life cycle.

1: Student demonstrates limited understanding of life cycles and traits.

Learning Targets - Life and Environment Unit

Science and Engineering Practices
Develop models to describe phenomena.

Disciplinary Core Ideas
Reproduction is essential to the continued existence of every kind of organism. Plants and animals have unique and diverse life cycles.

Cross Cutting Concept
Patterns of change can be used to make predictions.

High Priority Standards (Missouri Learning Standards, National, CREDE, etc.)

Missouri Learning Goal 3.LS3.A.1

Learning GoalStudents can analyze and interpret data to provide evidence that plants and animals have traits inherited from parents and some are influenced by the environment.

Proficiency Scale
4: Student demonstrates advanced application and understanding of life cycles and traits.

3: Student demonstrates mastery with the learning goal as evidenced by:

• identifying and describing patterns in the data to show similarities and differences in the traits of a parent and the traits of an offspring or among siblings.
• using reasoning to connect the evidence to describe a cause-and-effect relationship between a specific causal environmental factor and its effect of a given variation in a trait.

2: Student demonstrates he/she is nearing proficiency by:

• identifying the traits of plant and animal parents and offspring or siblings
• identifying observable inherited traits or organisms in varied environmental conditions.
• describing environmental factors that may influence organisms’ traits.

1: Student demonstrates limited understanding of life cycles and traits.

Learning Targets - Life and Environment Unit

Science and Engineering Practices

• Analyze and interpret data to make sense of phenomena using logical reasoning.
• Constructing explanations and designing solutions in grades 3–5 builds on K–2 experiences and progresses to the use of evidence in constructing explanations that specify variables that describe and predict phenomena and in designing multiple solutions to design problems.
• Use evidence (e.g., observations, patterns) to support an explanation.

Disciplinary Core Ideas

• Many characteristics of organisms are inherited from their parents.
• Different organisms vary in how they look and function because they have different inherited information.
• Other characteristics result from individuals’ interactions with the environment, which can range from diet to learning. Many characteristics involve both inheritance and environment.
• The environment also affects the traits that an organism develops.

Cross Cutting Concept

• Similarities and differences in patterns can be used to sort and classify natural phenomena.
• Cause and effect relationships are routinely identified and used to explain change.

High Priority Standards (Missouri Learning Standards, National, CREDE, etc.)

Missouri Learning Goal 3.LS3.B.1

Learning GoalStudents can use evidence to construct an explanation for how the variations in characteristics among individuals of the same species may provide advantages in surviving, finding mates, and reproducing.

Proficiency Scale
4: Student demonstrates advanced application and understanding of life cycles and traits.

3: Student demonstrates mastery with the learning goal as evidenced by:

• using reasoning to logically connect the evidence to describe that certain variations in characteristics make it harder or easier for an animal to survive, find mates, and reproduce.
• using reasoning to logically connect the evidence to describe characteristics that make it easier for some organisms to survive, find mates, and reproduce give those organisms an advantage over other organisms of the same species that don’t have those traits.
• using reasoning to logically connect the evidence to describe that there can be a cause-and –effect relationship between a specific variation in a characteristic and its effect on the ability of the individual organism to survive and reproduce.

2: Student demonstrates he/she is nearing proficiency by:

• describing a given characteristic of a species.
• describing the patterns of variation of a given characteristic among individuals in a species.
• describing the potential benefits of a given variation of the characteristic.

1: Student demonstrates limited understanding of life cycles and traits.

Learning Targets - Life and Environment Unit

Science and Engineering Practices

• Constructing explanations and designing solutions in grades 3–5 builds on K–2 experiences and progresses to the use of evidence in constructing explanations that specify variables that describe and predict phenomena and in designing multiple solutions to design problems.
• Use evidence (e.g., observations, patterns) to support an explanation.

Disciplinary Core Ideas
Sometimes the differences in characteristics between individuals of the same species provide advantages in surviving, finding mates, and reproducing.

Cross Cutting Concept
Cause and effect relationships are routinely identified and used to explain change.

High Priority Standards (Missouri Learning Standards, National, CREDE, etc.)

Missouri Learning Goal 4.PS2.A.2

Learning GoalStudents can plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence of the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces on the motion of an object.

Proficiency Scale
4: Student demonstrates advanced application and understanding of forces and interactions.

3: Student demonstrates mastery with the learning goal as evidenced by:

• developing an investigation which produces sufficient data to serve as the basis for evidence for how balanced and unbalanced forces determine an object’s motion.
• describing the change in motion of an object at rest after different strengths and directions of balanced and unbalanced forces are applied to the object.

2: Student demonstrates he/she is nearing proficiency by:

• describing an object at rest and identifying the forces acting on it.
• describing an object in motion and identifying the forces acting on it.

1: Student demonstrates limited understanding of forces and interactions.

Learning Targets - Force and Motion Unit

Science and Engineering Practices
Plan and conduct an investigation collaboratively to produce data to serve as the basis for evidence, using fair tests in which variables are controlled and the number of trials considered.

Disciplinary Core Ideas
Each force acts on one particular object and has both strength and direction. An object at rest typically has multiple forces acting on it, but they add to give zero net force on the object. Forces that do not sum to zero can cause changes in the object’s speed or direction of motion.

Cross Cutting Concept
Cause and effect relationships are routinely identified.

High Priority Standards (Missouri Learning Standards, National, CREDE, etc.)

Missouri Learning Goal 4.PS2.A.1

Learning GoalStudents can make observations and/or measurements of an object’s motion to provide evidence that a pattern can be used to predict future motion.

Proficiency Scale
4: Student demonstrates advanced application and understanding of forces and interactions.

3: Student demonstrates mastery with the learning goal as evidenced by:

• identifying and describing the data to be collected through observations and/or measurement, including data on the motion of the object as it repeats a pattern over time.
• identifying a pattern that can be used to predict future motion.

2: Student demonstrates he/she is nearing proficiency by:

• observing and identifying the motion of an object.
• predicting the future motion of an object.

1: Student demonstrates limited understanding of forces and interactions.

Learning Targets - Force and Motion Unit

Science and Engineering Practices
Make observations and/or measurements to provide evidence for the explanation of a pattern within a phenomenon.

Disciplinary Core Ideas
The patterns of an object’s motion in various situations can be observed and measured: when that past motion exhibits a regular pattern, future motion can be predicted from it.

Cross Cutting Concept
Patterns of change can be used to make predictions.

High Priority Standards (Missouri Learning Standards, National, CREDE, etc.)

Missouri Learning Goal 3.PS2.B.1

Learning GoalStudents can ask questions to determine cause and effect relationships of electric or magnetic interactions between two objects not in contact with each other.

Proficiency Scale
4: Student demonstrates advanced application and understanding of forces and interactions.

3: Student demonstrates mastery with the learning goal as evidenced by:

• asking questions from observations of two objects not in contact with each other interacting thought electric or magnetic forces. 
• identifying the cause-and-effect relationships between:
  • the sizes of the forces on two interacting objects due to the distance between the two objects.
  • the presence of a magnet and the force the magnet exerts on other objects.
  • static electrically charged objects and a static electric force.

2: Student demonstrates he/she is nearing proficiency by:

• asking questions with guidance and support from observations of two objects not in contact with each other interacting through static electric or magnetic forces. 
• determining the relationship between the relative orientation of two magnets and whether the force between the magnets is attractive or repulsive.

1: Student demonstrates limited understanding of forces and interactions.

Learning Targets - Force and Motion Unit

Science and Engineering Practices
Ask questions that can be investigated based on patterns such as cause and effect relationships.

Disciplinary Core Ideas
Electric and magnetic forces between a pair of objects do not require that the objects be in contact. The sizes of the forces in each situation depend on the properties of the objects, their distances apart, and, for forces between two magnets, on their orientation relative to each other.

Cross Cutting Concept
Cause and effect relationships are routinely identified, tested, and used to explain change.

High Priority Standards (Missouri Learning Standards, National, CREDE, etc.)

Missouri Learning Goal 4.PS2.B.1

Learning GoalStudents can plan and conduct a fair test to compare and contrast the forces (measured by a spring scale in Newtons) required to overcome friction when an object moves over different surfaces (i.e., rough/smooth)

Proficiency Scale
4: Student demonstrates advanced application and understanding of forces and interactions.

3: Student demonstrates mastery with the learning goal as evidenced by:

• developing a testing plan that includes:
  • the surfaces to be tested.
  • the object that will move across each surface.
  • using a spring scale to measure Newtons.
• conducting a fair test that includes an accurate way to collect and record data.
• using the data collected, comparing and contrasting the forces needed to overcome friction when the object moved over different surfaces.

2: Student demonstrates he/she is nearing proficiency by:

• measuring the force required to overcome friction when an object moves over different surfaces using a spring scale in Newtons.
• conducting a fair test and recording data, with guidance and support, to show the forces needed to overcome friction.

1: Student demonstrates limited understanding of forces and interactions.

Learning Targets - Force and Motion Unit

Science and Engineering Practices
Plan and conduct an investigation collaboratively to produce data to serve as the basis for evidence, using fair tests in which variables are controlled and the number of trials considered.

Disciplinary Core Ideas
The effect of unbalanced forces on an object results in a change of motion. Patterns of motion can be used to predict future motion. Some forces act through contact; some forces act even when the objects are not in contact. The gravitational force of Earth acting on an object near Earth’s surface pulls that object toward Earth’s center.

Cross Cutting Concept
Cause and effect relationships are routinely identified.

High Priority Standards (Missouri Learning Standards, National, CREDE, etc.)

Missouri Learning Goal 4.LS1.A.1

Learning GoalStudents can construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.

Proficiency Scale
4: Student demonstrates advanced application and understanding of structure, function, and information processing.

3: Student demonstrates mastery with the learning goal as evidenced by:

• using reasoning to connect the relevant and appropriate evidence and construct an argument that:
  • internal and external structures serve specific functions within plants and animals.
  • the functions of internal and external structures can support survival, growth, behavior, and/or reproduction in plants and animals.
  • different structures work together as part of a system to support survival, growth, behavior and/or reproduction.

2: Student demonstrates he/she is nearing proficiency by:

• identifying the internal and external structures of selected plants and animals.
• describing the primary functions of those structures.

1: Student demonstrates limited understanding of structure, function, and information processing.

Learning Targets - Survival, Senses, and Adaptations Unit

Science and Engineering Practices
Construct an argument with evidence, data, and/or a model.

Disciplinary Core Ideas
Plants and animals have both internal and external structures that serve various functions in growth, survival, behavior, and reproduction

Cross Cutting Concept
A system can be described in terms of its components and their interactions.

High Priority Standards (Missouri Learning Standards, National, CREDE, etc.)

Missouri Learning Goal 4.LS1.D.1

Learning GoalStudents can use a model to describe that animals receive different types of information through their senses, process the information in their brain, and respond to the information in different ways.

Proficiency Scale
4: Student demonstrates advanced application and understanding of structure, function, and information processing.

3: Student demonstrates mastery with the learning goal as evidenced by:

• using a model to describe that different types of sensory information are relayed to the brain via different sensory receptors allowing experiences to be perceived, stored as memories, and influence behavior.
• using a model to describe interactions between the following:
  • information in the environment.
  • different types of sense receptors.
  • perception and memory of sensory information.
  • animal behavior.

2: Student demonstrates he/she is nearing proficiency by:

• identifying and describing from a given model:
  • different types of information about the surroundings.
  • sense receptors able to detect different types of information from the environment.
  • animals’ actions.

1: Student demonstrates limited understanding of structure, function, and information processing.

Learning Targets - Survival, Senses, and Adaptations Unit

Science and Engineering Practices
Use a model to test interactions concerning the functioning of a natural system.

Disciplinary Core Ideas
Different sense receptors are specialized for particular kinds of information, which may be then processed by the animal’s brain. Animals are able to use their perceptions and memories to guide their interaction.

Cross Cutting Concept
A system can be described in terms of its components and their interactions.

Missouri Learning Goal 5.LS1.A.1

Learning GoalStudents can compare and contrast the major organs/organ systems (e.g. support, reproductive, digestive, transport/circulatory, excretory, response) that perform similar functions for animals belonging to different vertebrate classes.

Proficiency Scale
4: Student demonstrates advanced application and understanding of structure, function, and information processing.

3: Student demonstrates mastery with the learning goal as evidenced by:

• comparing and contrasting major organs/organ systems that perform similar function in at least two different vertebrate classes (ex. fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals).

2: Student demonstrates he/she is nearing proficiency by:

• identifying major organs/organ systems in animals.
• identifying the functions of major organs/organ systems in animals.

1: Student demonstrates limited understanding of structure, function, and information processing.

Learning Targets - Survival, Senses, and Adaptations Unit

Science and Engineering Practices

• Identify the evidence that supports particular points and in explanation.
• Construct and/or support an argument with evidence, data, and/or a model

Disciplinary Core Ideas
Organisms have both internal and external macroscopic structures that allow for growth, survival, behavior, and reproduction with organs that are specialized for particular body functions.

Cross Cutting Concept

• Students understand that a system is a group of related parts that make up a whole and can carry out functions its individual parts cannot. Students can also describe a system in terms of its components and their interactions.
• Energy can be transferred in various ways and between objects.