Cluster 3: Research to Build and Present KnowledgeArchived

Students learn water can change state of matter through the addition or removal of heat. Students will learn that water can condense, melt and evaporate.

This is a lesson in the Grade 3 Physical Science Unit on Water. This is a themed unit ofSaM-1's adventures while on a Beach Vacation.  To see all the lessons in the unit please visit https://www.cpalms.org/page818.aspx.

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Type: Lesson Plan

Students learn water can change state of matter through the addition or removal of heat.
Students will learn the boiling and freezing points of water at standard pressure. Students
will also review how data can be used to create line graphs and these graphs can show
patterns and changes to temperature over time.

This is a lesson in the Grade 3 Physical Science Unit on Water. This is a themed unit of SaM-1's adventures while on a Beach Vacation.  To see all the lessons in the unit please visit  https://www.cpalms.org/page818.aspx.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will use their listening and writing skills to watch a video to learn about sea turtles, preparing them for an investigation in subsequent lessons. This lesson could also be taught using ELA instructional time. 

This is a lesson in the Grade 3 Physical Science Unit on Properties. This is a themed unit of SaM-1's adventures at the CPALMS Rehabilitation and Conservation Center.  To see all the lessons in the unit please visit https://www.cpalms.org/page818.aspx .

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will use their listening and writing skills to watch a video to learn about sea turtles, preparing them for subsequent lessons in the unit. This lesson could also be taught using ELA instructional time. 

This is a lesson in the Grade 3 Physical Science Unit on Properties. This is a themed unit of SaM-1's adventures at the CPALMS Rehabilitation and Conservation Center.  To see all the lessons in the unit please visit https://www.cpalms.org/page818.aspx .

Type: Lesson Plan

This MEA asks the students to compare information provided on various Science Space Camps to be attended by a student during the summer. They will take into account past attendees' reviews of the camps which should create interesting student discussions. They will use knowledge of operations to determine the difference in camp costs.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will read texts about the life cycle of sea turtles. They will gather facts and research sea turtles from various texts in order to write an expository essay and create a brochure about sea turtles.

Type: Lesson Plan

Have you ever wondered why all birds have feathers but not all birds can fly? In this lesson students will learn some physical and behavioral characteristics of birds. Students will be able to write down what they know, what they want to know, and what they have learned on a KWL chart. They will classify bird picture cards and complete a Venn diagram demonstrating their understanding of birds.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will use a real-world problem solving situation to determine the best types of light bulbs to maintain an appropriate environment for a captive lizard. 

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

During this lesson students will write a summary of the text My Secret Bully by Trudy Lidwig, focusing on the details to determine the theme. Students will complete a problem/solution graphic organizer to be used in the summary. This is the first in a series of three lessons using the text My Secret Bully.

Type: Lesson Plan

Rocking through the Regions (of the United States) is a 27-day third grade research project on the five regions of the United States and the states that are located within the regions. Students will begin by writing letters to states" Departments of Tourism requesting information about their state. Then, students will work in groups to use the information received along with other print and digital resources they locate to gather information about their region. Once all information is gathered, students will begin writing an informative report and publish their report in an engaging presentation. By the end of this unit, students will be able to identify all five regions on a blank map of the United States and label all 50 states.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will learn how to classify animals. First, they will learn vertebrate versus invertebrate. Next, they will learn the animal classifications: mammal, bird, fish, reptile, amphibian, and arthropod. They will practice sorting these animals by different attributes and then do a short research project on one animal classification, which they will share with the class.

Type: Lesson Plan

This is a week long lesson which helps children explore the three states of water: solid, liquid, and gas. Students will explore examples of where and what conditions the states of matter occur and investigate how to collect observations on the various states of water.

Type: Lesson Plan

Are you looking for a lesson that takes basic understanding on the classification of animals to the next level? This lesson incorporates student knowledge on mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish, along with a creative twist! Armed with what students have learned about animal physical characteristic and/or behaviors, students will create an original map of a zoo that classifies or groups these animals accordingly.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this resource, students will conduct a scavenger hunt to identify and describe facts and opinions in different types of books. Teachers will need to provide students several books in a variety of genres: biographies, atlas, almanac, self-help books, fiction chapter books, historical fiction books, encyclopedia, dictionary, thesaurus, and mysteries from the classroom or school library.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this resource, students will create questions about an assigned nonfiction topic, and then use text-based evidence to answer their questions. The teacher modeling and guided practice activities use the text Reptiles by Melissa Stewart. In the independent practice activity, teachers will need to gather multiple books on the same topic for students to conduct research with.

Type: Lesson Plan

What is the sun? Why does the sun appear to be so big from Earth? These questions along with others will quench your inquisitive thirst. This lesson is intended to make students think critically about the sun.

Type: Lesson Plan

this MEA, students will have the opportunity to apply what they learned about describing
the changes water undergoes when it changes state through heating and cooling. This MEA
is divided into four parts. In Part 1 of this activity, students will learn how to set up the
cooler experiment. They will watch a video and take notes. Students will also develop their
hypothesis in preparation to perform the experiment. In part 2, students will be asked to
use ice to test the coolers they designed in Beat the Heat Engineering Design Lessons.
Students will take measurements and collect data on their cooler. In part 3, students will
analyze the data they collected. Finally, in part 4 they will develop a procedure for selecting
the most effective cooler to keep water frozen the longest at the beach. In the optional
twist, students will need to take the mass of the cooler into account.

This is a lesson in the Grade 3 Physical Science Unit on Water. This is a themed unit ofSaM-1's adventures while on a Beach Vacation.  To see all the lessons in the unit please visit https://www.cpalms.org/page818.aspx.

Type: Model Eliciting Activity (MEA) STEM Lesson

In this MEA, students will have the opportunity to apply what they learned about describing
the changes water undergoes when it changes state through heating and cooling. This MEA
is divided into four parts. In part 1, students will develop their hypothesis and receive
information on how to set up the cooler experiment. In part 2, students will use ice to test
the coolers they designed in Beat the Heat Engineering Design Lessons. Students will take
measurements and collect data on their cooler. In part 3, students will analyze the data
they collected. Finally, in part 4 they will develop a procedure for selecting the most
effective cooler to keep water frozen the longest at the beach. In the optional twist,
students will need to take the mass of the cooler into account.

This is a lesson in the Grade 3 Physical Science Unit on Water. This is a themed unit of SaM-1's adventures while on a Beach Vacation.  To see all the lessons in the unit please visit https://www.cpalms.org/page818.aspx.

Type: Model Eliciting Activity (MEA) STEM Lesson

In this MEA, students will have the opportunity to apply what they learned about describing
the changes water undergoes when it changes state through heating and cooling. This MEA
is divided into four parts. In part 1, students will develop their hypothesis and receive
information on how to set up the cooler experiment. In part 2, students will be asked to use
ice to test the coolers they designed in Beat the Heat Engineering Design Lessons.
Students will take measurements and collect data on their cooler. In Part 3 of this activity,
students will analyze the data they collected in Part 2 by drawing and interpreting a scaled
bar graph and line graph. Students will participate in a discussion about how to interpret the
data that was collected. Finally, in part 4 they will develop a procedure for selecting the best
cooler to keep water frozen the longest at the beach. In the optional twist, students will
need to take the mass of the cooler into account.

This is a lesson in the Grade 3 Physical Science Unit on Water. This is a themed unit of SaM-1's adventures while on a Beach Vacation.  To see all the lessons in the unit please visit https://www.cpalms.org/page818.aspx.

Type: Model Eliciting Activity (MEA) STEM Lesson

In this MEA, students will have the opportunity to apply what they learned about describing
the changes water undergoes when it changes state through heating and cooling. This MEA
is divided into four parts. In part 1, students will develop their hypothesis and receive
information on how to set up the cooler experiment. In part 2, students will be asked to use
ice to test the coolers they designed in Beat the Heat Engineering Design Lessons.
Students will take measurements and collect data on their cooler. In part 3, students will
analyze the data they collected. Finally, in part 4 they will develop a procedure for selecting
the best cooler to keep water frozen the longest at the beach. They will communicate their
findings and procedure via a letter to next year’s class. In the optional twist, students will
need to take the mass of the cooler into account.

This is a lesson in the Grade 3 Physical Science Unit on Water. This is a themed unit of SaM-1's adventures while on a Beach Vacation.  To see all the lessons in the unit please visit https://www.cpalms.org/page818.aspx.

Type: Model Eliciting Activity (MEA) STEM Lesson

In this MEA, students will have the opportunity to apply what they learned about physical properties to a realistic problem. Students will be asked to develop a varied diet for a chimpanzee at the CPALMS Rehabilitation and Conservation Center based on the color, shape, texture, and hardness of the food. In the optional twist, students will need to modify their original diet for a senior chimpanzee. 

This is a lesson in the Grade 3 Physical Science Unit on Properties. This is a themed unit of SaM-1's adventures at the CPALMS Rehabilitation and Conservation Center.  To see all the lessons in the unit please visit https://www.cpalms.org/page818.aspx .

Type: Model Eliciting Activity (MEA) STEM Lesson

In this MEA, students will have the opportunity to apply what they learned about physical properties and measuring linear lengths to a realistic problem. Students will be asked to design a prototype toy for Florida panthers housed at the CPALMS Rehabilitation and Conservation Center. Students will need to describe the physical properties (color, shape, texture, hardness, length) of the toy while explaining the rationale behind their design choices. In the optional twist, students will need to design a prototype toy suitable for a Florida panther with an injured leg. 

This is a lesson in the Grade 3 Physical Science Unit on Properties. This is a themed unit of SaM-1's adventures at the CPALMS Rehabilitation and Conservation Center.  To see all the lessons in the unit please visit https://www.cpalms.org/page818.aspx .

Type: Model Eliciting Activity (MEA) STEM Lesson

In this MEA, students will have the opportunity to apply what they learned about physical properties to a realistic problem. Students will be asked to design a habitat for an elephant or gorilla that will be housed at the CPALMS Rehabilitation and Conservation Center. Students will need to describe the physical properties (color, shape, texture, hardness) of the features they selected for the habitat while explaining the rationale behind their design choices. In the optional twist, students will need to modify their design to accommodate a senior elephant or gorilla. 

This is a lesson in the Grade 3 Physical Science Unit on Properties. This is a themed unit of SaM-1's adventures at the CPALMS Rehabilitation and Conservation Center.  To see all the lessons in the unit please visit https://www.cpalms.org/page818.aspx .

Type: Model Eliciting Activity (MEA) STEM Lesson

This SaM-1 video provides the students with the optional "twist" for Lesson 17 and the Model Eliciting Activity (MEA) they have been working on in the Grade 3 Physical Science Unit: Water Beach Vacation. 

To see all the lessons in the unit please visit https://www.cpalms.org/page818.aspx.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

This video introduces the students to a Model Eliciting Activity (MEA) and concepts related to conducting experiments so they can apply what they learned about the changes water undergoes when it changes state.  This MEA provides students with an opportunity to develop a procedure based on evidence for selecting the most effective cooler.

This SaM-1 video is to be used with lesson 14 in the Grade 3 Physical Science Unit: Water Beach Vacation. To see all the lessons in the unit please visit https://www.cpalms.org/page818.aspx.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

In this video, SaM-1 introduces a part 2 twist to the Model Eliciting Activity (MEA). In the optional twist, students will need to modify their original diet for a senior chimpanzee. The first video provided meal planning information to add to the knowledge students gained throughout the unit to start the challenge.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

In this video, SaM-1 introduces a Model Eliciting Activity (MEA) challenge for the students. This video provides meal planning information to add to the knowledge students gained throughout the unit. Students will be asked to develop a varied diet for a chimpanzee at the CPALMS Rehabilitation and Conservation Center based on the color, shape, texture, and hardness of the food.

In the optional twist, students will need to modify their original diet for a senior chimpanzee. The optional twist also has a SaM-1 video to introduce the twist challenge.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

In this video, SaM-1 introduces a part 2 twist to the Model Eliciting Activity (MEA) challenge. In the optional twist, students will need to design a prototype toy suitable for a Florida panther with an injured leg. This first video provides background information on why and how animals need to be entertained.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

In this video, SaM-1 introduces a Model Eliciting Activity (MEA) challenge for the students. This video provides background information on why and how animals need to be entertained. Students will have the opportunity to apply what they learned about physical properties and measuring linear lengths as they are asked to design a prototype toy for Florida panthers housed at the CPALMS Rehabilitation and Conservation Center.

In the optional twist, students will need to design a prototype toy suitable for a Florida panther with an injured leg. The optional twist also has a SaM-1 video to introduce the twist challenge.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

In this video, SaM-1 introduces a part 2 twist to the Model Eliciting Activity (MEA) challenge. In the first video, students were asked to design a habitat for an elephant or gorilla that will be housed at the CPALMS Rehabilitation and Conservation Center. In this twist, students will need to modify their design to accommodate a senior elephant or gorilla.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

In this video, SaM-1 introduces a Model Eliciting Activity (MEA) challenge for the students. This video provides habitat information to help the students use the knowledge they gained throughout the unit. Students are asked to design a habitat for an elephant or gorilla that will be housed at the CPALMS Rehabilitation and Conservation Center. Students will need to describe the physical properties (color, shape, texture, hardness) of the features they selected for the habitat while explaining the rationale behind their design choices.

In the optional twist, students will need to modify their design to accommodate a senior elephant or gorilla. The optional twist also has a SaM-1 video to introduce the twist challenge.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

In this SaM-1 video, students will use their listening and writing skills to watch a video to learn about the affects temperature has on sea turtles' nests, preparing them for an investigation in subsequent lessons within the unit.  

Type: Original Student Tutorial

In this SaM-1 video, students will use their listening and writing skills to learn about sea turtles, preparing them for subsequent lessons in the unit.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

In this activity, students will use resources to answer questions about a topic. They will use a graphic organizer to record their research.

Type: Student Center Activity

This teaching idea describes a project third grade students participated in after studying Native Americans. Students created their own illustration page and described the artwork with descriptive paragraphs.

Type: Teaching Idea

This teaching idea describes a project for third graders integrating science and writing. After studying astronomy, students created a magazine with articles about astronomy, crossword and word search puzzles, comics, stories, etc.

Type: Teaching Idea

This teaching idea describes a project completed after an investigation on natural disasters. Each student researched and wrote a descriptive summary on a natural event. Students used colored pencils and oil pastels to create drawings of each disaster, and the summaries and artwork were made into trading cards using the Comic Life computer program.

Type: Teaching Idea

In this activity, students will create a Venn diagram showing sets of the characteristics of seals and sea lions.

Type: Teaching Idea

This informational text resource is intended to support reading in the content area. This article is a description of how a plant responds to light, gravity, and heat.

Type: Text Resource

Science captures even the most reluctant readers and writers. Students are naturally drawn to the colorful photographs and layouts of nonfiction science texts. This lesson supports students in grade 3 as they explore the organizational features of nonfiction texts, such as labels, captions, headings, fonts, and so on. Students then have an opportunity to work together with their classmates to create a two-page spread using those features to present information about their local environment.

Type: Unit/Lesson Sequence

These activities provide a foundation for using nonfiction resources for developing and answering questions about gathered information. Using a wide variety of nonfiction literature, students learn to sort and categorize books to begin the information-gathering process. Then, working with partners and groups, using pictures and text, students are guided through the process of gathering information, asking clarifying questions, and then enhancing the information with additional details. Students complete the lesson by collaboratively making "Question and Answer" books for the classroom library. This is a high-interest foundation builder for using nonfiction literature in research as well as for pleasure reading.

Type: Unit/Lesson Sequence