Utah State Standards for Science: Grade 3

UT.I. Students will understand that the shape of Earth and the moon are spherical and that Earth rotates on its axis to produce the appearance of the sun and moon moving through the sky.

I.1. Describe the appearance of Earth and the moon.

I.1.a. Describe the shape of Earth and the moon as spherical. 5
Suggested Titles for Utah Science State Standard I.1.a.

I.1.b. Explain that the sun is the source of light that lights the moon. 7
Suggested Titles for Utah Science State Standard I.1.b.

I.1.c. List the differences in the physical appearance of Earth and the moon as viewed from space. 12
Suggested Titles for Utah Science State Standard I.1.c.

I.2. Describe the movement of Earth and the moon and the apparent movement of other bodies through the sky.

I.2.a. Describe the motions of Earth (i.e., the rotation [spinning] of Earth on its axis, the revolution [orbit] of Earth around the sun). 6
Suggested Titles for Utah Science State Standard I.2.a.

I.2.b. Use a chart to show that the moon orbits Earth approximately every 28 days. 12
Suggested Titles for Utah Science State Standard I.2.b.

I.2.c. Use a model of Earth to demonstrate that Earth rotates on its axis once every 24 hours to produce the night and day cycle. 6
Suggested Titles for Utah Science State Standard I.2.c.

I.2.d. Use a model to demonstrate why it seems to a person on Earth that the sun, planets, and stars appear to move across the sky. 6
Suggested Titles for Utah Science State Standard I.2.d.

UT.II. Students will understand that organisms depend on living and nonliving things within their environment.

II.1. Classify living and nonliving things in an environment.

II.1.a. Identify characteristics of living things (i.e., growth, movement, reproduction). 2
Suggested Titles for Utah Science State Standard II.1.a.

II.1.b. Identify characteristics of nonliving things. 2
Suggested Titles for Utah Science State Standard II.1.b.

II.1.c. Classify living and nonliving things in an environment. 4
Suggested Titles for Utah Science State Standard II.1.c.

II.2. Describe the interactions between living and nonliving things in a small environment.

II.2.a. Identify living and nonliving things in a small environment (e.g., terrarium, aquarium, flowerbed) composed of living and nonliving things. 2
Suggested Titles for Utah Science State Standard II.2.a.

II.2.b. Predict the effects of changes in the environment (e.g., temperature, light, moisture) on a living organism. 54
Suggested Titles for Utah Science State Standard II.2.b.

II.2.c. Observe and record the effect of changes (e.g., temperature, amount of water, light) upon the living organisms and nonliving things in a small-scale environment. 54
Suggested Titles for Utah Science State Standard II.2.c.

II.2.d. Compare a small-scale environment to a larger environment (e.g., aquarium to a pond, terrarium to a forest). 54
Suggested Titles for Utah Science State Standard II.2.d.

II.2.e. Pose a question about the interaction between living and nonliving things in the environment that could be investigated by observation. 4
Suggested Titles for Utah Science State Standard II.2.e.

UT.III. Students will understand the relationship between the force applied to an object and resulting motion of the object.

III.1. Demonstrate how forces cause changes in speed or direction of objects.

III.1.a. Show that objects at rest will not move unless a force is applied to them. 13
Suggested Titles for Utah Science State Standard III.1.a.

III.1.b. Compare the forces of pushing and pulling. 3
Suggested Titles for Utah Science State Standard III.1.b.

III.1.c. Investigate how forces applied through simple machines affect the direction and/or amount of resulting force. 19
Suggested Titles for Utah Science State Standard III.1.c.

III.2. Demonstrate that the greater the force applied to an object, the greater the change in speed or direction of the object.

III.2.a. Predict and observe what happens when a force is applied to an object (e.g., wind, flowing water). 17
Suggested Titles for Utah Science State Standard III.2.a.

III.2.b. Compare and chart the relative effects of a force of the same strength on objects of different weight (e.g., the breeze from a fan will move a piece of paper but may not move a piece of cardboard). 17
Suggested Titles for Utah Science State Standard III.2.b.

III.2.c. Compare the relative effects of forces of different strengths on an object (e.g., strong wind affects an object differently than a breeze). 17
Suggested Titles for Utah Science State Standard III.2.c.

III.2.d. Conduct a simple investigation to show what happens when objects of various weights collide with one another (e.g., marbles, balls). 12
Suggested Titles for Utah Science State Standard III.2.d.

III.2.e. Show how these concepts apply to various activities (e.g., batting a ball, kicking a ball, hitting a golf ball with a golf club) in terms of force, motion, speed, direction, and distance (e.g. slow, fast, hit hard, hit soft). 17
Suggested Titles for Utah Science State Standard III.2.e.

UT.IV. Students will understand that objects near Earth are pulled toward Earth by gravity.

IV.1. Demonstrate that gravity is a force.

IV.1.a. Demonstrate that a force is required to overcome gravity. 17
Suggested Titles for Utah Science State Standard IV.1.a.

IV.1.b. Use measurement to demonstrate that heavier objects require more force than lighter ones to overcome gravity. 30
Suggested Titles for Utah Science State Standard IV.1.b.

IV.2. Describe the effects of gravity on the motion of an object.

IV.2.a. Compare how the motion of an object rolling up or down a hill changes with the incline of the hill. 12
Suggested Titles for Utah Science State Standard IV.2.a.

IV.2.b. Observe, record, and compare the effect of gravity on several objects in motion (e.g., a thrown ball and a dropped ball falling to Earth). 12
Suggested Titles for Utah Science State Standard IV.2.b.

IV.2.c. Pose questions about gravity and forces. 12
Suggested Titles for Utah Science State Standard IV.2.c.

UT.V. Students will understand that the sun is the main source of heat and light for things living on Earth. They will also understand that the motion of rubbing objects together may produce heat.

V.1. Provide evidence showing that the sun is the source of heat and light for Earth.

V.1.a. Compare temperatures in sunny and shady places. 3
Suggested Titles for Utah Science State Standard V.1.a.

V.1.b. Observe and report how sunlight affects plant growth. 5
Suggested Titles for Utah Science State Standard V.1.b.

V.1.c. Provide examples of how sunlight affects people and animals by providing heat and light. 4
Suggested Titles for Utah Science State Standard V.1.c.

V.1.d. Identify and discuss as a class some misconceptions about heat sources (e.g., clothes do not produce heat, ice cubes do not give off cold). 3
Suggested Titles for Utah Science State Standard V.1.d.

V.2. Demonstrate that mechanical and electrical machines produce heat and sometimes light.

V.2.a. Identify and classify mechanical and electrical sources of heat. 3
Suggested Titles for Utah Science State Standard V.2.a.

V.2.b. List examples of mechanical or electrical devices that produce light. 6
Suggested Titles for Utah Science State Standard V.2.b.

V.2.c. Predict, measure, and graph the temperature changes produced by a variety of mechanical machines and electrical devices while they are operating. 6
Suggested Titles for Utah Science State Standard V.2.c.

V.3. Demonstrate that heat may be produced when objects are rubbed against one another.

V.3.a. Identify several examples of how rubbing one object against another produces heat. 6
Suggested Titles for Utah Science State Standard V.3.a.

V.3.b. Compare relative differences in the amount of heat given off or force required to move an object over lubricated/non-lubricated surfaces and smooth/rough surfaces (e.g., waterslide with and without water, hands rubbing together with and without lotion). 9
Suggested Titles for Utah Science State Standard V.3.b.