Third graders at Kenowa Hills use the Full Option Science System (FOSS) which is absolutely excellent! Engagement with real-world phenomena is at the heart of FOSS. Lessons include:
•Active investigation in collaborative groups
•Recording in science notebooks
•Reading informational text in FOSS Science Resources books
•Online activities to acquire data or to elaborate and extend the investigation
•Outdoor experiences
There are three FOSS modules for third grade which are described below. Active investigations in each help build students' understanding of core science concepts. The module that we are currently studying is highlighted in red.
Motion and Matter
This module provides students with experiences around physical sciences core ideas dealing with forces, matter, and engineering design. In the first three investigations students explore motion. Magnetism and gravity are investigated as students look for patterns of motion and make predictions. The guiding question is...What causes objects to move? Students work with magnets and paper clips, wheel-and-axle systems, paper air twirlers, and rotating tops! In the fourth investigation, students explore conservation of mass as they use metric tools to measure mass and volume. The guiding question is...How can we use tools to measure the mass of materials in mixtures? Throughout the Motion and Matter Module, students engage in science and engineering practices to collect data, define problems, and develop solutions. They also find out about how others use these practices in science and engineering careers!
Water and Climate
In this module students explore the following big ideas:
•Water is the most important substance on Earth and is essential for life.
•Weather is driven by the Sun and involves the movement of water over the earth through evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and runoff—the water cycle.
•Climate is determined in part by the amount of precipitation and temperature fluctuations in a region.
•Human societies depend on water, and new technologies are being engineered to conserve and protect this natural resource.
Students investigate the properties of water, the water cycle, how water reacts with other earth materials, and how humans use water as a natural resource.
Structures of Life
Human life is unique, but we still share the most fundamental requirements with all other life-forms— nourishment, water, air, space, and suitable environment. The Structures of Life module consists of four investigations dealing with big ideas in life science—plants and animals are organisms and exhibit a variety of strategies for life, organisms are complex and have a variety of observable structures and behaviors, organisms have varied but predictable life cycles and reproduce their own kind, and individual organisms have variations in their traits that may provide an advantage in surviving in the environment. Students observe, compare, categorize, and care for real a real crayfish as they study these concepts!
•Active investigation in collaborative groups
•Recording in science notebooks
•Reading informational text in FOSS Science Resources books
•Online activities to acquire data or to elaborate and extend the investigation
•Outdoor experiences
There are three FOSS modules for third grade which are described below. Active investigations in each help build students' understanding of core science concepts. The module that we are currently studying is highlighted in red.
Motion and Matter
This module provides students with experiences around physical sciences core ideas dealing with forces, matter, and engineering design. In the first three investigations students explore motion. Magnetism and gravity are investigated as students look for patterns of motion and make predictions. The guiding question is...What causes objects to move? Students work with magnets and paper clips, wheel-and-axle systems, paper air twirlers, and rotating tops! In the fourth investigation, students explore conservation of mass as they use metric tools to measure mass and volume. The guiding question is...How can we use tools to measure the mass of materials in mixtures? Throughout the Motion and Matter Module, students engage in science and engineering practices to collect data, define problems, and develop solutions. They also find out about how others use these practices in science and engineering careers!
Water and Climate
In this module students explore the following big ideas:
•Water is the most important substance on Earth and is essential for life.
•Weather is driven by the Sun and involves the movement of water over the earth through evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and runoff—the water cycle.
•Climate is determined in part by the amount of precipitation and temperature fluctuations in a region.
•Human societies depend on water, and new technologies are being engineered to conserve and protect this natural resource.
Students investigate the properties of water, the water cycle, how water reacts with other earth materials, and how humans use water as a natural resource.
Structures of Life
Human life is unique, but we still share the most fundamental requirements with all other life-forms— nourishment, water, air, space, and suitable environment. The Structures of Life module consists of four investigations dealing with big ideas in life science—plants and animals are organisms and exhibit a variety of strategies for life, organisms are complex and have a variety of observable structures and behaviors, organisms have varied but predictable life cycles and reproduce their own kind, and individual organisms have variations in their traits that may provide an advantage in surviving in the environment. Students observe, compare, categorize, and care for real a real crayfish as they study these concepts!