[LS] Life Science

SCI-03.LS1

BPSS-SCI logo DCI Life Science [LS1]

From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes

Performance Expectations

The performance expectations in third grade help students formulate answers to questions such as:

  • What is typical weather in different parts of the world and during different times of the year? 
  • How can the impact of weather-related hazards be reduced?
  • How do organisms vary in their traits?
  • How are plants, animals, and environments of the past similar or different from current plants, animals, and environments?
  • What happens to organisms when their environment changes?
  • How do equal and unequal forces on an object affect the object?
  • How can magnets be used?”

Students are able to organize and use data to describe typical weather conditions expected during a particular season. By applying their understanding of weather-related hazards, students are able to make a claim about the merit of a design solution that reduces the impacts of such hazards. Students are expected to develop an understanding of the similarities and differences of organisms’ life cycles. An understanding that organisms have different inherited traits, and that the environment can also affect the traits that an organism develops, is acquired by students at this level. In addition, students are able to construct an explanation using evidence for how the variations in characteristics among individuals of the same species may provide advantages in surviving, finding mates, and reproducing. Students are expected to develop an understanding of types of organisms that lived long ago and also about the nature of their environments.
Third graders are expected to develop an understanding of the idea that when the environment changes some organisms survive and reproduce, some move to new locations, some move into the transformed environment, and some die. Students are able to determine the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces on the motion of an object and the cause and effect relationships of electric or magnetic interactions between two objects not in contact with each other. They are then able to apply their understanding of magnetic interactions to define a simple design problem that can be solved with magnets.

Calculation Method for DCI

Disciplinary Core Ideas are larger groups of related Performance Expectations. So the Disciplinary Core Idea Grade is a calculation of all the related Performance Expectations. So click on the Performance Expectation name below each Disciplinary Core Idea to access the learning targets and proficiency scales for each Disciplinary Core Idea's related Performance Expectations.


SCI-03.LS1.01

Life Science Logo 3rd Grade (SCI) Science Standards
[LS1] From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes

SCI-03.LS1.01 Develop models to describe that organisms have unique and diverse life cycles but all experience birth, growth, reproduction, and death.

Clarification Statement: Changes organisms go through during their life form a pattern
Disciplinary Core Ideas
Reproduction is essential to the continued existence of every kind of organism. Plants and animals have unique and diverse life cycles.


proficiency scale iconProficiency Scale


SCI-03.LS2

BPSS-SCI logo DCI Life Science LS2

Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics

Performance Expectations

The performance expectations in third grade help students formulate answers to questions such as:

  • What is typical weather in different parts of the world and during different times of the year? 
  • How can the impact of weather-related hazards be reduced?
  • How do organisms vary in their traits?
  • How are plants, animals, and environments of the past similar or different from current plants, animals, and environments?
  • What happens to organisms when their environment changes?
  • How do equal and unequal forces on an object affect the object?
  • How can magnets be used?”

Students are able to organize and use data to describe typical weather conditions expected during a particular season. By applying their understanding of weather-related hazards, students are able to make a claim about the merit of a design solution that reduces the impacts of such hazards. Students are expected to develop an understanding of the similarities and differences of organisms’ life cycles. An understanding that organisms have different inherited traits, and that the environment can also affect the traits that an organism develops, is acquired by students at this level. In addition, students are able to construct an explanation using evidence for how the variations in characteristics among individuals of the same species may provide advantages in surviving, finding mates, and reproducing. Students are expected to develop an understanding of types of organisms that lived long ago and also about the nature of their environments.
Third graders are expected to develop an understanding of the idea that when the environment changes some organisms survive and reproduce, some move to new locations, some move into the transformed environment, and some die. Students are able to determine the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces on the motion of an object and the cause and effect relationships of electric or magnetic interactions between two objects not in contact with each other. They are then able to apply their understanding of magnetic interactions to define a simple design problem that can be solved with magnets.

Calculation Method for DCI

Disciplinary Core Ideas are larger groups of related Performance Expectations. So the Disciplinary Core Idea Grade is a calculation of all the related Performance Expectations. So click on the Performance Expectation name below each Disciplinary Core Idea to access the learning targets and proficiency scales for each Disciplinary Core Idea's related Performance Expectations.


SCI-03.LS2.01

Life Science Logo3rd Grade (SCI) Science Standards
[LS2] Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics

SCI-03.LS2.01 Construct an argument that some animals form groups that help members survive.

Clarification Statement: Being part of a group helps animals obtain food, defend themselves, and cope with changes. Groups may serve different functions and vary dramatically in size.
Disciplinary Core Ideas
Cause and effect relationships are routinely identified and used to explain change.


Student Learning Targets:

Knowledge Targets

  • I can

Reasoning Targets

  • I can

Skills (Performance) Targets

  • I can

Product Targets

  • I can

Proficiency Scale

The Student ...
1 Beginning
... with help, demonstrates a partial understanding of some of the simpler details and processes (Score 2.0 content) and some of the more complex ideas and processes (Score 3.0 content).
  • descriptors
2 Developing
... demonstrates no major errors or omissions regarding the simpler details and processes but exhibits major errors or omissions regarding the more complex ideas and processes (Score 3.0 content).
  • descriptors
3 Proficient
“The Standard.”
... demonstrates no major errors or omissions regarding any of the information and processes that were end of instruction expectations.
  • descriptors
4 Advanced
... demonstrates in-depth inferences and applications regarding more complex material that go beyond end of instruction expectations.
  • descriptors

Resources

Vocabulary

  • words
  • list

Websites

  • Title of website with a URL to open in a new window

SCI-03.LS3

BPSS-SCI logo DCI Life Science LS3

Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits

Performance Expectations

The performance expectations in third grade help students formulate answers to questions such as:

  • What is typical weather in different parts of the world and during different times of the year? 
  • How can the impact of weather-related hazards be reduced?
  • How do organisms vary in their traits?
  • How are plants, animals, and environments of the past similar or different from current plants, animals, and environments?
  • What happens to organisms when their environment changes?
  • How do equal and unequal forces on an object affect the object?
  • How can magnets be used?”

Students are able to organize and use data to describe typical weather conditions expected during a particular season. By applying their understanding of weather-related hazards, students are able to make a claim about the merit of a design solution that reduces the impacts of such hazards. Students are expected to develop an understanding of the similarities and differences of organisms’ life cycles. An understanding that organisms have different inherited traits, and that the environment can also affect the traits that an organism develops, is acquired by students at this level. In addition, students are able to construct an explanation using evidence for how the variations in characteristics among individuals of the same species may provide advantages in surviving, finding mates, and reproducing. Students are expected to develop an understanding of types of organisms that lived long ago and also about the nature of their environments.
Third graders are expected to develop an understanding of the idea that when the environment changes some organisms survive and reproduce, some move to new locations, some move into the transformed environment, and some die. Students are able to determine the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces on the motion of an object and the cause and effect relationships of electric or magnetic interactions between two objects not in contact with each other. They are then able to apply their understanding of magnetic interactions to define a simple design problem that can be solved with magnets.

Calculation Method for DCI

Disciplinary Core Ideas are larger groups of related Performance Expectations. So the Disciplinary Core Idea Grade is a calculation of all the related Performance Expectations. So click on the Performance Expectation name below each Disciplinary Core Idea to access the learning targets and proficiency scales for each Disciplinary Core Idea's related Performance Expectations.


SCI-03.LS3.01

Life Science Logo3rd Grade (SCI) Science Standards
[LS3] Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits

SCI-03.LS3.01 Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence that plants and animals have traits inherited from parents and that variation of these traits exists in a group of similar organisms.

Clarification Statement: Patterns are the similarities and differences in traits shared between offspring and their parents, or among siblings. Emphasis is on organisms other than humans.
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.


Student Learning Targets:

Knowledge Targets

  • I can

Reasoning Targets

  • I can

Skills (Performance) Targets

  • I can

Product Targets

  • I can

Proficiency Scale

The Student ...
1 Beginning
... with help, demonstrates a partial understanding of some of the simpler details and processes (Score 2.0 content) and some of the more complex ideas and processes (Score 3.0 content).
  • descriptors
2 Developing
... demonstrates no major errors or omissions regarding the simpler details and processes but exhibits major errors or omissions regarding the more complex ideas and processes (Score 3.0 content).
  • descriptors
3 Proficient
“The Standard.”
... demonstrates no major errors or omissions regarding any of the information and processes that were end of instruction expectations.
  • descriptors
4 Advanced
... demonstrates in-depth inferences and applications regarding more complex material that go beyond end of instruction expectations.
  • descriptors

Resources

Vocabulary

  • words
  • list

Websites

  • Title of website with a URL to open in a new window

SCI-03.LS3.02

Life Science Logo 3rd Grade (SCI) Science Standards
[LS3] Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits

SCI-03.LS3.02 Use evidence to support the explanation that the expression of traits can be influenced by the environment.

Clarification Statement: Examples of the environment affecting a trait could include normally tall plants grown with insufficient water are stunted. A person born healthy based on their genetics could suffer from the exposure to toxic chemicals
Disciplinary Core Ideas
Other characteristics result from individuals’ interactions with the environment, which can range from diet to learning. Many characteristics involve both inheritance and environment.
Environmental factors such as toxins may affect the traits that an organism develops


proficiency scale iconProficiency Scale


SCI-03.LS4

BPSS-SCI logo DCI Life Science LS3

Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity

Performance Expectations

The performance expectations in third grade help students formulate answers to questions such as:

  • What is typical weather in different parts of the world and during different times of the year? 
  • How can the impact of weather-related hazards be reduced?
  • How do organisms vary in their traits?
  • How are plants, animals, and environments of the past similar or different from current plants, animals, and environments?
  • What happens to organisms when their environment changes?
  • How do equal and unequal forces on an object affect the object?
  • How can magnets be used?”

Students are able to organize and use data to describe typical weather conditions expected during a particular season. By applying their understanding of weather-related hazards, students are able to make a claim about the merit of a design solution that reduces the impacts of such hazards. Students are expected to develop an understanding of the similarities and differences of organisms’ life cycles. An understanding that organisms have different inherited traits, and that the environment can also affect the traits that an organism develops, is acquired by students at this level. In addition, students are able to construct an explanation using evidence for how the variations in characteristics among individuals of the same species may provide advantages in surviving, finding mates, and reproducing. Students are expected to develop an understanding of types of organisms that lived long ago and also about the nature of their environments.
Third graders are expected to develop an understanding of the idea that when the environment changes some organisms survive and reproduce, some move to new locations, some move into the transformed environment, and some die. Students are able to determine the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces on the motion of an object and the cause and effect relationships of electric or magnetic interactions between two objects not in contact with each other. They are then able to apply their understanding of magnetic interactions to define a simple design problem that can be solved with magnets.

Calculation Method for DCI

Disciplinary Core Ideas are larger groups of related Performance Expectations. So the Disciplinary Core Idea Grade is a calculation of all the related Performance Expectations. So click on the Performance Expectation name below each Disciplinary Core Idea to access the learning targets and proficiency scales for each Disciplinary Core Idea's related Performance Expectations.


SCI-03.LS4.01

Life Science Logo3rd Grade (SCI) Science Standards
[LS4] Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity

SCI-03.LS4.01 Analyze and interpret data from fossils to provide evidence of the organisms and the environments in which they lived long ago.

Clarification Statement: Examples of data could include type, size, and distributions of fossil organisms. Examples of fossils and environments could include marine fossils found on dry land, tropical plant fossils found in Arctic areas, and fossils of extinct organisms.
Disciplinary Core Ideas
Examples of data could include type, size, and distributions of fossil organisms. Examples of fossils and environments could include marine fossils found on dry land, tropical plant fossils found in Arctic areas, and fossils of extinct organisms.


Student Learning Targets:

Knowledge Targets

  • I can

Reasoning Targets

  • I can

Skills (Performance) Targets

  • I can

Product Targets

  • I can

Proficiency Scale

The Student ...
1 Beginning
... with help, demonstrates a partial understanding of some of the simpler details and processes (Score 2.0 content) and some of the more complex ideas and processes (Score 3.0 content).
  • descriptors
2 Developing
... demonstrates no major errors or omissions regarding the simpler details and processes but exhibits major errors or omissions regarding the more complex ideas and processes (Score 3.0 content).
  • descriptors
3 Proficient
“The Standard.”
... demonstrates no major errors or omissions regarding any of the information and processes that were end of instruction expectations.
  • descriptors
4 Advanced
... demonstrates in-depth inferences and applications regarding more complex material that go beyond end of instruction expectations.
  • descriptors

Resources

Vocabulary

  • words
  • list

Websites

  • Title of website with a URL to open in a new window

SCI-03.LS4.02

Life Science Logo3rd Grade (SCI) Science Standards
[LS4] Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity

SCI-03.LS4.02 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.

Clarification Statement: Examples of cause and effect relationships could be plants that have larger thorns than other plants may be less likely to be eaten by predators; and, animals that have better camouflage coloration than other animals may be more likely to survive and therefore more likely to leave offspring.
Disciplinary Core Ideas
Sometimes the differences in characteristics between individuals of the same species provide advantages in surviving, finding mates, and reproducing


Student Learning Targets:

Knowledge Targets

  • I can

Reasoning Targets

  • I can

Skills (Performance) Targets

  • I can

Product Targets

  • I can

Proficiency Scale

The Student ...
1 Beginning
... with help, demonstrates a partial understanding of some of the simpler details and processes (Score 2.0 content) and some of the more complex ideas and processes (Score 3.0 content).
  • descriptors
2 Developing
... demonstrates no major errors or omissions regarding the simpler details and processes but exhibits major errors or omissions regarding the more complex ideas and processes (Score 3.0 content).
  • descriptors
3 Proficient
“The Standard.”
... demonstrates no major errors or omissions regarding any of the information and processes that were end of instruction expectations.
  • descriptors
4 Advanced
... demonstrates in-depth inferences and applications regarding more complex material that go beyond end of instruction expectations.
  • descriptors

Resources

Vocabulary

  • words
  • list

Websites

  • Title of website with a URL to open in a new window

SCI-03.LS4.03

Life Science Logo 3rd Grade (SCI) Science Standards
[LS4] Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity

SCI-03.LS4.03 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.

Clarification Statement: Examples of evidence could include needs and characteristics of the organisms and habitats involved. The organisms and their habitat make up a system in which the parts depend on each other.
Disciplinary Core Ideas
Adaptation for any particular environment, some kinds of organisms survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all.


proficiency scale iconProficiency Scale


SCI-03.LS4.04

3rd Grade (SCI) Science Expectation

[LS4] Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity

SCI-03.LS4.04 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.

Student Learning Targets:

Knowledge Targets

  • I can

Reasoning Targets

  • I can

Skills (Performance) Targets

  • I can

Product Targets

  • I can

Proficiency Scale

The Student is able to...

(1) Beginning

  • descriptors

(2) Developing

  • descriptors

(3) Proficient

  • descriptors

(4) Advanced

  • demonstrates in-depth inferences and applications regarding more complex material that go beyond end of instruction expectations.

Resources

Vocabulary

  • word
  • list 

Websites

  • Title of website with a URL to open in a new window