Overview of Grade 3 Curriculum
Observing and Measuring Materials and Objects
The third grade curriculum has four strands that help set the foundation for a learning progression in the nature of matter.
The first strand, Investigating Materials, helps students distinguish between objects and materials. Students build their understanding that objects in their daily lives are made of many different types of materials with different properties.
The second strand, Investigating Weight, focuses on weight as a property of matter. Students make the transition from felt weight, perceived with their hands, to measured weight using a pan balance. The third strand, Investigating Standard Measures, has students share their measurements of weight with each other and introduces the need for a standard unit of measurement. The fourth strand, Investigating Volume, introduces volume as another important property of matter.
Embedded within these strands are the development of representations (most significantly, a number line used to represent weight) as well as scientific models and explanations through discussions, notebooks, and the use of concept cartoons.
