GEMS Correlations with the
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Science
Grade 3

Return to Texas Standards Page

Science, Grade 3.

Knowledge and skills.

(1) Scientific processes. The student conducts field and laboratory investigations following home and school safety procedures and environmentally appropriate and ethical practices. The student is expected to:

(A) demonstrate safe practices during field and laboratory investigations; and

Appropriate GEMS Teacher's Guides: Aquatic Habitats, Bubble Festival, Buzzing a Hive, Investigating Artifacts, Involving Dissolving, Liquid Explorations, Mystery Festival, On Sandy Shores, Schoolyard Ecology, Secret Formulas, Terrarium Habitats

(B) make wise choices in the use and conservation of resources and the disposal or recycling of materials.

Appropriate GEMS Teacher's Guides: Aquatic Habitats, Investigating Artifacts, On Sandy Shores, Schoolyard Ecology, Secret Formulas, Terrarium Habitats

(2) Scientific processes. The student uses scientific inquiry methods during field and laboratory investigations. The student is expected to:

(A) plan and implement descriptive investigations including asking well-defined questions, formulating testable hypotheses, and selecting and using equipment and technology;

Appropriate GEMS Teacher's Guides: Aquatic Habitats, Schoolyard Ecology

(B) collect information by observing and measuring;

Appropriate GEMS Teacher's Guides: Aquatic Habitats, Bubble Festival, Buzzing a Hive, Investigating Artifacts, Involving Dissolving, Liquid Explorations, Mystery Festival, On Sandy Shores, Schoolyard Ecology, Secret Formulas, Terrarium Habitats

(C) analyze and interpret information to construct reasonable explanations from direct and indirect evidence;

Appropriate GEMS Teacher's Guides: Aquatic Habitats, Investigating Artifacts, Involving Dissolving, Liquid Explorations, Mystery Festival, On Sandy Shores, Schoolyard Ecology, Secret Formulas, Terrarium Habitats

(D) communicate valid conclusions; and

Appropriate GEMS Teacher's Guides: Aquatic Habitats, Bubble Festival, Investigating Artifacts, Involving Dissolving, Liquid Explorations, Mystery Festival, On Sandy Shores, Schoolyard Ecology, Secret Formulas, Terrarium Habitats

(E) construct simple graphs, tables, maps, and charts to organize, examine and evaluate information.

Appropriate GEMS Teacher's Guides: Aquatic Habitats, Investigating Artifacts, Liquid Explorations, Mystery Festival, On Sandy Shores, Schoolyard Ecology, Secret Formulas

(3) Scientific processes. The student knows that information, critical thinking, and scientific problem solving are used in making decisions. The student is expected to:

(A) analyze, review, and critique scientific explanations, including hypotheses and theories, as to their strengths and weaknesses using scientific evidence and information;

Appropriate GEMS Teacher's Guides: Aquatic Habitats, Investigating Artifacts, Mystery Festival, Schoolyard Ecology

(B) draw inferences based on information related to promotional materials for products and services;

Appropriate GEMS Teacher's Guides: Secret Formulas

(C) represent the natural world using models and identify their limitations;

Appropriate GEMS Teacher's Guides: Aquatic Habitats, Buzzing a Hive, On Sandy Shores, Schoolyard Ecology, Terrarium Habitats

(D) evaluate the impact of research on scientific thought, society, and the environment; and

Appropriate GEMS Teacher's Guides: Investigating Artifacts, Mystery Festival, On Sandy Shores, Schoolyard Ecology

(E) connect Grade 3 science concepts with the history of science and contributions of scientists.

Appropriate GEMS Teacher's Guides: Investigating Artifacts, Mystery Festival

(4) Scientific processes. The student knows how to use a variety of tools and methods to conduct science inquiry. The student is expected to:

(A) collect and analyze information using tools including calculators, microscopes, cameras, safety goggles, sound recorders, clocks, computers, thermometers, hand lenses, meter sticks, rulers, balances, magnets, and compasses; and

Appropriate GEMS Teacher's Guides: Aquatic Habitats, Bubble Festival, Buzzing a Hive, Investigating Artifacts, Involving Dissolving, Liquid Explorations, Mystery Festival, On Sandy Shores, Schoolyard Ecology, Secret Formulas, Terrarium Habitats

(B) demonstrate that repeated investigations may increase the reliability of results.

Appropriate GEMS Teacher's Guides: Aquatic Habitats, Bubble Festival, Liquid Explorations, Mystery Festival, Secret Formulas

(5) Science concepts. The student knows that systems exist in the world. The student is expected to:

(A) observe and identify simple systems such as a sprouted seed and a wooden toy car; and

Appropriate GEMS Teacher's Guides: Aquatic Habitats, On Sandy Shores, Terrarium Habitats

(B) observe a simple system and describe the role of various parts such as a yo-yo and string.

Appropriate GEMS Teacher's Guides: Aquatic Habitats, On Sandy Shores, Terrarium Habitats

(6) Science concepts. The student knows that forces cause change. The student is expected to:

(A) measure and record changes in the position and direction of the motion of an object to which a force such as a push or pull has been applied; and

Appropriate GEMS Teacher's Guides: None at this time.

(B) identify that the surface of the Earth can be changed by forces such as earthquakes and glaciers.

Appropriate GEMS Teacher's Guides: On Sandy Shores

(7) Science concepts. The student knows that matter has physical properties. The student is expected to:

(A) gather information including temperature, magnetism, hardness, and mass using appropriate tools to identify physical properties of matter; and

Appropriate GEMS Teacher's Guides: Liquid Explorations, Sifting Through Science

(B) identify matter as liquids, solids, and gases.

Appropriate GEMS Teacher's Guides: Involving Dissolving, Liquid Explorations, Secret Formulas, Sifting Through Science

(8) Science concepts. The student knows that living organisms need food, water, light, air, a way to dispose of waste, and an environment in which to live. The student is expected to:

(A) observe and describe the habitats of organisms within an ecosystem;

Appropriate GEMS Teacher's Guides: Aquatic Habitats, Buzzing a Hive, On Sandy Shores, Schoolyard Ecology, Terrarium Habitats

(B) observe and identify organisms with similar needs that compete with one another for resources such as oxygen, water, food, or space;

Appropriate GEMS Teacher's Guides: Aquatic Habitats, Buzzing a Hive, On Sandy Shores, Schoolyard Ecology, Terrarium Habitats

(C) describe environmental changes in which some organisms would thrive, become ill, or perish; and

Appropriate GEMS Teacher's Guides: Aquatic Habitats, Buzzing a Hive, On Sandy Shores, Schoolyard Ecology, Terrarium Habitats

(D) describe how living organisms modify their physical environment to meet their needs such as beavers building a dam or humans building a home.

Appropriate GEMS Teacher's Guides: Buzzing a Hive, On Sandy Shores, Schoolyard Ecology

(9) Science concepts. The student knows that species have different adaptations that help them survive and reproduce in their environment. The student is expected to:

(A) observe and identify characteristics among species that allow each to survive and reproduce; and

Appropriate GEMS Teacher's Guides: Aquatic Habitats, Buzzing a Hive, On Sandy Shores, Schoolyard Ecology, Terrarium Habitats

(B) analyze how adaptive characteristics help individuals within a species to survive and reproduce.

Appropriate GEMS Teacher's Guides: Aquatic Habitats, Buzzing a Hive, On Sandy Shores, Schoolyard Ecology, Terrarium Habitats

(10) Science concepts. The student knows that many likenesses between offspring and parents are inherited from the parents. The student is expected to:

(A) identify some inherited traits of plants; and

Appropriate GEMS Teacher's Guides: None at this time.

(B) identify some inherited traits of animals.

Appropriate GEMS Teacher's Guides: None at this time.

(11) Science concepts. The student knows that the natural world includes earth materials and objects in the sky. The student is expected to:

(A) identify and describe the importance of earth materials including rocks, soil, water, and gases of the atmosphere in the local area and classify them as renewable, nonrenewable, or inexhaustible resources;

Appropriate GEMS Teacher's Guides: Terrarium Habitats

(B) identify and record properties of soils such as color and texture, capacity to retain water, and ability to support the growth of plants;

Appropriate GEMS Teacher's Guides: Schoolyard Ecology, Terrarium Habitats

(C) identify the planets in our solar system and their position in relation to the Sun; and

Appropriate GEMS Teacher's Guides: None at this time.

(D) describe the characteristics of the Sun.

Appropriate GEMS Teacher's Guides: None at this time.