This parent guide supports parents in helping their child at home with the 3rd grade Science content.

This resource accompanies our Rethink 3rd Grade Science course. It includes ideas for use, ways to support exceptional children, ways to extend learning, digital resources and tools, tips for supporting English Language Learners and students with visual and hearing impairments. There are also ideas for offline learning. 

This resource is a 4 day, 3rd grade unit on Soil and Plants.

Students will choose a landform to research. Using NC Wise Owl they will complete the Research form.They will use the information they learned to write an oral report as if they are a newscaster reporting from the landform.  They will record the report using Do Ink (Greenscreen app). Next they will create a diorama of the landform in a shoebox. Using the ipad, they will take a picture of the diorama and use Do Ink to make the greenscreen video.

In this lesson students review the concept of the 4 R's and what they have done, and can do, to make the world a more beautiful place. Students will explore how nature sets a good recycling example by analyzing earthworms. As a culminating project, students will make a mini-compost bin to take home. A unit post-assessment is conducted using the pie graph or anchor charts from the first lesson in the unit. This lesson was developed by Lee Ann Smith as part of their completion of the North Carolina Global Educator Digital Badge program. This lesson plan has been vetted at the local and state level for standards alignment, Global Education focus, and content accuracy.

Students will learn about the importance of water and the problems surrounding water globally and locally. Students will compare usability of fresh water and salt water. Students will research and promote water conservation. This lesson was developed by Julie Johnson as part of their completion of the North Carolina Global Educator Digital Badge program. This lesson plan has been vetted at the local and state level for standards alignment, Global Education focus, and content accuracy.            

Through this mini research lesson, students will choose a plant to research and write about. Using Pink is for Blobfish by Jess Keating as a model book, students will create a class book titled 'Green is For...' with their final drafts. 

In this short video, students learn how fire plays an important role in the survival of the plants (such as venus flytraps and longleaf pines) in the habitat of Carolina Beach State Park.

In this short video and accompanying activity and readings, students learn about the Venus Fly Trap and how it adapts to its environment to survive.

In this short video and accompanying activity and readings, students learn about a unique blackwater river in North Carolina - the Lumber River. The river has played an important role for the plants, people, and animals that have called it home.

In this short video, accompanying activity, and readings, students learn about the wildflowers at Medoc Mountain State Park. These resources examine how wildflowers survive and their role in their ecosystem.

In this short video and accompanying activity and readings, students learn about Longleaf Pine Ecosystems by exploring Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve in North Carolina.

You ride past them every day, but how often do you get out to appreciate the Wildflowers growing right along the side of the road? Join Mr. Bob, the Zoo's Neighborhood Naturalist as we take a walk along the shoulder of the road!

Learn about the parts/functions of a plant and create a plant flip book.

This course was created by the Rethink Education Content Development Team. This course is aligned to the NC Standards for 3rd Grade Science. 

This course was created by the Rethink Education Content Development Team. This course is aligned to the NC Standards for 3rd Grade Science.

This is additional curriculum for the Untamed Science video series created in a partnership between the North Carolina Zoo and videographer Rob Nelson. You are meant to watch the original video and then open the PDF resource below to learn how you can create your own compost bin!