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. 

A 3rd-grade lesson plan that covers: Newcomer Writing using the 8 phases of explicit instruction for writing by Calderon and Slakk (2018): 1) Pre-teach the most important vocabulary; 2) Use a Mentor text for reading before writing; 3) Present the text structure to use; 4) Model it (Model each phase of the writing process); 5) Memorize it (Ensure that students memorize the language and steps of the strategy); 6) Support it (Scaffold according to student need); 7) Ample use of student interaction (Collaborate and cooperative writing strategies with other students); and 8) Differentiated assessment

Video provided by Neuroscience students at Wake Forest University.  This video is for elementary students explaining how the brain's motor cortex works.

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.

3rd-grade lesson plan implementing the 7 steps for pre-teaching vocabulary by Calderon and Slakk (2018): 1) Students repeat word 3xs; 2) Teacher says the word and reads the sentence exactly as it is in the text; 3) Teacher gives dictionary definition; 4) Teacher gives student-friendly definition/example; 5) Teacher highlights one feature of the word- that it is polysemous, cognate, tense, prefix, root word, etc.; 6) In pairs, students ping-pong 5-6 uses of the word in a provided sentence frame (most important step); 7) Teacher assigns opportunity for students to practice the new words in writing, reading, exit tickets.

Let’s bring the inside out and discover how an animal’s skeleton tells us a lot about their behavior.

We have created helpful clips if you're unable to watch the full thing:
K.L.1 Bird vs. Bat Flight (16 min): https://youtu.be/FWJ6htDggqA?t=3197
3.L.1, 5.L.1 Skeletal Adaptations of a Hawk (7 min): https://youtu.be/FWJ6htDggqA?t=1080
3.L.1, 5.L.1 Bat Skeleton (3 min): https://youtu.be/FWJ6htDggqA?t=1888
3.L.1, 5.L.1 What can the skull tell us? (10 min): https://youtu.be/FWJ6htDggqA?t=2084
3.L.1, 5.L.1 Exoskeleton (2 min): https://youtu.be/FWJ6htDggqA?t=2705
3.L.1, 5.L.1 Why feces are important (2.5 min): https://youtu.be/FWJ6htDggqA?t=2981
3.L.1, 5.L.1 Turtle Shell (3 min): https://youtu.be/FWJ6htDggqA?t=3197

Animal Encounters:
1. Braveheart the Red-tailed Hawk: https://youtu.be/FWJ6htDggqA?t=1078
2. Madagascar Hissing Cockroach: https://youtu.be/FWJ6htDggqA?t=2701
3. Franklin the Eastern Box Turtle: https://youtu.be/FWJ6htDggqA?t=2701

Get your safari hat on as we go on an adventure through Africa and learn about some of the amazing animals that call this place home. We will get to meet a few friends along the way and see some cool biofacts.

We have created helpful clips if you are unable to watch the whole video:
K.L.1
Types of Eaters (1 min) = https://youtu.be/i7-XhaMWoro?t=155

3.L.1
Lion Skull (4 min) = https://youtu.be/i7-XhaMWoro?t=338

4.L.1
Lion Teeth (1 min) = https://youtu.be/i7-XhaMWoro?t=428
Elephant tooth/tusk (2 min) = https://youtu.be/i7-XhaMWoro?t=2118

5.L.2
Ecosystem Balance (1 min) = https://youtu.be/i7-XhaMWoro?t=475

8.L.1
Diseases and Vultures (1 min) = https://youtu.be/i7-XhaMWoro?t=641

Animal Ambassador Clips:
African Ball Python (10 min) = https://youtu.be/i7-XhaMWoro?t=1093
African Pygmy Hedgehog (5 min) = https://youtu.be/i7-XhaMWoro?t=2735

Conservation Clips:
Vulture Conservation (2 min) = https://youtu.be/i7-XhaMWoro?t=767
Elephant Conservation (3 min) = https://youtu.be/i7-XhaMWoro?t=2255

Can you smell your food from miles away? Is your tongue purple or blue? These are just a couple examples of the many adaptations that animals use for survival. Together we will uncover more unique ways living things can adapt to their habitats and why biodiversity is crucial to the health of our planet.

We have created helpful clips if you are unable to watch the whole video:
K.L.1
Alligator vs. Crocodile (1 min) = https://youtu.be/d3X638Qfn_c?t=3373

3.L.1
Exoskeleton (2 min) = https://youtu.be/d3X638Qfn_c?t=1111
Osteoderm (1 min) = https://youtu.be/d3X638Qfn_c?t=3466

4.L.1
Alligators (3 min) = https://youtu.be/d3X638Qfn_c?t=3195

5.L.2
Keystone Species (1 min) = https://youtu.be/d3X638Qfn_c?t=1430

Animal Ambassador Clips:
Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula (5 min) = https://youtu.be/d3X638Qfn_c?t=804
Galapagos Tortoise (10 min) = https://youtu.be/d3X638Qfn_c?t=1743
American Alligator (3 min) = https://youtu.be/d3X638Qfn_c?t=2983

Pack your suitcase and join us for a trip around the world to explore some unique habitats and how animals survive in them!

We have created some helpful clips if you're unable to watch the full video:
1.L.1 What is a Habitat? (4 min): https://youtu.be/XEvyvBgH-8o?t=85
2.P.1 How Arctic Foxes hear mice (1 min): https://youtu.be/XEvyvBgH-8o?t=2309
3.L.1 Polar Bear Skin (40 sec): https://youtu.be/XEvyvBgH-8o?t=2118
4.L.1 Dolphin Echolocation (3 min): https://youtu.be/XEvyvBgH-8o?t=1074
4.L.1 Harbor Seal Whiskers (3 min): https://youtu.be/XEvyvBgH-8o?t=1367
4.L.1 Puffin Adaptations (3 min): https://youtu.be/XEvyvBgH-8o?t=1652
4.L.1 How Polar Bears Survive in the arctic (4 min 20 sec): https://youtu.be/XEvyvBgH-8o?t=1984
4.L.1 How Arctic Foxes survive in the arctic (2 min): https://youtu.be/XEvyvBgH-8o?t=2250
4.L.1 How Gorillas are adapted to Forests (4.5 min): https://youtu.be/XEvyvBgH-8o?t=2371
4.L.1 How Barred Owls are adapted to forests (8.5 min): https://youtu.be/XEvyvBgH-8o?t=2660
4.L.1 Sand cat and Camel desert adaptations (5 min): https://youtu.be/XEvyvBgH-8o?t=3284

Animal Encounters:
1. Giant Cave Cockroach (3 min 30 sec): https://youtu.be/XEvyvBgH-8o?t=316
2. Terra the Barred Owl (8.5 min): https://youtu.be/XEvyvBgH-8o?t=2660
3. Waffles the African Pygmy Hedgehog (3 min): https://youtu.be/XEvyvBgH-8o?t=3620

It’s baaaack! We have so many more animal trivia ideas, we decided to test your knowledge again!

We have created some helpful clips if you're unable to watch the full video:
1.L.1 How groundhogs survive winter (1 min): https://youtu.be/zd_ijFVIYRE?t=2157
1.L.1 How Galapagos Tortoises survive winter (6 min): https://youtu.be/zd_ijFVIYRE?t=2236
3.L.1 Giraffe Anatomy (3 min): https://youtu.be/zd_ijFVIYRE?t=842
5.L.1 How wood frogs survive winter (1 min): https://youtu.be/zd_ijFVIYRE?t=2679
8.L.1 White-nose Syndrome (1 min): https://youtu.be/zd_ijFVIYRE?t=1850

Animal Encounters:
1. Pogo the Ball Python (3 min): https://youtu.be/zd_ijFVIYRE?t=399
2. Carolina Gopher Frog (4 min): https://youtu.be/zd_ijFVIYRE?t=1541
3. Wallace the Western Santa Cruz Galapagos Tortoise (6 min): https://youtu.be/zd_ijFVIYRE?t=2236

Conservation Efforts:
1. Elephant Collaring (1 min): https://youtu.be/zd_ijFVIYRE?t=842
2. Virgin Island Tree Boa (1 min 15 sec): https://youtu.be/zd_ijFVIYRE?t=1422
3. Carolina Gopher Frog (4 min): https://youtu.be/zd_ijFVIYRE?t=1542
4. Birds on the Marianas Islands (2 min 45 sec): https://youtu.be/zd_ijFVIYRE?t=1138

Just like people, animals of all shapes and sizes can be athletes too! Join us as we engage in fun activities, meet live animals and explore unique biofacts as we demonstrate different animal skills and talents.

We have created helpful clips if you are unable to watch the whole video:
2.P.1 Hissing Cockroach (1 min)= https://youtu.be/N_cGxIuuP0g?t=1081
3.P.3 Osteoderms energy (1 min)= https://youtu.be/dfxNrdHPtpk?t=2507
3.L.1 Osteoderms armor (1 min) = https://youtu.be/dfxNrdHPtpk?t=2463
4.L.1 Caribou Feet (2 min) = https://youtu.be/N_cGxIuuP0g?t=364

Animal Ambassador Clips:
Madagascar Hissing Cockroach (6 min) = https://youtu.be/N_cGxIuuP0g?t=862
Northern Pine Snake (8 min) = https://youtu.be/N_cGxIuuP0g?t=1978
Barred Owl (9 min) = https://youtu.be/N_cGxIuuP0g?t=2844

Conservation Clips:
Bird feeder/house/toad abode/bat box (3 min) = https://youtu.be/N_cGxIuuP0g?t=3420

Just like candy has a wrapper to protect it, animals have special coverings that protect them from the outdoors. Amazing biofacts and some live animals help us tell the story of fur, feathers, scales, and more.

We have created some helpful clips if you are unable to watch the whole video:
2.L.2
Shell Size of Galapagos Tortoise (2 min) = https://youtu.be/YoSfqUKr3FE?t=1522

3.L.1
Skin (3 min) = https://youtu.be/YoSfqUKr3FE?t=131

4.L.1
Tarantula Exoskeleton (2 min) = https://youtu.be/YoSfqUKr3FE?t=485
Millipede Exoskeleton (2 min) = https://youtu.be/YoSfqUKr3FE?t=742
Reptile Scales (4 min) = https://youtu.be/YoSfqUKr3FE?t=1173
Tortoise Shell (1 min) = https://youtu.be/YoSfqUKr3FE?t=1638
Fur (2 min) = https://youtu.be/YoSfqUKr3FE?t=2009
Countershading (2 min) = https://youtu.be/YoSfqUKr3FE?t=2110

5.L.2
Tortoise Food (1 min) = https://youtu.be/YoSfqUKr3FE?t=1713

Animal Ambassadors:
African Giant Millipede (6 min) = https://youtu.be/YoSfqUKr3FE?t=652
Galapagos Tortoise (7 min) = https://youtu.be/YoSfqUKr3FE?t=1447
Barred Owl (10 min) = https://youtu.be/YoSfqUKr3FE?t=2667

Slither in and meet what some people consider their worst nightmare! But you decide if they truly are the stuff of nightmares or a very misunderstood beneficial animal!

We have created helpful clips if you're unable to watch the full video:
K.L.1 Poisonous vs. Venomous (4.5 min): https://youtu.be/Ew08vyciGOM?t=227
2.P.1 Snake Hearing (2 min): https://youtu.be/Ew08vyciGOM?t=1998
3.L.1 Snake Skeleton (3 min): https://youtu.be/Ew08vyciGOM?t=512
3.L.1 Snake Jaw (3 min 10 sec): https://youtu.be/Ew08vyciGOM?t=706
7.L.1 How constrictors kill their prey (2 min 15 sec): https://youtu.be/Ew08vyciGOM?t=1694

Animal Encounters:
1. Slinky the Eastern Rat Snake (11.5 min): https://youtu.be/Ew08vyciGOM?t=958
2. Freckles the Macklot's Python (10 min): https://youtu.be/Ew08vyciGOM?t=2154

Join us as we learn about the majestic giraffe. These gentle giants of Africa have some amazing features that make them stand out in the animal world!

We have created some helpful clips if you're unable to watch the full video:
K.L.1 Owl neck vs. Giraffe and human (4 min): https://youtu.be/gmSh06NuYFY?t=1896
K.P.1 Giraffe Hoof (2 min): https://youtu.be/0mx3bkS6-Oc?t=2829
1.L.1 Bioindicators in habitat (1.5 min): https://youtu.be/gmSh06NuYFY?t=3090
2.P.1 Giraffe Sounds (3 min 10 sec): https://youtu.be/gmSh06NuYFY?t=3090
3.L.1 Giraffe Vertebrae (4 min): https://youtu.be/gmSh06NuYFY?t=1635
3.L.1 Ossicones (4 min): https://youtu.be/gmSh06NuYFY?t=3388
5.L.1 Giraffe Digestion (4 min): https://youtu.be/gmSh06NuYFY?t=1055
5.L.1 Giraffe Heart (6 min): https://youtu.be/gmSh06NuYFY?t=1280
5.L.1 Giraffe Vertebrae (4 min): https://youtu.be/gmSh06NuYFY?t=1635
5.L.1 Giraffe Tongue (5 min): https://youtu.be/gmSh06NuYFY?t=2452
5.L.1 Giraffe Skull (1.5 min): https://youtu.be/gmSh06NuYFY?t=2761
5.L.1 Ossicones (4 min): https://youtu.be/gmSh06NuYFY?t=3388

Animal Encounters:
1. Terra the Barred Owl (10 min): https://youtu.be/gmSh06NuYFY?t=1853
2. Todd the Giant Marine Toad (5 min): https://youtu.be/gmSh06NuYFY?t=2889

We usually consider them to be the creepy crawlies of the world, but these important animals are only literally "spine-less." Learn how invertebrates rule the world by keeping us and the world around us healthy.

We have created helpful clips if you are unable to watch the whole video:
3.L.1 Invertebrate Exoskeleton (1 min) = https://youtu.be/z6kIGdVJdp8?t=398
4.L.1 Spiracles (1 min) = https://youtu.be/z6kIGdVJdp8?t=978

Animal Ambassador Clips:
Madagascar Hissing Cockroach (5 min) = https://youtu.be/z6kIGdVJdp8?t=891
Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula (7 min) = https://youtu.be/z6kIGdVJdp8?t=1411
African Giant Millipede (7 min) = https://youtu.be/z6kIGdVJdp8?t=1937

Let’s go batty and learn all about these amazing creatures and discover the benefits of bats!

We have created helpful clips if you're unable to watch the full video:
K.L.1 What type of animal are bats/closest living relative (3 min): https://youtu.be/nork9dCIZIQ?t=164
K.L.1 What bats eat (6 min): https://youtu.be/nork9dCIZIQ?t=450
1.L.1 How we can help bats (4 min): https://youtu.be/nork9dCIZIQ?t=2754
2.P.1 Echolocation (1.5 min): https://youtu.be/nork9dCIZIQ?t=1154
3.L.1 Bat Skeleton (3 min): https://youtu.be/nork9dCIZIQ?t=450
5.L.2 How bats help us (9.5 min): https://youtu.be/nork9dCIZIQ?t=1255

Animal Encounters:
Giant Cave Cockroach (3 min): https://youtu.be/nork9dCIZIQ?t=1818

Conservation:
Why bats are Declining and how we can help (11 min): https://youtu.be/nork9dCIZIQ?t=1981

This Zoo EDventures experience promises to be quite ribbiting! Join us to find out all the amazing slick and slippery details of why amphibians are so toad-ally important.

We have created some helpful clips if you are unable to watch the full video:
K.L.1 Salamander Diversity (2 min): https://youtu.be/o_k5l14o5IA?t=1166
2.L.1 Frog Development (2 min): https://youtu.be/o_k5l14o5IA?t=162
3.L.1 Permeable Skin (1 min): https://youtu.be/o_k5l14o5IA?t=726
4.L.1 Ephemeral Pools (1 min): https://youtu.be/o_k5l14o5IA?t=1041
4.L.1 Shed-skin Consumption: https://youtu.be/o_k5l14o5IA?t=1110

Animal Ambassador Clips:
Forest the Spotted Salamander (4 min): https://youtu.be/o_k5l14o5IA?t=459
Commander the Eastern Tiger Salamander (6 min): https://youtu.be/o_k5l14o5IA?t=793
Sugar the Cane Toad (5 min): https://youtu.be/o_k5l14o5IA?t=1397