Science Center Units (Grade 3): Unit Resources

Unit - Kit Files
Delta Science Unit - Student pages are now available in electronic format - as a PDF file. 
Delta Science has requested that we secure the file so you will need an Access Key to access the file.

Link to obtain Access Key 

Link to access file (thru "Live Binder")

Resource Files
Student Notes pages (MS Word)

States of Matter Probe: a quick pre-assessment (MS Word)

Watershed Maps (PDF):
Cayuga Lake
Chenango - Tioughnioga River Basin
Onondaga Lake
Upper Susquehanna SubBasin

Water Cycle and Water Re-cycles for Kids:
Water Cycle Activity Book (EPA, Gr. 3 - 4) PDF
Water Cycle Page PDF (EPA)
Water Re-cycles Poster (EPA, 8"x11") color PDF
Water Cycle Poster Pages (EPA) - one page for each key concept, PDF
Water Cycle Wheel (PDF) - students can create a water cycle model. 

Tips, Hints and FYIs

ACTIVITY 10 - RAINBOWS
Suggestion: set aside this activity
This Activity focuses on rainbows. You are welcome to do this activity with your students but, at this time, we do not feel that exploring the connection between rainbows and water vapor is a worthwhile science activity.

 

Websites
Water Cycle Song (YouTube)

The Water Cycle for Schools (USGS) - this webpage has a very "busy looking" poster of the water cycle which can be saved as a PDF, image or poster image. The message is that water is everywhere in our world and is constantly in motion.  There is a link on this USGS page to an interactive view of this image which provides links to a "beginner", "intermediate" and "advanced" view.

Water Cycle (Earthguide Diagram) - Interactive

Investigating Groundwater (Earthguide Diagram) - Interactive
 

Multimedia
PBS NY:Scientist Profile: Hydrologist

PBS NY: Water Cycle Animation - created by NASA, follow a water molecule through the water cycle

PBS NY: Water Cycle (Interactive - series of slides) - created by NASA illustrators

PBS NY: Follow the Water - exploring how surface water travels and how it might change along the way [00:03:13]

Informational Text Resources
Kid's Crossing:Cycles of the Earth, Water Cycle (NCAR, UCAR) - This page has a short (2 paragraph) reading selection about the water cycle.
 

Professional Development (PD)
Water Cycle Unit Overview (Power Point)

PD Websites
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PD Multimedia
PBS NY: What is a Watershed [2:14]

Video - Science Center: Activity 3 - Where else is water stored? - a video related to a sub-activity in Act. 3 [00:1:00]

Unit - Kit Files
Buoyancy Student Journal (adaptable)

Buoyancy Student Journal (PDF)

Buoyancy Blackline Masters (adaptable)

Buoyancy Blackline Masters (PDF)

Tips, Hints and FYIs
The main or basic concepts that students should learn from this unit are:

• What is the property of mass.
• What is the property of volume.
• An object's property of buoyancy is related to its mass and volume (mass and volume together effects an object's properties)

Websites
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Multimedia
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Informational Text Resources
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Unit - Kit Files
Delta Science Unit - Student pages are now available in electronic format - as a PDF file. 
Delta Science has requested that we secure the file so you will need an Access Key to access the file.

Link to obtain Access Key 

Link to access file (thru "Live Binder")

Resource Files
Student Notebook Pages (MS Word)

Food Chain Stackers (PDF): from KidWings

Food Chain Pictures (PDF)

Owl Web Quest (PDF)

State Symbol Concentration Game (PDF)

Unit Evaluation Questions (MS Word): taken from the NYS ELS test 

OWL Pellet Activity
Owls and Owl Pellets (PDF)
Rodent Skeleton Basics(PDF)

Web Site: Food Chain Links (Idaho Public TV) - there is an addition page titled "for Teachers"

Tips, Hints and FYIs
Anole Delivery Information:
Science Center Delivered: Anoles that come directly from the Science Center will arrive in plastic bags (4 to a bag).
 
Supplier Drop Shipped: If the anoles are drop shipped from a supplier they will come in a box.  When you open the box they will be ready to escape.  Have a large clear plastic bag (most schools use this style for trash can liners) available to open the box into so that the anoles will not escape.  When they have settled down you can remove them from the bag one at a time. (Use the latex gloves provided in the kit - wash your hands when you are done.)

Critter Care:
Anoles, Crickets, Worms Overview (PDF)
Anole Greenhouse Set up (PDF)
Anole Greenhouse Set up Video (wmv)

Returning Critters:
Guidelines for Returning Critters - Rev._Sept 2014 (PDF)

Websites
 

Multimedia
PBS NY: What is a food chain? (Think Garden) [2:20]

PBS NY: Decomposers [3:04] - good overview of decomposers, focus on earthworm

PBS NY: Animals Making A Living [2:15]- how some animals get their food

PBS NY: Food Chain [2:24]

Informational Text Resources
NYS Conservationist, Owls (PDF)

NYS Conservationist - State Symbols (PDF): plants and animals

Web Site: Food Chain Facts for Kids (Idaho Public TV)

Professional Development (PD)
Food Chains and Webs : Unit Overview/FYIs  (PDF, an overview of the Kit activities with additional tips, hints and heads-ups)

Food Chains and Webs Teacher Notes Template (PDF)

Animals in the Classroom - Crickets (PDF)

Soil Basics (PDF)
 

PD Multimedia
Learn360: Diary of a Worm, Exploring Worms - a teacher discusses how she explores worms with her students and incorporates reading the story titled "Diary of a Worm".

Unit - Kit Files
Sound Student Journal (adaptable)

Sound Student Journal (PDF)

Sound Blackline Masters (PDF)

Tips, Hints and FYIs
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Websites
Kids Health: Your Ears

PBS Zoom Spoons: download an interactive,  build a virtual water glass xylophone

Multimedia
PBS NY- Understanding Vibration and Pitch [2:36]

PBS NY: Listening Memory Games (Interactive)- several types of listening matching games

PBS NY: Sound Puzzles (Interactive)

PBS NY: Audio Pong (Interactive)- Close your eyes and listen to tell where the paddle is when you play this all-listening version of the classic game Pong. Headphones required.

PBS NY: Visualizing Vibrations - could be a bridge from using tuning forks to discussing the students' in-class experiences [ :53]

PBS NY :Pitch - Straw Kazoo [1:57]

PBS NY :Pitch - Water Trombone [1:13]

PBS NY: Sounds and Solids [1:48]

PBS NY :Animal Hearing [1:40]

PBS NY: Guess How Whales Hear? - comparing how whales hear underwater to how we hear [5:58]

VITAL NY :Design Squad - Sound [5:55] - given the same task as the Design Squad, your students can plan out design solutions and compare their thoughts to the Design Squad's thoughts.

Informational Text Resources
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Professional Development (PD)
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PD Multimedia
Learn 360: Real World Science - Sound - what sound is, how produced and properties of (focus on first 9:34 minutes) [13:47]

PBS NY: Design Squad - Sound - you can watch this video to review sound concepts and their applications, this can also be an excellent review for students at the end of the unit [6:53]

PBS NY : Hearing [2:44]

Unit - Kit Files
Motion Student Journal (adaptable)

Motion Student Journal (PDF)

Motion Blackline Masters (adaptable)
[Word Search removed Jan. 2014]
Motion Blackline Masters (PDF)

Resource Files
Rocket Racer (PDF) (styrofoam tray, balloon)

Flying Wing (PDF) (styrofoam egg carton)

PBS NY: Super Sounding Drums - energy of motion transferred to Sound, a bridge between Sound and Motion Units

Web Site: Matter and Motion - Dragonfly TV (motion investigations by students)

Web Site: Easy Paper Kite for Kids (Instructables) - visual instructions for the kite referenced in the Teacher Guide

Tips, Hints and FYIs
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Websites
Forces In Action (BBC) - Interactive using a truck, weights, a parachute and a ramp

Friction (BBC) - Interactive using a car, track and different surfaces

Multimedia
Web Based Video: Sport Kites Eurocup (You Tube) - What are the forces involved in kite flying? How do the kites change their direction of motion?

PBS NY: Putting Air to Work - use the video to introduce a discussion about forces

Informational Text Resources
Web Site: Motion Facts (Idaho Public Television) - from basic motion information into Newtons laws, written for kids

Professional Development (PD)
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PD Websites

PD Multimedia
PBS NY: Newton's Laws of Motion - this short video talks to the very basics of the laws of motion. [2:19]

Learn360: Inertia [4:58]

Learn360: Matter [5:58]

Learn360: Speed [5:00] - force needed to move an object or stop an object in motion is affected by mass and speed of the object