Year 3 Science

The first lesson in this series reviews what your class already know about forces, looking specifically at pushes and pulls, and helps them to identify which direction forces are acting in. They will also explore how some forces need contact betwee... Read More

This lesson starts by exploring what a forcemeter is and how they work. Your class can then undertake a variety of practical enquiries to explore how different surfaces affect how an object will move across that surface, introducing the idea of fr... Read More

This lesson starts by exploring the contact needed by different objects for certain push and pull forces to work. It then explores how magnetic forces are able to act at a distance. After exploring exactly what magnets are, your class can then ... Read More

Now that your class know that magnets can attract or repel each other, they can now explore which other materials are affected by magnetic forces. Your class will investigate a variety of different materials to identify whether or not they are mag... Read More

The final lesson in this series gives your class the chance to explore how magnets are used in everyday life. They will look at objects such as credit cards and maglev trains, exploring how magnetic forces help us out in a variety of ways. Read More

The first lesson in this series explores which foods humans need for growth and which they need for energy. Your class will look at a variety of different foods and think about how they can be grouped, as well as exploring the specific role of car... Read More

This healthy eating Year 3 Science lesson takes a closer look at what nutrients the human body needs to stay alive and healthy, as well as the proportions of different food groups we should consume. After looking in detail at each of the food grou... Read More

Now that your class know exactly what humans need to eat to stay healthy, your class can look at the animal kingdom and explore what animals eat. Using terms such as 'herbivore', 'carnivore', 'omnivore', 'predator' and 'prey', your class will inve... Read More

This lesson allows your class to carry out an investigation to find out what foods pets eat, asking questions and thinking about how they will gather the information before carrying out their investigations, and using tally charts and pictograms (or ... Read More

This lesson starts by assessing what children already know about bones and skeletons before looking at the human skeleton in more detail. They will identify and name some of the major bones in the human body and then go on to think about how human... Read More

This lesson starts by encouraging your class to think about how useful skeletons are for stopping us being puddles of skin and muscle! It then goes on to explore how the skeleton not only supports our bodies but also protects some of our major org... Read More

The final lesson in this series introduces your class to the different types of muscles their bodies have before looking specifically at skeletal muscles and how these work in pairs to move bones. It also looks at animal muscles, such as strong cr... Read More

What are the parts of a flowering plant? What do they do? The first lesson in this series starts by briefly recapping the main parts of a plant before looking in more detail at the roots of plant. Your class will explore what roots are for before ... Read More

This fun lesson explores how water is transported in plants. Your class will learn about how the roots of a plant absorb water from the soil and how water travels up the stem to the different parts of the plant. They can explore this for themse... Read More

Now that your class know that plants need water to survive, they will look at how plants make their own food through the process of photosynthesis. They will also investigate the other things plants need to grow and survive and explore how seeds c... Read More

This lesson explores the function of the flower in flowering plants and looks at the part flowers play in the reproduction of plants. Your class will explore the processes of seed dispersal, pollination and fertilisation. There is also the chan... Read More

This lesson takes a closer look at seed dispersal and the methods different plants use to give their seeds the best chance of germination from water transportation to explosion! Your class can then identify the methods used by a variety of plants ... Read More

The final lesson in this series explores seeds in further detail. Your class will look at the structure of seeds and the store of food inside a seed to help the seed grow into a plant. They will also explore the importance of seeds as a food so... Read More

Children will start by considering why an archaeologist cannot see anything in a newly-discovered ancient Egyptian tomb. They will go on to learn that darkness is the absence of light, and that without light we cannot see. They will then identify, de... Read More

In this lesson, children will learn that some surfaces reflect more light than others and that we can only see objects because light is reflected from them. They will then either have the chance to identify and describe a range of reflective surfaces... Read More

Children will find out about ancient Egyptians beliefs that the Sun was a god called Ra in this lesson before going on to compare these beliefs with modern explanations of what the Sun is. They will learn about some differences between night and day,... Read More

The slides for this lesson start by showing your class a variety of photos of Egypt to see where the shadows are and asks your children to suggest reasons for why the shadows are there. They will go on to learn how shadows are formed and have some ti... Read More

Your children will discover what obelisks are and how the ancient Egyptians used these as sundials by looking at the shadows cast by them throughout the day. They will discuss and predict what will happen to a shadow cast by a mini obelisk in sunligh... Read More

Take a look into the world of science and explore the three main branches of chemistry, biology and physics. Challenge your class to think about their own idea of what a scientist looks like and the skills they might need as a scientist before invest... Read More

Have you ever wondered how science could help solve a crime? Allow your class to explore the job of a forensic scientist and how they use their knowledge of chemistry, biology and physics to analyse and match evidence to help solve crimes. Discover h... Read More

Explore how a microbiologist or pharmacologist uses the scientific method to develop new medicines for humans to use. Show your class how fair testing is an important part of the scientific process and how they can plan and conduct fair tests themsel... Read More

What does a zoologist’s job involve? Discover the studies of zoologists and how they must use careful observation skills to record the natural behaviours, appearances and environments of different animals. Challenge your class to develop their own ... Read More

How does a plant scientist help an astronaut? Discover the answer with your class as you explore the role and research of botanists. Challenge your class to think about what helps plants grow well and conduct an experiment to test their own hypothese... Read More

How do we know what is healthy? Investigate the human body and how it moves with your class. Explore how muscles work in pairs to move and discuss the work of sports scientists and nutritionists which helps athletes and sportspeople to give their ver... Read More

The first lesson in this series explores what the difference between light and dark is and helps your children understand that we need light in order to see. It then goes on to explore different light sources and encourages your children to find as m... Read More

This lesson encourages your class to think about the differences between night and day, and goes on to explore the Sun. Your class will find out that the Sun is actually a star and that day, night, dawn and dusk are caused by the rotation of the Eart... Read More

This lesson starts by thinking about what shadows are and how they are formed before going on to consider whether all objects cast shadows. Your class can then investigate and identify objects which are transparent, translucent and opaque. There is a... Read More

Now that your class are familiar with what shadows are, they can explore how they behave. With plenty of opportunities to explore shadows for themselves, your children will investigate how shadows change and move depending on where the light source i... Read More

This lesson gives your class the opportunity to carry out a complete investigation to explore how shadows cast from the Sun change throughout the day, putting their knowledge and understanding of shadows to the test as they make predictions and draw ... Read More

The final lesson in this series gets your class thinking about how they see objects that do not give out light. They will explore how light is reflected from surfaces and recognise that some surfaces are more reflective than others. There is also the... Read More

The first lesson in this series looks at rocks that occur naturally as well as man-made 'rocks' such as cement and bricks and looks at some of the different ways that different rocks are used. Read More

This lesson allows your class to explore a variety of different rocks in more depth by looking at aspects such as colour and texture. Children will then sort them into groups according to their characteristics in a variety of ways, such as Venn and C... Read More

This lesson gives your class the opportunity to plan, carry out and evaluate an entire experiment to explore either how easily different rocks erode or how permeable different rocks are (or both if you are feeling enthusiastic!). Read More

Are your class good researchers?! This lesson will help them practise their research skills as they find out about different rocks and some of the ways in which they are used. They will also think about why the different characteristics of rocks make... Read More

This lesson plan on soil for Year 3 children looks at soil as the cornerstone for all life on Earth. If you need a soil KS2 lesson that teaches your children why soil is so useful, how it is formed and gives them the chance to explore soil samples fo... Read More

After recapping how sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks are formed, your class will explore one of nature's most fascinating phenomena - fossils! Your class will learn how fossils are formed and what we can find out from the fossils that have ... Read More

This fossils KS2 Science lesson builds on what your class already know about fossils and goes on to explore some common fossils, such as trilobites, ammonites, crinoids and, of course, dinosaurs! They will think about what these fossils can tell us a... Read More

This lesson looks at what a habitat is and identifies different types of habitats and the animals who live there. It also explores how sea animals have adapted to their underwater habitat. Read More

After thinking of the sea animals they already know, this lesson explores why it is important to be able to classify animals into groups before doing just that with terms such as vertebrate, invertebrate, mammal, mollusk, crustacean, amphibian and re... Read More

What do a fish, a human and a daisy have in common? This lesson looks at the seven life processes common to all living organisms and finds out what each is. It also explores how some land and sea animals differ in the way they carry out these process... Read More

This lesson identifies movement as one of the life processes common to all organisms and examines why it is necessary before exploring the difference between the skeletons of fish and humans and why these differences exist. It also looks at how other... Read More

After defining what reproduction is and why it is a necessary life process, this lesson looks at the different ways in which sea animals reproduce (whether they give birth to live young or lay eggs) and gives your class the chance to explore how mamm... Read More

After recapping what the seven life processes are, this lesson looks in particular at respiration. It explores how mammals such as dolphins breathe on land and in the water, and how other underwater creatures take in oxygen from water instead of air. Read More

In this first lesson, children recap on what a habitat is, and discuss a variety of different habitats. They then focus on the desert habitat in particular, finding out about its features and its ability to support life. In their independent activiti... Read More

Children will develop their knowledge of desert animals in this lesson, and learn different ways in which to group them, including into vertebrates and invertebrates, as well as breaking this down further into mammals, birds, reptiles, arachnids and ... Read More

In this lesson, children use and expand on their knowledge of grouping animals by using classification keys. As a class, they identify individual desert animals using a key, and discuss how a key works/is made. Children will use a different key to id... Read More

How do animals survive in the desert? In this lesson, children first recap on what all animals need in order to survive. They learn that many animals have had to adapt to their environment in order to give them the best chance of survival. As a class... Read More

What types of plants survive in the desert? This lesson begins with children comparing and contrasting a selection of plants from both a woodland and a desert habitat. They then discuss what a plant needs in order to survive, and how a desert environ... Read More

Who eats who? In this final lesson, children learn how plants and animals in the desert are linked by what they eat. They learn what a herbivore, carnivore and omnivore are. Children then look at different desert food chains, and identify the produce... Read More

In this first lesson, children are reminded what a habitat is, and are then challenged to list all the different types of habitat that they know of. As a class, they then explore some specific habitats in India, and begin to think about what types of... Read More

Children learn that animals can be grouped using a range of different criteria. As a class, they sort animals according to whether they are vertebrates or invertebrates, as well as breaking this down further into what class of animal they are: mammal... Read More

In this lesson, children use and expand on their knowledge of grouping animals by using classification keys. As a class, they identify individual animals of India using a key, and discuss how a key works/is made. Children will use a different key to ... Read More

In this lesson, children begin to think about nutrition in animals, and whether all species need the same type and amount of food. They discuss the terms carnivore, herbivore and omnivore, and are challenged to classify some animals of India accordin... Read More

Children learn how animals in India are linked by what they eat. As a class they look at different food chains, and identify the producer and consumers in each one, as well as the predators and prey. In their independent activities, children sort giv... Read More

In this final lesson, children learn how a whole species can be affected if their habitat changes. They learn what conservation means, and find out how threatened animals are grouped according to the IUCN Red List conservation status system. Children... Read More

Begin by investigating the creation of the world famous Grand Canyon through millions of years of erosion from the Colorado River. Test the children’s knowledge and understanding when ordering and classifying soft and hard rock using the Mohs hardn... Read More

Investigate the natural phenomena of the Petrified Forest in Arizona. Discover the ancient history of this and the surrounding deserts by exploring the process of fossilisation and how these prehistoric fossils can help us learn about the creatures o... Read More

After learning about how fossils are made over millions of years, your class can look further into the different types of fossils and the different things they can tell us. After learning about these valuable fossil types the children can use their r... Read More

Working long hours in the sun can be tough on a palaeontologist. Your class will learn about the damaging effects of the sun’s rays and what can be done to protect our skin and eyes against UVA and UVB rays. The children have the opportunity to tes... Read More

Has your class heard of one of America’s most famous inventors? Explore the life of Thomas Edison and how he used the work of others to invent a useable light bulb. Discuss how this invention may have affected the lives of people at the time or use... Read More

Look back in time to the indigenous people of America, before the explorers came to settle. Children are introduced to the problem of Native American people having to communicate over large distances. They have the opportunity to discover what happen... Read More

After a brief introduction to one of America’s founding fathers the children learn about his theory of lightning and electricity. How did Franklin use his knowledge of conductors and insulators to give static charge to a key and use this knowledge ... Read More