3rd Grade Science : 3rd Grade Science
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for 3rd Grade Science
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Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Why Animals Form Groups
Fish are one of many animals who form groups for survival. They will form "bait balls" with hundreds (even thousands) of fish to scare away predators and make it more difficult for predators to catch them.
Why would it be better for a fish to join the "bait ball" rather than swim alone?
Fish prefer to be in groups because it prevents them from being lonely and sad.
A fish can swim faster and longer when it is in a group compared to being on their own.
There is no reason for a fish to join a "bait ball" instead of swimming alone.
A single fish would stand out and be easier to catch than a fish mixed in with thousands of others.
A single fish would stand out and be easier to catch than a fish mixed in with thousands of others.
Fish form these "bait balls" to distract their predators and make it more difficult for them to be eaten. This technique is all about survival. Forming groups makes each fish safer than if they were swimming alone. If a fish is swimming alone, it stands out and is more likely to be chased and eaten. When the fish are in a group, their chances of being singled out and eaten are decreased, and many times the large gathering of fish scares the predators off completely.
Example Question #1 : Why Animals Form Groups
Meerkats live in large families. Some are look-outs while others care for the young. Other meerkats are in charge of digging tunnels, and some are hunters. The meerkats will trade jobs and take turns.
What could happen to the meerkats if they started living alone instead of in groups?
They could do all of the different jobs by themselves.
They could become very mean.
They could die without the group to help them.
They could get lonely and find new friends.
They could die without the group to help them.
Living in a large family benefits the meerkats because they can split up the work and have members of the family working together to keep the family safe and healthy. Rather than all of the work falling on a few animals, it can be split up amongst dozens. Living in large groups like this help with protection, food collection, and general survival. If the meerkats were forced to live alone rather than in family groups, they might die. If they are busy gathering food or digging tunnels, they may not see predators. It would be hard for a meerkat to do all of the jobs by itself.
Example Question #1 : Develop Models Of Organisms' Life Cycles
What is a life cycle? Example: During the life cycle of the caterpillar it turns into a butterfly.
An organisms path to find food and shelter in life
The circle that animals travel in when they migrate
A type of bicycle that has three wheels instead of two
The series of changes in the life of an organism
The series of changes in the life of an organism
The life cycle of plant or animal (humans included) is the series of changes that the organism undergoes in its life. It starts at reproduction and moves through the different stages of life until it ends and begins over with the offspring. Different animals have different life cycles, and they are not all the same.
Example Question #2 : Develop Models Of Organisms' Life Cycles
Which photograph models an organism in a phase change of their life cycle?
Models of organisms' life cycles can be made in numerous ways, and one is through a photograph. The image showing a butterfly emerging from its cocoon is an example of an organism in a phase change of their life cycle. The insect is transitioning and moving into the next stage of life. The other images show an insect in a single step of their life cycle.
Example Question #3 : Develop Models Of Organisms' Life Cycles
Karissa has to make a model of a moth's life. What would be the best title for her project?
"How to Draw a Moth"
"The Life Cycle of a Moth"
"Where to Find Moths"
"One Day in the Moth's Life"
"The Life Cycle of a Moth"
The best choice for a title would be "The Life Cycle of a Moth" because it encapsulates what the project is about and uses the scientific term for the life stages of an organism. Karissa has to make a model of the moth's life, so it needs to include all parts from life to death. The other options are only for a short period of the moth's life or do not include the necessary information.
Example Question #4 : Develop Models Of Organisms' Life Cycles
Javier has to create a life-size model of an organism during its life. He has selected the oak tree. Which two stages of life would be most reasonable to develop a model for?
Sprout or mature tree
Sapling or seed
Seed or sprout
Mature tree or sapling
Seed or sprout
The most reasonable stages of life to create a life-sized model would need to be smaller in size and realistic to develop. A seed or sprout are both early stages of the tree's life cycle so that they would be much more manageable than a mature tree or sapling. A mature tree can reach up to 100 feet tall, and a sapling ranges in height from ten feet or more!
Example Question #5 : Develop Models Of Organisms' Life Cycles
Robin and Mark are creating a model of an organism's life cycle. They choose the lima bean as their project focus. The project is due in five days. Robin says they should draw each stage of the plant's growth as their model. Mark thinks they should grow the plant and take pictures of each step to turn in.
Whose model (if any) is more realistic in their short time frame, and why?
Mark; He is correct because his model is the most reasonable to complete in five days. He and Robin could make the lima beans grow quickly so they can take photos for their teacher.
Neither; Both of their ideas for a model are terrible, and they should not grow the plants for photos or use drawings.
Robin; She is correct because her model is most reasonable to complete in five days. Researching and drawing the different stages of the life cycle is realistic.
There is not enough information to tell who has the best plan for a model. More details would need to be given to make a selection.
Robin; She is correct because her model is most reasonable to complete in five days. Researching and drawing the different stages of the life cycle is realistic.
In a five-day time frame there is no way that the lima beans will go through the entirety of their life cycle. It is much more realistic and reasonable to go with Robin's plan and use a sketch or drawing for the model. Robin and Mark could look up the stages of a lima bean plant's development and then draw detailed pictures of the process.
Example Question #6 : Develop Models Of Organisms' Life Cycles
All organisms follow a life cycle, even humans. In the model below, what is the missing piece of the cycle?
Newborn 
Senior Citizen
Baby
Toddler
Teenager
Teenager
The missing stage of this life cycle model is "Teenager." All organisms move through life on a similar path from birth to death. In the cycle presented, this person has not completed their teenage years, which comes before being an adult. Different organisms have their specific periods, so it may look different when comparing an insect and a plant.
Example Question #1 : Diverse Life Cycles Of Organisms
Samantha and Gordon are creating a model of an organism's life cycle. They choose the butterfly as their project focus. The project is due in one month. Samantha says they should create sculptures and paint pictures of butterflies as their model. Gordon thinks they should watch a butterfly transform from an egg, to caterpillar, to chrysalis, and finally to butterfly and take photos along the way.
Whose model (if any) is more realistic and why?
There is not enough information to tell who has the best plan for a model. More details would need to be given to make a selection.
Neither; Both of their ideas for a model are terrible. Sculptures, pictures, and photographs are not models.
Gordon; He is correct because his model is most reasonable to complete in a month and would show the complete life cycle.
Samantha; She is correct because her model is artistic, reasonable and would be the most attractive.
Gordon; He is correct because his model is most reasonable to complete in a month and would show the complete life cycle.
In this scenario, Gordon's model is the most realistic and would be the best choice for the project. A month is enough time to watch the butterfly move through its life cycle, and taking detailed photographs would show others what they witnessed. The photos could be put in a ring or a timeline to show the progression over time.
Example Question #5 : Develop Models Of Organisms' Life Cycles
Gage has to create a life-size model of an organism during its life. He has selected the grasshopper. Which stage(s) of life would be most realistic to use for his model?
All answer choices are correct.
Adult
Nymph
Egg
All answer choices are correct.
Gage can make a life-size model of any of the grasshopper's stages of life. The grasshopper starts as an egg, then a nymph, and finally an adult. Each is a reasonable size and can be recreated. A grasshopper's egg can be tiny, but it is possible to make a model.
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