3rd Grade Science - Life Science

Characteristics of Organisms

• Recognize that organisms have basic needs (i.e., air, water, and food for energy)
• Recognize that all organisms are made of one or more cells
• Recognize basic cellular structures that plant and animal cells share
• Recognize the differences among cells, tissues, organs and system
• Recognize the relationships among organisms in a specific ecosystem (i.e., pollination and seed dispersal)

Diversity & Adaptation of Organisms

• Recognize that organisms can only survive in environments where their needs can be met or where the organism can adapt to the changes in the environment
• Recognize that plants or animals are grouped according to similarities and the differences in their characteristics
• Recognize that there are characteristics that help organisms adapt and survive in their environments
• Recognize that fossils show connections between organisms that live in the present
• Recognize that organisms can become extinct

Cell Structure & Function

Life Cycles

• Recognize that all living things have life cycles (including birth, developing into an adult, reproducing, and dying)
• Recognize that reproduction is necessary for the survival of a species
• Recognize that certain characteristics are passed from parents to offspring

Populations & Ecosystems

• Recognize that plants and animals serve different functions in their environments
• Recognize that animals eat plants or other animals for energy and may use plants or other animals for shelter/nesting
• Recognize that there relationships among organisms in a specific ecosystem
• Recognize that organisms are impacted by and are able to change with their environment
• Recognize the relationships within food chains

Organism & Environment

Regulations & Behavior