Year 3

With most of our lesson plans there are lots of potential learning outcomes so have a look and choose a few that are most pertinent to the area of learning or topic you want to teach.  You can download the lessons and edit them to your needs. Please note these are written in Google Docs so if downloading in Word or as a PDF you may see some formatting errors. Google Docs is available for free to anyone with a Gmail account.

Although we have set these out in year groups have a look at the surrounding year groups as the lesson might suit the children you are teaching.

As ever, your feedback is much appreciated and have fun!

The Moti-Lab Team

Need For Speed

Send objects down the ramps at all different angles, investigate the effects of angles and mass on speed.  Who’s the fastest?

Slime Time

This activity investigates the properties of liquids with different viscosity (stickiness).  Using “Gelli Baff” added to water in different amounts children can explore the effects on the flow of the liquid as it gets thicker; moving on from Y2  using scientific enquiries to answer questions, using comparative and fair tests and recording observations accurately to answer questions. A number of mathematical calculations can be performed including addition and subtraction, multiplication and division, fractions and well as measurements of volume, capacity and time and using statistics to record observations using tables, bar charts and pictograms.

Sink Or Swim

This activity investigates the density of liquids. Water balloons are filled with range of liquids and placed in the reservoir to see if they sink of float and the concept of density is introduced; moving on from Y2 a range of concrete mathematical inquiries are planned and performed with addition, subtraction, time and shape measurement using suitable equipment. Scientific inquiry is performed by interpreting and solving one and two-step questions using observations recorded on a range of charts.

Save The Water

This activity investigates water conservation, water is poured down the gutters and collected to see how much is lost; moving on from Y2 simple investigations are set up and tested, along with the  mathematical investigation of number and place value, addition and subtraction, fraction and measurements using volume and capacity. Scientific enquiry is observed and demonstrated using one and two step questions and observations are recorded and classified  using a range of graphical representations.

Muddy Water

This activity investigates filtration. Soil is mixed with water and poured down the gutters, everyday objects are placed in the gutters to see if they catch any of the dirt: moving on from Y2 describing how mud mixes with the water, timing the run with clear and muddy water and predicting how different objects will perform by investigating its physical properties. Recording results using a range of charts.

Let It Roll

This activity investigates how different objects move down a ramp, a range of everyday materials are sent down the gutters to see how they move; performing simple tests and classifying and recording results by asking questions and solving practical problems: moving on from the activity in Y2 Measurement, position, direction and movement are studied by designing fair tests to determine how different shaped objects move including their use and how changes in an object’s shape affects its movement. Results of the tests are interpreted and recorded using a range of  charts.

Stones, Bones and Fossils

Moving on from the activity in  Y2: These activities explore the differences between stones and bones and fossils, what bones are for, what we can learn from fossils and how they are formed.

Don’t Rock The Boat

This activity investigates what sinks and floats and which materials are good for making boats and sails: moving on from the activity in Y2  both boats and sails are designed from different materials to test and compare their ability to float and move along while being blown gently; both predictions and observations are recorded in suitable charts.

Sinking Ships

This activity investigates what the size and geometry of boats and how that affects the ability to hold weights.  Making boats and testing them to destruction!

What’s Time is it Mr Wolf?

This activity uses the wheel to tell the time; moving on from the activity in Y2 by describing position and place value, solving time problems using vocabulary and measurement including roman numerals, analogue and 12 and 24 hr clocks. The activity also enables working scientifically, asking questions recording observations and performing fair tests.