3rd Grade Essential Science Vocabulary

3.L.2.1 / 3.L.2.2 / 3.L.2.3 / 3.L.2.4 / Ecosystems / Plants
Root / A plant part that absorbs water and grows under the ground
Stem / A plant part that supports the plant
Leaves / Plant parts that are flat, typically green, and synthesizes food for a plant
Flower / A plant part that is often brightly colored, that usually lasts a short time, and from which the seed or fruit develops
Seed / A small object produced by a plant from which a new plant can grow
Seedling / A young plant that is grown from a seed
Germination / The process of a seed beginning to grow
Life Cycle / All the stages in an organism’s life
Stage / Point or period in the growth or development of something
Survive / To continue to live regardless of difficult conditions
Environment / The conditions that surround someone or something
Environmental Conditions / The conditions and influences that affect the growth, health, progress, etc., of someone or something
Retention / The act of keeping something
Drought / A long period of time during which there is very little or no rain
Conditions / The things that affect the way something is or happens or The type of weather that occurs at a particular time
Synthesize / To make (something) by combining different things
Component / One of the parts of something
Capacity / The volume of liquid that can be held by an object
Texture / How the surface of an object feels to the touch
Soil / A mixture of tiny rock particles, minerals, & decayed plant and animal material
Sand / Tiny grains of worn or crushed rock, found mainly on seashores and in deserts
Humus / The part of the soil made up of decayed parts of once-living things
Clay / A type of soil made up of very small grains; it holds water well
3.E.2.1. / 3.E.2.2 / Earth Systems, Structures and Processes
Saltwater / Water that is salty
Freshwater / Water that is not salty
Landform / A natural feature of the Earth’s surface
Volcano / A mountain with a hole in the top or side that sometimes sends out rocks, ash, lava
Mountain / An area of land that rises very high above the land around it and that is higher than a hill
Valley / An area of low land between hills or mountains
Canyon / A deep valley with steep rock sides and often a stream or river flowing through it
Cavern / A cave, especially one that is large and mostly underground
Island / An area of land that is surrounded by water
Seas / The saltwater that covers much of the Earth's surface (smaller than oceans)
River / A large natural flow of water that crosses an area of land and goes into an ocean, a lake, etc.
Lake / A large area of water that is surrounded by land
Pond / An area of water that is surrounded by land and that is smaller than a lake
Stream / Natural flow of water that is smaller than a river
Glacier / Very large area of ice that moves slowly down a slope or valley or over a wide area of land
Ocean / The saltwater that covers much of the Earth's surface (larger than seas)
3.L.1.1 / 3.L.1.2 / Structures and Functions of Living Things (Human Body)
Bones / A hard material that supports the skeletal system
Muscles / Tissue that is attached to bones to help them move
Skin / The natural outer layer of tissue that covers the body of a person or animal
Protection / The state of being kept from harm, loss
Tissue / The material that forms the parts in a plant or animal
Nerves / One of the many thin parts that control movement and feeling by carrying messages between the brain and other parts of the body
Skeleton / The structure of bones that supports the body of a person or animal
Function / The special purpose or activity for which a thing exists or is used
Internal / Existing or occurring within your body
External / Existing of occurring outside your body
System / Group of related parts that move or work together
Survival / The state of continuing to live or exist especially in spite of difficult conditions
Properties / Special qualities or characteristics of something
Nutrient / Substance that plants, animals, and people need to live and grow
Produce / To make something
3.E.1.1 / 3.E.1.2 / Earth in Universe (Objects in the Sky)
Solar System / The Sun and all the objects that orbit it
Sun / The star that the Earth moves around and that gives the Earth heat and light
Planet / Large, round object in space (such as the Earth) that travels around a star (such as the sun)
Earth / The planet on which we live
Star / A huge, hot sphere of gas, like the Sun, that gives off their own light
Moon / The large round object that circles the Earth and that shines at night by reflecting light from the sun (satellite of any planet)
Constellation / A group of stars that forms a particular shape in the sky and has been named
Shadow / An area of darkness created when a source of light is blocked
Rotation / The act or process of turning on an axis
Revolution / Movement in a circle around a central point or object
Axis / The imaginary straight line that something (such as the Earth) turns around
3.P.1.1 / 3.P.1.2 / 3.P.1.3 / Forces & Motion
Speed / Rate of motion
Gravity / The force that causes things to fall towards the Earth
Mass / A measure of how much matter is in an object
Relative Speed / Your speed in relation to another point in space
3.P.2.1 / 3.P.2.2 / 3.P.2.3 / Matter: Properties and Change
Solid / Firm or hard; not having the form of a gas or liquid
Liquid / Substance that is able to flow freely
Gas / A substance (such as oxygen) that is like air and has no fixed shape
Mass / A measure of how much matter is in an object
Energy / Usable power
Melt / Change from a solid to a liquid usually because of heat
Boil / To become so hot that bubbles are formed in a liquid and rise to the top
3.P.3.1 / 3.P.3.2 / Conservation and Transfer
Transfer / Move from one place to another
Convection / Movement in a gas or liquid in which the warmer parts move up and the colder parts move down
Conduction / The movement of heat or electricity through something (such as metal or water)