OpenSciEd Grade 3 Unit 1: Forces & Interactions Student Edition

The OpenSciEd elementary science program aligns with all NGSS standards for elementary education. This comprehensive curriculum encourages students to explore, design, investigate, and solve problems in the world around them. 

• Phenomenon Based - Centered around exploring phenomena or solving problems
• Driven by Student Questions - Storyline based on students’ questions and ideas 
• Grounded in Evidence - Incremental building and revision of ideas based on evidence 
• Collaborative - class and teacher figure out ideas together
• Equitable - Builds a classroom culture that values ideas and learning of all

The materials invite students to explore science through a phenomenon-based, three-dimensional approach that promotes curiosity, understanding, and equitable learning. Crafted with insights from teachers and students across the country, each unit features thoughtfully selected phenomena and engaging storylines that draw students in. Along the journey, students develop essential skills like problem-solving, asking meaningful questions, and building arguments supported by evidence. With an interdisciplinary design, these units also seamlessly integrate literacy and math, nurturing critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving skills.

Unit 3.1 Forces & Interactions – How can we design objects to balance and move in different ways?

Have you ever seen something in the world that is balanced in an interesting or puzzling way? Have you wondered how it stays balanced without falling over? This unit launches with art sculptures that do just this – the sculptures balance and move in ways that make students wonder how they work. Through a series of investigations, students develop ideas about the multiple forces acting on a sculpture to keep it upright and not fall over, or to create predictable motion. Students plan and carry out investigations to test what works and does not work to design sculptures. The unit re-anchors with a new type of sculpture – one that moves in interesting ways using magnets with nothing making contact. Students learn about the size and direction of forces between magnets and between magnets and some metal objects. Students then apply these ideas about magnets to design an object and device that solves a problem.

The Student Edition is a consumable, perforated, perfect-bound book that conveniently contains all student handouts. Printed in black and white, it provides a clear and practical format, making it easy for young learners to take notes and engage with the material effectively.