JoinGrade 3
NSTA EQuIP Reviews
The EQuIP Rubric for Science provides criteria by which to measure how well lessons and units are designed for the NGSS. This page houses NSTAs EQuIP Rubric Reports for Grade 3. Learn more about the review process.
3.1 Forces & Interactions
How can we design objects to balance and move in different ways?
Developer | Score | Report | Awarded |
|---|---|---|---|
| OpenSciEd | E: Example of | Download Report (PDF) |  |
Unit Summary
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 then 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.
3.2 Weather & Hazards
Why do plants only grow well in certain places, and how can we protect them?
Developer | Score | Report | Awarded |
|---|---|---|---|
| OpenSciEd | E: Example of | Download Report (PDF) | |
Unit Summary
Do you have a favorite fruit or vegetable you enjoy year-round? Have you noticed that common fruits like apples, oranges, and bananas are always available, even in winter? At the start of the unit, students reflect on their favorite fruits and examine school menus to explore how these fruits are available year-round. They ask, How can we get these fruits all year at our school? Through investigations, students analyze precipitation and temperature data to determine where and when fruits grow best. Using weather patterns and climate data, they predict where other fruits and vegetables might thrive. They gather evidence to support an argument for how apples, bananas, and oranges remain available throughout the year. Later, students shift focus to how storms can damage fruit plants. They research weather-related hazards and explore engineering solutions to protect crops. By designing, building, and testing windbreaks, they collect data on effectiveness. Finally, they evaluate multiple designs and use evidence to argue for the best windbreak solutions, applying their findings to help address real-world weather challenges.