Activities for grade 3: Browse 3rd Grade Hands-on Activities

55 Third Grade Science Projects for the Classroom or Science Fair

Want to see your third grade science students’ eyes light up? Tell them they’re going to do an experiment! These activities are easy enough for any classroom or kitchen, and they’re full of science concepts kids need to learn.

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1. Make glowing flowers

This one will make kids’ eyes pop out of their head! Use highlighters and a blacklight flashlight to reveal the vascular system of flowers.

Learn more: Tamara Horne

2. Flick pennies to learn about inertia

This is one of those science experiments that kind of looks like magic, but it’s really all about the laws of motion. It might take a little practice to get the index card flick just right, but the results are always cool!

Learn more: Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls/Penny Inertia

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3.

Find your way with a DIY compass

Here’s an old classic that never fails to impress. Magnetize a needle and float it on the water’s surface, and it will always point north.

Learn more: STEAM Powered Family

4. Separate salt and pepper with static electricity

When you mix up salt and pepper, you’d think it would be almost impossible to separate them again. But using a little static electricity and a plastic spoon, it’s surprisingly simple.

Learn more: Science Kiddo

5. See the temperature rise in a chemical reaction

When iron meets oxygen, rust forms. Use vinegar to remove the protective coat from steel wool and watch the temperature rise from the chemical reaction.

Learn more: 123 Homeschool 4 Me/Thermal Reaction

6. Design a candy-delivery machine

Learn about inclined planes with this fun simple-machines project. Kids can get creative and develop any kind of delivery system they like!

Learn more: 123 Homeschool 4 Me/Candy Machine

7.

Mix up your own putty slime

Kids adore slime, and it’s actually a terrific way to teach them about polymers. This third grade science experiment plays around with different formulations to create slime with varying properties.

Learn more: Science Buddies/Slime Chemistry

8. Craft fossils from glue

Create clay molds of natural objects, then fill them with school glue to make your own “fossil” casts. This is a great project to try before a trip to the natural history museum.

Learn more: Education.com/Glue Fossils

9. Float an iceberg

Use a balloon to make an iceberg, then float it in a dish of water to learn how much you can see above and below the waterline. Try experimenting with salt water to see how the density changes things.

Learn more: Science Sparks/Icebergs

10. Defy gravity with magnets and paper clips

Magnets are always a hit in the classroom. Use this simple experiment to discover more about gravity and the effects of magnets on metal objects.

Learn more: Buggy and Buddy/Magnet Gravity

11. Take a Play-Doh core sample

Learn about the layers of the Earth by building them out of Play-Doh. Then students can take a core sample with a straw. (Love Play-Doh? Get more learning ideas here.)

Learn more: Line Upon Line Learning

12. Spin a disappearing color wheel

Color a paper disk with the six primary and secondary colors. Then thread a string through the middle and make it spin. The colors will seem to disappear!

Learn more: Crafts Guru on YouTube

13. Crystallize some pretty fall leaves

Every kid loves making crystals. In this third grade science project, learn about supersaturated solutions by crystallizing some colorful fall leaves. Then use them as fall classroom decor!

Learn more: STEAMsational

14. Find a robot’s center of gravity

Print out, cut, and color this free paper robot. Then glue some coins to the back and have your students try to find its center of gravity!

Learn more: Buggy and Buddy/Balancing Robot

15.

Find the most waterproof roof

Calling all future engineers! Build a house from LEGO, then experiment to see what type of roof prevents water from leaking inside.

Learn more: Science Sparks/Waterproof Roof

16. Run marble races with pool noodles

Crack open a pool noodle or two and create your own marble racetracks. Experiment with angles, force, and surface materials to find the fastest way to get the marble to the bottom. (Find more fun ways to use pool noodles in the classroom here.)

Learn more: The Techy Teacher

17. Make sun prints to display

You’ll need special sunprint paper for this project, but it’s inexpensive and easy to find. Kids learn about chemical reactions as they use the power of the sun to create unique works of art.

Learn more: Science Buddies/Sunprints

18. Make your own bouncing bubbles

Have your third grade science students put on gloves and watch the bubbles bounce! Then encourage them to experiment with their own bubble solution. Try different soaps, mixing up the ratios to make the strongest bubble possible.

19. Build a better umbrella

Challenge students to engineer the best possible umbrella from various household supplies. Encourage them to plan, draw blueprints, and test their creations, using the scientific method.

Learn more: Raising Lifelong Learners

20. Project the stars on your ceiling

Use the video lesson in the link below to teach third grade science students why stars are only visible at night. Then create a DIY star projector to explore the concept hands-on.

Learn more: Mystery Science

21. Blow through a water whistle

Learn about the science of sound with this easy experiment. Kids will love building their own whistles from straws and a glass of water.

Learn more: My Baba

22. Construct a marshmallow catapult

Fling some sweet treats in the name of science! All you need is an old tissue box, pencils, rubber bands, and a few other supplies to learn about trajectory, air resistance, gravity, and more.

Learn more: Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls/Tissue Box Catapult

23. Experiment with ice, salt, and water temperature

This simple experiment requires only water, ice, salt, and a thermometer. Your third grade science class can explore how ice and salt affect the temperature, a simple but effective lesson on heat transfer and freezing points.

Learn more: 123 Homeschool 4 Me/Ice, Salt, and Temperature

24. Blow bubbles inside bubbles inside bubbles

If there’s a more fun way to learn about surface tension than bubbles, we haven’t found it yet! Create a soap solution by using dissolved sugar and discover more about elasticity and volume as you blow bubbles inside bubbles inside bubbles …

Learn more: Ronyes Tech

25. Experiment with colors

Play around with colors, mix them together, and then use a little science magic to pull them apart again. This chromatography science project requires only simple supplies like coffee filters and markers.

Learn more: 123 Homeschool 4 Me/Chromatography

26. Understand the science behind bath bombs

Bath bombs certainly make bath time more fun, but what makes them work? Explore chemical reactions and get squeaky clean all at the same time!

Learn more: Learning Hypothesis

27. Use water balloons to explore buoyancy

Fill water balloons with different solutions (oil, salt water, plain water, etc.) and place the balloons in a large bucket of water to see if they sink or float. This is a cool project to do with your third grade science class on the playground on a sunny day.

Learn more: 123 Homeschool 4 Me/Balloon Density

28. Explore static electricity with jumping goop

Your students have probably tried rubbing a balloon on their heads to create static electricity with their hair. This experiment is even cooler to see, as a mix of cornstarch and oil seems to leap off the spoon in front of their eyes!

Learn more: Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls/Static Electricity

29.

DIY these natural-dye markers

This is the kind of project that turns STEM into STEAM! Learn about the process of extracting natural dyes and use paper chromatography to make your own DIY markers. Kids can use these markers to create amazing masterpieces!

Learn more: Science Buddies/DIY Markers

30. Investigate the effects of erosion

Compare the effects of “rain” on hills of bare soil vs. those covered with grass. Have your third grade science students predict which they think will stand up to erosion better and then test their hypotheses.

Learn more: Third Grade Thinkers/Erosion

31. Learn how water temperature affects density

Looking for a simple, quick, and colorful science experiment? This one just requires some mason jars, hot and cold water, and food coloring. Kids will be amazed at the results!

Learn more: STEAMsational

32. Dissolve cups to learn about types of change

Teach your third grade science class about the differences between physical and chemical changes with this quick and easy experiment involving Styrofoam cups.

Learn more: The Owl Teacher/Dissolving Cups

33. Grow bacteria from common surfaces

There’s never been a better time to learn about the way germs spread! Take samples from a variety of surfaces, then watch bacteria grow in petri dishes just like grown-up scientists.

Learn more: Happiness is here

34. Take friction for a ride

Your students will love pulling their way across the floor as they discover more about friction and its effects on motion. Build your own “sled” or use a pre-made box or tray.

Learn more: Porter Gaud School on YouTube

35. Step through an index card

With carefully placed scissor cuts on an index card, you can make a loop large enough to fit a (small) human body through! Kids will be wowed as they learn about surface area.

Learn more: Mess for Less

36. Explode colorful paint bags

Experiments with acids and bases are always fun for kids. You’ll want to take this one outside because it’s bound to make a mess. Mix colored chalk with vinegar and watch the colors fly!

Learn more: Growing a Jeweled Rose

37. Turn crayons into rocks

Demonstrate the effects of heat and pressure on crayon shavings to explain the different types of rocks to students. It’s a colorful intro to geology!

Learn more: The Owl Teacher/Crayon Rocks

38. Go green with recycled paper

We talk a lot about recycling and sustainability these days, so show kids how it’s done! Recycle old worksheets or other papers using screen and picture frames.

Learn more: Undercover Classroom

39. Filter sediment from dirty water

Explore sediments and water filtration with this easy third grade science experiment. It’s a fun way to learn more about the water cycle.

Learn more: Teach Beside Me

40. Send secret messages with invisible ink

Kids will love swapping secret messages with their friends in this acid-base science project. Mix the water and baking soda and use a paintbrush to write a message. Then use grape juice to expose the message or hold it up to a heat source.

Learn more: ThoughtCo

41. Teach the scientific method with milk and cookies

This third grade science project is sure to be a slam dunk—cookie dunk, that is! Kids experiment by dipping cookies in milk, using the scientific method to document their findings. Check out our other edible science experiments too.

Learn more: Around the Kampfire

42. Put together a compost bottle

Learn about the decomposition of food and how composting can provide nutrients for growing more food with this easy earth science project.

Learn more: Busy Mommy Media

43. Sprout sweet potatoes

Potatoes grow from tuberous roots, and under the right conditions, new shoots appear from those roots. This third grade science experiment explores the biological science behind cloning.

Learn more: Science Buddies/Sweet Potatoes

 44. Stab a straw through a potato

Plastic straws may seem flimsy, but by using the power of air pressure, you can make one strong enough to stab all the way through a potato!

Learn more: KiwiCo

45.

Shake up some ice cream

Get kids up and moving when they shake their way to ice cream, made from scratch using ice and plastic zipper bags! Talk about heating and cooling as well as condensation while you enjoy your snack.

Learn more: Mom of 6

46. Conduct an acid rain experiment

Have you ever wondered what happens to plants when they are exposed to acid rain? Acid rain can be produced by burning fossil fuels or certain industrial processes. Your students can find out by conducting a simple acid rain experiment using flowers and vinegar!

Learn more: Little Bins for Little Hands

47. Investigate conduction

To test the conductivity of different materials, your students can use a simple electric circuit. This circuit consists of a battery, a resistor, a switch, and wire that connects these components in a series.

Learn more: Science Projects

48. Construct a Hero’s engine

Sir Isaac Newton came up with rules about how things work in the world. One of these rules is called Newton’s third law. It says that “for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” Do an experiment to learn more about this rule!

Learn more: Education.com

49. Keep apples from turning brown

Have you ever noticed that apples turn brown after being cut or bruised? Is it true that all apples turn brown at the same rate? To find out, your students can conduct a simple experiment using apples and lemon juice.

Learn more: Little Bins for Little Hands

50. Model the effect of air drag

To learn about the role of drag in flight, students can fold paper planes in different styles and observe how these changes affect the distance and flight pattern of the planes. This activity can be turned into a fun competition to see which plane flies the farthest or stays in the air the longest.

51. Predict the distance of lightning

Have you ever noticed that you see lightning before you hear thunder? That’s because light travels faster than sound. The next time there’s a thunderstorm, use a stopwatch and a calculator to see how long after your students see lightning they will hear thunder. 

Learn more: We Have Kids

52. Inquire about surface tension

Did you know that you can fit more water drops on a penny than you might think? This simple experiment is a fun and easy way to learn about the surface tension of water. All you need is a penny and some water.

Learn more: Little Bins for Little Hands

53. Examine pine cones opening and closing

Pine cones can sense changes in humidity and adjust their scales in response. Gather several pine cones, glass containers, tweezers, and both hot and cold water to conduct a wintry and fun experiment to discover what makes pine cones open and close.  

Learn more: Parenting Chaos

54. Compare reaction rates of antacids

Fizzy fizzy fun! This activity will help students learn about chemical reactions in an exciting way. In this experiment, students will mix water and effervescent antacid tablets to see what happens. 

Learn more: Howtosmile

55. Sink a tinfoil boat

By experimenting with different designs, students can learn about basic physics principles and practice their engineering skills. How many pennies will it take to make their boat sink? All you’ll need is pennies, foil, and a bowl of water. 

Learn more: Little Bins for Little Hands

Keep up the STEM enthusiasm with these fun and engaging third grade math games.

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3rd Grade Math Activities – Free, Fun Math Activities for Third Graders – JumpStart

Math is an important subject to master. Make math more fun for third graders with our collection of easy and interesting 3rd grade math activities!

5-Question Guessing Game

“If your students greet math class with a yawn, a brisk round of 5 questions is sure to keep them on their toes. See more

Guess the Operation

“So you want to give your 3rd grader a head start in math. Check out this fun and interesting 3rd grade math activity. See more

Guess the Number

“This free fun math activity for third grade helps kids develop useful strategies for good number sense. See more

Number Warm-up

“Kids with good number sense find it easier to work numbers. Try this cool and simple 3rd grade math activity. See more

Give Me

“Use this free fun third grade math activity to develop your child’s number sense. See more

Double it!

“This fun math activity for third grade is designed to improve your child’s number sense. See more

Clock Concentration

“Clock Concentration” is a highly adaptable math activity perfect for kids that need to practice telling the time on analog clocks. See more

Clock Diary

“Clock Diary” is a fun class activity that encourages students to share their feelings in a diary and gives them extra practice telling time as well. See more

Botley’s Multiplication Jumble

A twist on the classic word search type of activities, here students must try and identify the multiplication facts hidden in the jumble of numbers. See more

Bag of Beans

“Bag of Beans” is a fun math worksheet that will have your students competing to complete subtraction problems. See more

Calculator Match

Test your mathematical ability by solving math problems and comparing your answers with the calculator’s in ‘Calculator Match’. See more

Top Spinner

Top Spinner is a multiplication game that can be adapted to match the skill level of different students. Younger students can play the easy version, and older or more skilled students can play the difficult version. See more

Divide and Conquer

Divide and Conquer is a math activity where groups of students compete to capture the highest number of states in America. And how do they capture them? By dividing, of course. See more

A Penny for Your Name

With values for each letter, students add the values of the letters in their names to find out whose name is the most valuable. See more

20 Questions

A great game to play with your students, 20 Questions is perfect for encouraging logical thinking and problem solving skills. See more

Addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, measurements, angles, graphs, and more – third graders are learning to solve tougher problems and grasp more advanced concepts. In order to help them practice and get better at all these concepts, parents and teachers can use our wide array of fun math activities for 3rd grade.

While choosing math activities , it is important to keep in mind the different grasping levels of kids. It is also important to follow the math curriculum  standards set by concerned state and school authorities. Many of these math activities can also be used by teachers in the classroom. Along with the math activities, you can also engage 3rd graders with our free and printable math worksheets and problems .

Project topics in elementary school Grade 3

Attention! We also offer free download of our educational game-simulator
Multiplication table for grade 3 in cartoons.

For students looking for research topics, we offer interesting project topics in elementary school Grade 3 in various areas, fields of activity and school subjects.

Among these topics, you can choose project topic for elementary school grade 3 about indoor and wild plants, animals and insects, natural phenomena, about your city or village and their attractions.

In the list below you can find topics of research projects in elementary school grade 3 in Russian, mathematics, music, ecology, basic health and other subjects.

You can also choose project topics for primary grades 3rd grade about children’s slang, folk musical instruments, proverbs and sayings, about theater and computer games, for compiling puzzles and crosswords, creating crafts.

Interesting project topics for 3rd grade elementary school students:

Does children’s toothpaste affect the strength of teeth?
Influence of ecology on plant life.
Hippeastrum on my window
Children’s slang for elementary school students.
Forgotten verbs.
Names of cartoon characters in puzzles
Names of fairy-tale characters in crossword puzzles
Symphony orchestra instruments.
History of my street name.
The history of a simple bell.
Kazakh folk musical instruments
How to become healthy?
Bells
Computer or book – which is better?
Computer games for kids.
Who can’t live without “NOT”?
The best animal disguise tricks.
Best Insect Disguise Tricks.
Favorite corners of my city.
My school canteen menu
Can water flow upwards?
My floating pets
My useful crafts made from garbage.
Lightning. Fear or understand?
Music of the Belarusian people
Alien insects.
Unseen animals.
Unusual logic puzzles
Unusual plants in nature.
I will hug a Russian birch
Homophones in Russian.
Monuments of my city.
Pictography in modern life
Proverbs and sayings about work
Rare animal Hazel dormouse
Rondo – dance or running in a circle
Symbols of our class.
Parasite words in children’s speech.
Ancient methods of multiplication
Are there identical snowflakes
How important is breakfast in the morning?
Are bears so scary?
Shadow theatre: from an idea from an incarnation.
Weather vane guarding the weather
Although the bee is not great, but her deeds are great.
School bag in the past and present.

Project topics about professions

What professions need paint?
Poets about the work of the peasant.
Who makes cities (villages, villages) beautiful?
What happens if the profession of … (name of profession) disappears?
Is there beauty and poetry in the profession of a grain grower (or other)?
History of my shirt (trousers, socks).

We also recommend choosing:
Theme of the project in elementary school
Ready-made projects for grade 3

If you want to place a link to a page with Topics of projects in elementary school Grade 3 , set one of the codes on your website, blog or forum:

Link code to the page Topics of projects in elementary school Grade 3:
Research project topics for elementary school Grade 3

Link to your forum:
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Extracurricular activity program for Grade 3

Developed in accordance with the requirements of GEF

Educational and methodological package for the implementation of the program of extracurricular activities includes:

Teaching aid for a teacher

The use of the manual allows the teacher to organize and conduct extracurricular activities with 3rd grade students in the general intellectual direction without spending a lot of time.

The methods and techniques proposed by the author for organizing extracurricular activities allow children to form elementary logical methods of thinking, which is a condition for successful learning not only in primary, but also in basic school. After all, it is the ability to use the information received, to actively process it in the mind, using the techniques of logical thinking, that allows the child to gain deeper knowledge, learn to highlight the main thing, draw a conclusion, and make the right decision.

Ready-to-use work program

The program is aimed at the development of cognitive processes, logical operations of thinking and the formation of universal learning activities in 3rd grade students. Particular attention in the program is paid to the development of such operations of thinking as analysis, synthesis, comparison, generalization, classification, as well as the basic processes of thinking: concept, judgment, inference, definition of concepts, induction and deduction. Developed in accordance with the requirements of the Federal State Educational Standard for Primary General Education.

Teaching and thematic planning

Teaching and thematic planning indicates the topics of the lessons, the sequence of their study, the number of hours allocated for studying the topic, as well as the purpose and objectives of each lesson.

Detailed lesson scenarios

The teaching aid provides a detailed description of all classes, instructions for each task, control answers, criteria and scales for evaluating the results of educational activities.

Tested

Workbook

The formation of elementary logical methods of thinking in children is a condition for successful education in primary school. The studies of scientists (L.S. Vygotsky, A.N. Leontiev, A.Z. Zak, N.N. Poddyakov and others) convincingly prove that the basic logical structures of thinking are formed approximately at the age of five to eleven. These data emphasize the importance of purposeful work in elementary school on the formation of logical operations and thought processes. Workbook includes development tasks:

• Thinking, its main logical operations: analysis, synthesis, comparison, generalization and classification
• Speed ​​of thought processes
• Volumetric-spatial thinking
• Verbal-logical, conceptual thinking
• Ability to establish semantic memory and observation 9013 -investigative connections
• Ability to build logical chains of reasoning

On the basis of the developed tasks, the child learns:

• To predict, be aware of the limits of one’s own knowledge and skills
• Compare one’s obtained (intermediate, final) result with the maximum possible, draw conclusions
• Take responsibility for the results of one’s actions
• Discuss problematic issues, express one’s own opinion
• Maintain a friendly attitude towards each other in a situation of mutual checking
• Analyze emotional states received from successful or unsuccessful activities, evaluate their influence on mood
• Understand the reasons for one’s success or failure in learning, linking success with effort
• Control oneself, one’s actions and deeds
• Find and establish the personal meaning of teaching

1

Electronic didactic material

Complements and diversifies the types of learning activities in the classroom, ensures the development of voluntary attention, visual memory capacity, attention span, constructive thinking; contributes to the creation of conditions for the development of logical thinking in the course of mastering such methods of mental activity as the ability to analyze, compare, highlight the main thing, find patterns, prove and refute, draw conclusions; allows you to organize the work so that the children can find out their result immediately after completing the task, and not after a while, when the interest to find out already disappears: “How did I do it: right or wrong?”

2

“Silhouettes”

Didactic material “Silhouettes” promotes the development of combinatorial abilities, spatial thinking, imagination, figurative thinking, fine motor skills and the formation of volitional personality traits: independence, perseverance, endurance.

Didactic material

General intellectual direction

Content lines of the program of extracurricular activities for grade 3:

Development of logical operations and basic thinking processes

The formation of logical operations and basic thinking processes in children is a condition for successful education in primary school. The ability to use the information received, actively process it in his mind, using the techniques of logical thinking, allows the child to gain deeper knowledge and fully assimilate the educational material.
The proposed program allows you to create conditions for educating an independently thinking person who adequately (realistically) evaluates his actions, who could analyze, compare, compare, find patterns, establish cause-and-effect relationships, highlight the main thing, reason logically, convincingly prove and draw generalized conclusions. And most importantly, be able to apply your knowledge in practice.

Development of cognitive processes: perception, imagination, attention, memory, thinking and speech.

Cognitive processes are included as an integral part of any human activity and provide one or another of its effectiveness. It is they that allow a person to plan in advance the goals, plans and content of the upcoming activity, to play in the mind the course of this activity, his actions and behavior, to foresee the results of his actions and manage them as they are performed.
For the successful education of a child at school, to ensure the full assimilation of educational material, it is necessary to conduct purposeful and systematic work on the development of cognitive processes.

Formation and improvement of volumetric-spatial thinking

Volumetric-spatial thinking – the ability to create images in three-dimensional space, mentally imagine the necessary configuration, hold several objects in the visual field at once and operate with them. The ability to create a spatial image and operate with its position is the basis of orientation in space, it is a necessary skill for successful learning the basics of many sciences.
Therefore, it is very important to carry out purposeful and systematic work in this direction in primary school. The presented program can help with this, which includes many specially designed tasks and exercises for the formation of volumetric-spatial thinking.

Formation of universal educational activities

For the formation of personal, communicative, regulative cognitive universal educational activities, the author has proposed various new techniques, methods of work and forms of educational interaction. Methodological recommendations and instructions for the use of assessment tools by children have been developed. A special place in the program is given to the formation of children’s ability to reflect. After all, the ability to reflect is useful to the child not only in the process of educational activities, but throughout his life. Therefore, at each lesson there is an organization of reflection, as a mandatory type of extracurricular activity.

Benefits and features of the program

Name and cost of manuals included in the teaching materials “Steps to Success”, Grade 3

To place an order, select teaching aids, specify their quantity.