New Mexico State Standards for Science: Grade 3

NM.I. Scientific Thinking and Practice: Understand the processes of scientific investigations and use inquiry and scientific ways of observing, experimenting, predicting, and validating to think critically.

I-A. Use scientific methods to observe, collect, record, analyze, predict, interpret, and determine reasonableness of data.

I-A.1a. Make new observations when discrepancies exist between two descriptions of the same object or phenomenon to improve accuracy. 14
Suggested Titles for New Mexico Science State Standard I-A.1a.

I-A.2a. Recognize the difference between data and opinion. 14
Suggested Titles for New Mexico Science State Standard I-A.2a.

I-A.3a. Use numerical data in describing and comparing objects, events, and measurements. 14
Suggested Titles for New Mexico Science State Standard I-A.3a.

I-A.4a. Collect data in an investigation and analyze those data. 14
Suggested Titles for New Mexico Science State Standard I-A.4a.

I-A.5a. Know that the same scientific laws govern investigations in different times and places (e.g., gravity, growing plants). 14
Suggested Titles for New Mexico Science State Standard I-A.5a.

I-B. Use scientific thinking and knowledge and communicate findings.

I-B.1a. Use a variety of methods to display data and present findings. 14
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I-B.2a. Understand that predictions are based on observations, measurements, and cause-and-effect relationships. 16
Suggested Titles for New Mexico Science State Standard I-B.2a.

I-C. Use mathematical skills and vocabulary to analyze data, understand patterns and relationships, and communicate findings.

I-C.1a. Use numerical data in describing and comparing objects, events, and measurements. 13
Suggested Titles for New Mexico Science State Standard I-C.1a.

I-C.2a. Pose a question of interest and present observations and measurements with accuracy. 15
Suggested Titles for New Mexico Science State Standard I-C.2a.

I-C.3a. Use various methods to display data and present findings and communicate results in accurate mathematical language. 16
Suggested Titles for New Mexico Science State Standard I-C.3a.

II-B. Know the structure and formation of Earth and its atmosphere and the processes that shape them.

II-B.1a. Know that Earth's features are constantly changed by a combination of slow and rapid processes that include the action of volcanoes, earthquakes, mountain building, biological changes, erosion, and weathering. 40
Suggested Titles for New Mexico Science State Standard II-B.1a.

II-B.2a. Know that fossils are evidence of earlier life and provide data about plants and animals that lived long ago. 20
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II-B.3a. Know that air takes up space, is colorless, tasteless, and odorless, and exerts a force. 4
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II-B.4a. Identify how water exists in the air in different forms (e.g., in clouds and fog as tiny droplets; in rain, snow, and hail) and changes from one form to another through various processes (e.g., freezing/condensation, precipitation, evaporation). 14
Suggested Titles for New Mexico Science State Standard II-B.4a.

II-C. Know the parts of the human body and their functions.

II-C.1a. Know that bacteria and viruses are germs that affect the human body. 7
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II-C.2a. Describe the nutrients needed by the human body. 7
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II-C.3a. Observe that some forces produce motion without objects touching (e.g., magnetic force on nails). 10
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II-C.4a. Describe motion on different time scales (e.g., the slow motion of a plant toward light, the fast motion of a tuning fork). 9
Suggested Titles for New Mexico Science State Standard II-C.4a.

NM.II. Content of Science: Life Science: Understand the properties, structures, and processes of living things and the interdependence of living things and their environments.

II-A. Know that living things have diverse forms, structures, functions, and habitats.

II-A.1a. Know that an adaptation in physical structure or behavior can improve an organism's chance for survival (e.g., horned toads, chameleons, cacti, mushrooms). 7
Suggested Titles for New Mexico Science State Standard II-A.1a.

II-A.2a. Observe that plants and animals have structures that serve different functions (e.g., shape of animals' teeth). 121
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II-A.3a. Observe that the pattern of stars stays the same as they appear to move across the sky nightly. 5
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II-A.4a. Observe that different constellations can be seen in different seasons. 5
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II-B. Know that living things have similarities and differences and that living things change over time. 120
Suggested Titles for New Mexico Science State Standard II-B.

II-B.1a. Identify how living things cause changes to the environments in which they live, and that some of these changes are detrimental to the organism and some are beneficial. 16
Suggested Titles for New Mexico Science State Standard II-B.1a.

II-B.2a. Know that some kinds of organisms that once lived on Earth have become extinct (e.g., dinosaurs) and that others resemble those that are alive today (e.g., alligators, sharks). 23
Suggested Titles for New Mexico Science State Standard II-B.2a.

NM.II. Content of Science: Earth and Space Science: Understand the structure of Earth, the solar system, and the universe, the interconnections among them, and the processes and interactions of Earth's systems.

II-A. Know the structure of the solar system and the objects in the universe.

II-A.1a. Describe the objects in the solar system (e.g., sun, Earth and other planets, moon) and their features (e.g., size, temperature). 31
Suggested Titles for New Mexico Science State Standard II-A.1a.

II-A.2a. Describe the relationships among the objects in the solar system (e.g., relative distances, orbital motions). 24
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II-A.3a. Observe that the pattern of stars stays the same as they appear to move across the sky nightly. 5
Suggested Titles for New Mexico Science State Standard II-A.3a.

II-A.4a. Observe that different constellations can be seen in different seasons. 5
Suggested Titles for New Mexico Science State Standard II-A.4a.

II-A.5a. Know that telescopes enhance the appearance of some distant objects in the sky (e.g., the moon, planets). 31
Suggested Titles for New Mexico Science State Standard II-A.5a.

NM.III. Science and Society: Understand how scientific discoveries, inventions, practices, and knowledge influence, and are influenced by, individuals and societies.

III-A. Describe how science influences decisions made by individuals and societies.

III-A.1a. Describe how food packaging (e.g., airtight containers, date) and preparation (heating, cooling, salting, smoking, drying) extend food life and the safety of foods (e.g., elimination of bacteria). 4
Suggested Titles for New Mexico Science State Standard III-A.1a.

III-A.2a. Know that science produces information for the manufacture and recycling of materials (e.g., materials that can be recycled [aluminum, paper, plastic] and others that cannot [gasoline]). 12
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III-A.3a. Know that naturally occurring materials (e.g., wood, clay, cotton, animal skins) may be processed or combined with other materials to change their properties. 1
Suggested Titles for New Mexico Science State Standard III-A.3a.

III-A.4a. Know that using poisons can reduce the damage to crops caused by rodents, weeds, and insects, but their use may harm other plants, animals, or the environment. 5
Suggested Titles for New Mexico Science State Standard III-A.4a.