3.LS3.2: Use evidence and reasoning to support the explanation that traits can…
Use evidence and reasoning to support the explanation that traits can be influenced by the environment.
The South Dakota Science Standards (2024) outcome 3.LS3.2 (Life Sciences) for Grade 3 says: “Use evidence and reasoning to support the explanation that traits can be influenced by the environment.” This Fieldbook unit teaches it hands-on, with everyday materials and a printable teacher guide and student sheet for every lesson. Official wording: South Dakota Science Standards (2024).
Like Parent, Like Baby? Traits and Families Grades 1–3
Why does a grey cygnet grow into a white swan, why are puppies in one litter different colours, and why does a bean plant grown in the dark come up tall and yellow? Three lessons with nothing to buy: students match drawn family cards, make a living bar graph of pea cards beside Gregor Mendel's real counts, and walk a case-file trail of plants and animals changed by where they live.
- Can where you live change how you look? 45–60 min
Teams walk a trail of five case files: bean plants grown in sun and in the dark, pink flamingos and their food, hydrangeas in different soils, a Siamese cat's cool paws and two puppies fed differently. They sort each trait as inherited, changed by the surroundings, or both, and use the evidence to explain that the environment can change traits.
Printable practice for 3.LS3.2
- Like Parent, Like Baby? Traits and Families workbook included with the unit
1 word wall, 1 English-support page, 1 practice page, 1 reading, 1 unit review, 1 unit test, with answer keys.
Need just this outcome? Build a custom pack from these pages, with its answer key, in about a minute. Custom packs come with All-access and school licences.
Compared with NGSS: 3-LS3-2.
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