Third Grade Programs
Third Grade Programs
The Lilly Center’s K-12 programs aspire to a high goal: develop water literacy in the children who will eventually lead our community. Students who engage with one or several of our programs leave with a deeper understanding of and appreciation for local water resources, as well as practical ways to care for them on their own.
Outdoor Field Trip Programs
Join us for a hike! Outdoor programs start at the Lilly Center and include hikes to the outdoor classroom and along the wetland trails. Students will experience nature up close as they learn about caring for our local water resources. We host outdoor programming from August to October, and March into May. Students should dress for the weather and wear closed-toed shoes.
Essential Questions: What is an ecosystem? How does it promote the survival of its parts?
Description: Get ready to get your hands dirty! During this field trip, students are able to hike and explore a wetland ecosystem as they learn how vital it is in maintaining water quality. After their hike, students will get to build their own “mini wetlands” as they discuss and apply soil layers to their natural water filters.
Standards:
3-LS1-1: Develop models to describe that organisms have unique and diverse life cycles but all have in common birth, growth, reproduction, and death.
3-LS4-4: Make a claim about the merit of a solution to a problem caused when the environment changes and the types of plants and animals that live there may change.
3-LS2-1: Construct an argument that some animals form groups that help members survive.
3-LS3-2: Use evidence to support the explanation that traits can be influenced by the environment.
3.ESS.3: Analyze how natural events and human activities affect Earth’s surface.
Indoor Field Trip Programs
Our most popular learning experience! Students rotate through all of the following stations during their 2-hour visit to the Lilly Center. They will interact with live animals, the Virtual Aquarium and the Augmented Reality Sand Tables while learning about local water quality impacts.
Essential Questions: What behavior do fish exhibit to promote their survival? What is the relationship between predators and prey?
Description: In this lesson, students explore fish behavior that promotes the survival of fish populations: schooling! Additionally, students learn about an essential feature of fish that enables schooling before creating an art project that they can take home!
Standards:
3-LS2-1: Construct an argument that some animals form groups that help members survive.
3-LS3-2: Use evidence to support the explanation that traits can be influenced by the environment.
Essential Questions: What organisms are present in a pond ecosystem? How do different organisms get their food requirements?
Description: What’s a decomposer? At this station, students will discover the interconnectedness of one of our local aquatic ecosystems: ponds! After playing an interactive game, students will walk through several ecosystem scenarios and appreciate the ecosystem dynamics in play that support our local species’ populations.
Standards:
3-LS1-1: Develop models to describe that organisms have unique and diverse life cycles but all have in common birth, growth, reproduction, and death.
3-LS4-4: Make a claim about the merit of a solution to a problem caused when the environment changes and the types of plants and animals that live there may change.
Essential Questions: What is an invasive species? How do invasive species affect our lake and stream ecosystems?
Description: Calling all young ecologists! Through an interactive simulation students will discover the nature of resource competition and difference between native and invasive species. This lesson allows students to become aware of their influence on our local aquatic ecosystems and to better understand how native species require access to the proper resources.
Standards:
3.ESS.3: Analyze how natural events and human activities affect Earth’s surface.
3. LS.4: Observe how changes in an environment affect the organisms living there.
Ready to book a field trip?
Reach out to Marc Andrews, Assistant Director of Education: andrewmw@grace.edu