Saskatchewan · Grade 3
Science, Grade 3
Saskatchewan’s Grade 3 science course, from Life Science — Plant Growth and Changes to Earth and Space Science — Exploring Soils.
- Units
- 3
- Lessons
- 8
- Skills
- 20
- Provincial exam
- None
- Official curriculum
- Saskatchewan Ministry of Education
Unit by unit
Every skill in the course, with its official code.
Unit 1 · 6 skills
Life Science — Plant Growth and Changes
How Plants Grow
The parts of a plant
I can name the main parts of a plant and tell what each part does.
Official code: PL3.1
The life of a flowering plant
I can describe the life cycle of a flowering plant.
Official code: PL3.1
What a seed needs to sprout
I can find out what a seed needs to sprout and grow.
Official code: PL3.1
Plants, People, and the Environment
What we get from plants
I can name many ways people use plants.
Official code: PL3.2
Many kinds of plants
I can describe different kinds of plants and how plants and animals help each other.
Official code: PL3.2
Protecting plants
I can tell how people protect and replant plants and name a plant-related job.
Official code: PL3.2
The official wording · 6 outcomes
- PL3.1
- the growth and development of plants
- PL3.1
- growth and development of plants
- PL3.1
- Investigate the growth and development of plants, including the conditions necessary for germination.
- PL3.2
- the interdependence among plants, individuals, society, and the environment
- PL3.2
- Analyze the interdependence among plants, individuals, society, and the environment.
- PL3.2
- the interdependence among plants
Key ideas
A plant has parts with jobs: roots take in water, the stem holds it up, leaves make food, and flowers make seeds.
People use plants for food, medicine, clothing, shade, and products like paper and dyes.
Each part helps the plant live and grow.
Farming plants is very important in Saskatchewan, where many crops are grown.
A flowering plant grows through stages: seed, seedling, mature plant with flowers, then new seeds.
Watch out for
- Thinking roots are just for holding the plant, not for taking in water.
- Thinking plants are only for looking at, not for using.
- Believing all parts of a plant do the same job.
Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit
Unit 2 · 10 skills
Physical Science — Structures, Materials, and Forces
Building Strong Structures
Materials that make structures
I can describe and sort materials used to build structures.
Official code: SM3.1
Joining and testing materials
I can join materials the best way and test how strong they are.
Official code: SM3.1
Shapes and Strength
Shapes that make things strong
I can name shapes that make a structure strong and stable.
Official code: SM3.2
Solid, frame, and shell structures
I can sort structures into solid, frame, and shell.
Official code: SM3.2
Designing and building a structure
I can plan, build, and test a structure that is strong and does its job.
Official code: SM3.2
Magnets and Static Electricity
Forces that touch and forces that don't
I can tell the difference between forces that touch and forces that act from a distance.
Official code: ME3.1
Exploring magnets
I can tell what magnets attract and what makes a magnet stronger or weaker.
Official code: ME3.1
Static electricity
I can make and describe static electricity.
Official code: ME3.1
Magnets and Static in Everyday Life
How we use magnets
I can name ways magnets are used and how a compass works.
Official code: ME3.2
Static electricity in daily life
I can give examples of static electricity in daily life and how people reduce it.
Official code: ME3.2
The official wording · 10 outcomes
- SM3.1
- properties of materials and methods of joinery used in structures
- SM3.1
- Investigate properties of materials and methods of joinery used in structures.
- SM3.2
- the function and characteristics of strong, stable, and balanced natural and human-built structures
- SM3.2
- characteristics of strong, stable, and balanced natural and human-built structures
- SM3.2
- Assess the function and characteristics of strong, stable, and balanced natural and human-built structures.
- ME3.1
- the characteristics of contact (e.g., push, pull, and friction) and non-contact (e.g., magnetic and static electric) forces
- ME3.1
- the characteristics of contact
- ME3.1
- static electric) forces
- ME3.2
- practical applications of magnetic and static electric forces on individuals and society
- ME3.2
- applications of magnetic and static electric forces on individuals and society
Key ideas
Structures are built from materials with different properties: strength, flexibility, and durability.
Some shapes add strength: triangles brace structures, and arches and domes carry weight well.
Contact forces need to touch to act, like a push, a pull, or friction.
Magnets are used in many things: fridge magnets, cupboard latches, speakers, and scrapyard cranes.
We can sort materials by properties to choose the best one for a building job.
Watch out for
- Thinking any material works for any structure.
- Thinking all shapes are equally strong.
- Thinking all forces need to touch.
Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit
Unit 3 · 4 skills
Earth and Space Science — Exploring Soils
All About Soil
What soil is made of
I can describe what soil is made of and name different soil types.
Official code: ES3.1
How soil holds water
I can test which soil soaks up the most water.
Official code: ES3.1
Soil and Living Things
How soil helps living things
I can explain how soil helps plants, animals, and people.
Official code: ES3.2
Protecting soil from washing away
I can show how water washes soil away and tell how to protect it.
Official code: ES3.2
The official wording · 4 outcomes
- ES3.1
- the characteristics, including soil composition and ability to absorb water, of different types of soils in their environment
- ES3.1
- Investigate the characteristics, including soil composition and ability to absorb water, of different types of soils in their environment.
- ES3.2
- the interdependence between soil and living things, including the importance of soil for individuals, society, and all components of the environment
- ES3.2
- the interdependence between soil and living things
Key ideas
Soil is made of tiny bits of rock, water, air, and pieces of dead plants and animals.
Soil gives plants nutrients and a place to grow their roots.
There are different soil types — clay, sand, silt, and loam — that feel and look different.
Animals like worms and insects live in soil, and people depend on soil to grow food.
Different soils absorb water differently — sandy soil lets water through fast, clay holds it.
Watch out for
- Thinking all soil is the same.
- Thinking soil is not important to living things.
- Believing soil is only dirt with nothing living in it.
Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit
Plan the term
Pick your term and the days you study. Each unit gets its share of the weeks and comes back a week later for a review. The last two weeks go over the whole course.
The official curriculum
This page follows Saskatchewan’s own curriculum for Science, Grade 3.
Textbooks
The textbooks Saskatchewan Ministry of Education lists for Science, Grade 3:
- Pearson Saskatchewan Science 3
From core resources, read October 27, 2026. curriculum.gov.sk.ca
Study it in MapleMind
MapleMind teaches Science, Grade 3 one skill at a time. Each skill gets a short lesson, practice as you go and a check worth up to three stars. It remembers where you stopped.
Course Companion
Your year in one workbook
A fun way to keep Science, Grade 3 organized, get to know your child better and see early when they need a hand. Fill it in on a screen, or print it.
- Pages
- 24
- Fillable fields
- 1,212
- Price
- $4.99
Questions about Science, Grade 3
What is Science, Grade 3?
Saskatchewan’s Grade 3 science course: 3 units and 20 skills, from Life Science — Plant Growth and Changes to Earth and Space Science — Exploring Soils.
What units are in Science, Grade 3?
1. Life Science — Plant Growth and Changes, 2. Physical Science — Structures, Materials, and Forces and 3. Earth and Space Science — Exploring Soils.
Is there a provincial exam for Science, Grade 3?
No. Saskatchewan gives no provincial exam for Science, Grade 3.
What textbook does Science, Grade 3 use?
The textbooks Saskatchewan Ministry of Education lists for Science, Grade 3: Pearson Saskatchewan Science 3.
What comes after Science, Grade 3?
Science, Grade 4.
Can MapleMind help with Science, Grade 3?
Yes. MapleMind teaches every skill of Science, Grade 3, step by step, with practice and checks, and its tutor answers questions about any of them. It’s free with daily limits, on iPhone, Android and the web.
Get ready for Science, Grade 3
Practise every skill of Science, Grade 3 in MapleMind, free with daily limits.
