Virginia SOL 3.1.a.ii

Science3rd GradeScientific and Engineering Practices

The Standard

ask questions about what would happen if a variable is changed

Virginia Standards of Learning for Science · The student will demonstrate an understanding of scientific and engineering practices by

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students identify one factor they could change in a simple investigation. They form a testable question that connects that change to a result they can observe or measure.
What Mastery Looks Like: A student can look at a setup, choose one factor to change, and name the result to measure. The student keeps unrelated conditions out of the question.
Common Misconceptions: Students may change several factors at once or ask a question that cannot be tested. They may name only the change, without identifying what result they will observe.
How to Assess It: Show a toy car and ramp. Ask, “Write one testable question about changing the ramp height and measuring the car’s motion.”

Lesson moves

Give groups toy cars, cardboard ramps, blocks, and rulers, then have them write a question about changing ramp height.
Ask students to complete: “If we change ___, what might happen to ___?” and explain how they could measure the result.
Play Question Fix-It by giving teams vague investigation questions to rewrite with one change and one measurable result.
Compare two paper towel brands and have students write a question about how changing the brand might affect water absorption.

Free download

A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to 3.1.a.ii, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.

PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.

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