Virginia SOL 3.3

Science3rd GradeMatter

SOL Standard (Key Ideas Cluster)

The student will investigate and understand how materials interact with water. Key ideas include

Virginia Standards of Learning for Science

Cluster contents

3.3 is a Standards of Learning science standard. These are the key ideas and practices under it.

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students test solids and liquids in water and observe whether each spreads evenly, settles, floats, or forms a separate layer. They compare how much solid dissolves in hot and cold water.
What Mastery Looks Like: Students classify materials based on observed mixing results and support each choice with evidence. They explain that many solids dissolve better in hot water, while some do not dissolve in either temperature.
Common Misconceptions: Students may think a dissolved solid has disappeared or changed into water. They may assume all solids dissolve, all liquids blend with water, or hot water dissolves every solid.
How to Assess It: Give students results for sugar, sand, and oil added to water. Ask them to classify each result and predict whether hot water would change it.

Lesson moves

Give groups cups of hot and cold water, equal sugar samples, and spoons to compare dissolving after the same number of stirs.
Ask students to explain where salt goes when it seems to disappear in water, using observations as evidence.
Play a card sort using pictures of materials labeled dissolves, settles, floats, or forms a layer after mixing with water.
Compare making sweet tea with hot and cold water, then discuss why recipes often call for one temperature over the other.

Free download

A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to 3.3, 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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