Scope and sequence · Practical
Grade 3 Gardening & Animals
A year of real gardening, real animal care and careful nature study for eight- and nine-year-olds: tilt and seasons, tracks and nests, living soil, pets and farm animals, bees, seeds, planting and plant health.
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What to cover
32 of 32 lessons are MUST COVER. They are tested on the unit tests and exams, or are skills the SAT/ACT relies on. OPTIONAL lessons are enrichment. Do them if time allows. The course is complete when the MUST COVER lessons are done.
Unit 1: Harvest and the Seasons
- MUST COVER 1.1 Earth’s Tilt and the Seasons · unit test
- MUST COVER 1.2 Day Length and Plants · unit test
- MUST COVER 1.3 When Is It Ripe? · unit test
- MUST COVER 1.4 Seed Saving and Plant Families · unit test
Unit 2: Wildlife
- MUST COVER 2.1 Tracks and Signs · unit test
- MUST COVER 2.2 Deer: Antlers, Browsing and Ticks · unit test
- MUST COVER 2.3 Squirrels and Chipmunks · unit test
- MUST COVER 2.4 Birds’ Nests and Migration · unit test
Unit 3: Soil
- MUST COVER 3.1 The Soil Jar Test and Texture · unit test
- MUST COVER 3.2 Living Soil: Worms, Bacteria and Fungi · unit test
- MUST COVER 3.3 Compost Science: Browns and Greens · unit test
- MUST COVER 3.4 Drainage and Erosion · unit test
Unit 4: Pets
- MUST COVER 4.1 An Aquarium and Keeping Water Clean · unit test
- MUST COVER 4.2 Leopard Geckos and Bearded Dragons · unit test
- MUST COVER 4.3 Rabbits: Hay, Housing and Handling · unit test
- MUST COVER 4.4 Dog Training and Responsibility · unit test
Unit 5: Seeds and What Plants Need
- MUST COVER 5.1 A Germination Experiment with One Variable · unit test
- MUST COVER 5.2 Leaves and Photosynthesis · unit test
- MUST COVER 5.3 Roots, Stems and Transpiration · unit test
- MUST COVER 5.4 N-P-K and Deficiency Signs · unit test
Unit 6: Farm Animals and Bees
- MUST COVER 6.1 Keeping a Backyard Flock · unit test
- MUST COVER 6.2 Dairy Goats · unit test
- MUST COVER 6.3 Sheep: From Wool to Yarn · unit test
- MUST COVER 6.4 Inside the Beehive · unit test
Unit 7: Planting: Pots, Beds and Fields
- MUST COVER 7.1 Containers and Potting Mix · unit test
- MUST COVER 7.2 Repotting a Root-Bound Plant · unit test
- MUST COVER 7.3 Planning a Garden with a Sun Map · unit test
- MUST COVER 7.4 Planting a Field Crop: Corn, Beans and Squash · unit test
Unit 8: Plant Health
- MUST COVER 8.1 Insect Pests: Aphids, Hornworms and Cabbage Worms · unit test
- MUST COVER 8.2 Beneficial Insects · unit test
- MUST COVER 8.3 Fungal Diseases: Powdery Mildew and Blight · unit test
- MUST COVER 8.4 Simple Pest Management: Hand-Picking, Barriers and Healthy Soil · unit test
36-week pacing calendar
From the course’s own 32-week pacing guide, with catch-up and review weeks added to fill a 36-week (180-day) year.
| Week | Plan | Done | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | Session 1: Lesson 1.1 Earth’s Tilt and the Seasons: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 1.1 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 2 | Session 1: Lesson 1.2 Day Length and Plants: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 1.2 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 3 | Session 1: Lesson 1.3 When Is It Ripe?: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 1.3 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 4 | Session 1: Lesson 1.4 Seed Saving and Plant Families: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 1.4 hands-on project and nature journal Session 3: Unit 1 review and portfolio project | ||
| Wk 5 | Session 1: Lesson 2.1 Tracks and Signs: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 2.1 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 6 | Session 1: Lesson 2.2 Deer: Antlers, Browsing and Ticks: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 2.2 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 7 | Session 1: Lesson 2.3 Squirrels and Chipmunks: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 2.3 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 8 | Session 1: Lesson 2.4 Birds’ Nests and Migration: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 2.4 hands-on project and nature journal Session 3: Unit 2 review and portfolio project | ||
| Wk 9 | Session 1: Lesson 3.1 The Soil Jar Test and Texture: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 3.1 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 10 | Session 1: Lesson 3.2 Living Soil: Worms, Bacteria and Fungi: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 3.2 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 11 | Session 1: Lesson 3.3 Compost Science: Browns and Greens: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 3.3 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 12 | Session 1: Lesson 3.4 Drainage and Erosion: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 3.4 hands-on project and nature journal Session 3: Unit 3 review and portfolio project | ||
| Wk 13 | Session 1: Lesson 4.1 An Aquarium and Keeping Water Clean: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 4.1 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 14 | Session 1: Lesson 4.2 Leopard Geckos and Bearded Dragons: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 4.2 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 15 | Session 1: Lesson 4.3 Rabbits: Hay, Housing and Handling: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 4.3 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 16 | Session 1: Lesson 4.4 Dog Training and Responsibility: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 4.4 hands-on project and nature journal Session 3: Unit 4 review and portfolio project | ||
| Wk 17 | Catch-up and review week (no new lessons) | ||
| Wk 18 | Session 1: Lesson 5.1 A Germination Experiment with One Variable: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 5.1 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 19 | Session 1: Lesson 5.2 Leaves and Photosynthesis: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 5.2 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 20 | Session 1: Lesson 5.3 Roots, Stems and Transpiration: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 5.3 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 21 | Session 1: Lesson 5.4 N-P-K and Deficiency Signs: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 5.4 hands-on project and nature journal Session 3: Unit 5 review and portfolio project | ||
| Wk 22 | Session 1: Lesson 6.1 Keeping a Backyard Flock: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 6.1 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 23 | Session 1: Lesson 6.2 Dairy Goats: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 6.2 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 24 | Session 1: Lesson 6.3 Sheep: From Wool to Yarn: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 6.3 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 25 | Session 1: Lesson 6.4 Inside the Beehive: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 6.4 hands-on project and nature journal Session 3: Unit 6 review and portfolio project | ||
| Wk 26 | Session 1: Lesson 7.1 Containers and Potting Mix: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 7.1 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 27 | Session 1: Lesson 7.2 Repotting a Root-Bound Plant: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 7.2 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 28 | Session 1: Lesson 7.3 Planning a Garden with a Sun Map: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 7.3 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 29 | Session 1: Lesson 7.4 Planting a Field Crop: Corn, Beans and Squash: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 7.4 hands-on project and nature journal Session 3: Unit 7 review and portfolio project | ||
| Wk 30 | Session 1: Lesson 8.1 Insect Pests: Aphids, Hornworms and Cabbage Worms: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 8.1 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 31 | Session 1: Lesson 8.2 Beneficial Insects: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 8.2 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 32 | Session 1: Lesson 8.3 Fungal Diseases: Powdery Mildew and Blight: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 8.3 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 33 | Session 1: Lesson 8.4 Simple Pest Management: Hand-Picking, Barriers and Healthy Soil: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 8.4 hands-on project and nature journal Session 3: Unit 8 review and portfolio project | ||
| Wk 34 | Catch-up week: finish any MUST COVER lesson not yet done | ||
| Wk 35 | Catch-up week: finish any MUST COVER lesson not yet done | ||
| Wk 36 | Year-end review, portfolio and records |
Grading: Hands-on projects 40%, Nature journal 20%, Unit reviews 15%, Portfolio projects 25%. Scale: A 90–100, B 80–89, C 70–79, D 60–69. Below 60, repeat the work with help.