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3rd Grade Compare Engineering Solutions worksheets

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Compare Engineering Solutions

Grade 3 Science Worksheet - Building Confidence

NameDate

Circle the answer.

  1. The goal is a bridge that holds at least 18 washers. Use the graph. Which design meets the goal?

    • Design A
    • Design B
    • both designs

  2. Which measurement should decide which bridge holds the most weight?

    • how much each bridge weighs empty
    • how long each bridge took to build
    • how many washers each bridge held

  3. Which test lets two parachutes be compared fairly?

    • drop both from the same height
    • drop one indoors and one outside in wind
    • drop each from a different height

  4. A brace must use only cardboard. Which design meets this limit?

    • a metal rod
    • a folded cardboard brace
    • a wooden plank

  5. A test shows a ramp is too slippery for a toy car to grip. Which redesign fixes this?

    • add sandpaper to the ramp
    • make the ramp smoother
    • make the ramp steeper

  6. The goal is a paper airplane that flies at least 4 meters. Use the graph. Which design meets the goal?

    • neither design
    • Design B
    • Design A

  7. The goal is a foil boat that holds at least 12 pennies. Use the graph. Which design meets the goal?

    • Design B
    • both designs
    • Design A

  8. Tower A is 40 cm tall but falls when shaken. Tower B is 30 cm tall and stays up. The goal is a tower that stays standing. Which meets the goal?

    • Tower A
    • Tower B
    • both towers

  9. Which statement is based on a test result?

    • It was the most fun to build.
    • It held the most books without bending.
    • It looks the strongest.

  10. The goal is a kite that stays up at least 5 minutes. Use the graph. Which kites meet the goal?

    • Kite A only
    • both kites
    • Kite B only
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3rd Grade Compare Engineering Solutions worksheet 1 – printable PDF
Download PDF: 123456

About this worksheet

Comparing engineering solutions helps third graders connect observations with scientific explanations instead of memorizing isolated facts. Students may pick the design with the biggest result even when it breaks a limit, or forget that both or neither design can meet a goal. This worksheet uses short evidence-based situations so students must read the setup, identify the pattern, and choose the answer that fits the science idea named in the title. Students compare test data with a goal, set up fair tests, weigh tradeoffs such as cost and strength, and decide whether one, both or neither design works.

Support versions use familiar examples and direct wording. Standard and challenge versions add closer distractors and require more comparison. Encourage your child to point to the evidence in the prompt before choosing an answer. If the answer does not explain the observation or solve the stated problem, it is probably a distractor. That habit builds careful science reasoning and prepares students for longer investigations.

What your child will learn

  • Compare test data with a goal
  • Set up a fair test
  • Weigh tradeoffs
  • Decide when to redesign

NGSS standard: 3-5-ETS1-2

Worked example

The goal is 18 washers. Design A holds 12 and Design B holds 20, so only Design B meets the goal.

Common mistake

Choosing the biggest result without checking the goal and the limits.

Helpful hint

Compare every result with the goal.

Earlier: Define Engineering Problems

Questions parents ask

What is the most common mistake with compare engineering solutions?

Choosing the biggest result without checking the goal and the limits.

How can I help my child with compare engineering solutions?

Compare every result with the goal.

Are these 3rd grade science worksheets free to print?

Yes. All 6 printable versions on this page are free to download and print, with no account needed.

Similar: Magnets and Engineering Design · Define Engineering Problems

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