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3rd Grade Changes in Matter worksheets

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Changes in Matter

Grade 3 Science Worksheet - Challenge Me

NameDate

Circle the answer.

  1. Snow melts into water, and the water freezes again at night. Paper burns into ash. How are these changes different?

    • burning can be undone; the water change cannot
    • both changes can be undone
    • the water change can be undone; burning cannot
    • neither change can be undone
  2. Two puddles are the same size. One is in the sun and one is in the shade. Which dries first, and why?

    • the sunny one, because heat speeds up evaporation
    • the shady one, because shade pulls water away
    • both, because they are the same size
    • the sunny one, because sunlight freezes water
  3. A weather report says: night 25°F, day 45°F. What will happen to a puddle over one night and day?

    • it will stay liquid the whole time
    • it will melt at night and freeze during the day
    • it will freeze at night and melt during the day
    • it will stay frozen the whole time
  4. Which test shows whether a change can be undone?

    • look at the material once after the change
    • weigh the material before the change only
    • write down the name of the material
    • try to change the material back and see if it returns
  5. Lightning burns part of a tree black. Can rain make the burned wood like new again?

    • yes, once the wood cools down
    • yes, water reverses burning
    • yes, after it freezes in winter
    • no, burning cannot be undone
  6. Why does a wet road become icy after the sun sets in winter?

    • the water turns into water vapor
    • the road soaks up all the water
    • the sun's heat makes ice form
    • the air cools below 32°F and the water freezes
  7. A glass of ice water gets drops on the outside on a humid day, but not on a very dry day. Why?

    • the glass leaks more when it is humid
    • dry air has more water vapor
    • ice melts slower on humid days
    • humid air has more water vapor to condense
  8. Which list puts the water changes that make rain in order?

    • evaporation → condensation → rain
    • rain → freezing → evaporation
    • condensation → evaporation → rain
    • melting → evaporation → freezing
  9. Ice is heated until it becomes water, then water vapor. What did adding heat do each time?

    • made the water disappear forever
    • made more water
    • changed the water to the next state
    • changed it back to ice
  10. Hail grows bigger as wind blows it up and down in a storm cloud. What happens each time it goes up high, where it is very cold?

    • it melts completely
    • it evaporates
    • it turns into rain
    • more water freezes onto it
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3rd Grade Changes in Matter worksheet 1 – printable PDF
Download PDF: 123456

About this worksheet

Changes in matter explain how heating and cooling change water in weather, and why some changes can be undone while others cannot helps third graders connect observations with scientific explanations instead of memorizing isolated facts. Students may think drops on a cold glass leak through it, or that every change can be reversed. 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 name melting, freezing, evaporation and condensation, predict changes from temperature data, and tell changes that can be undone from changes such as burning and rusting.

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

  • Name changes of state
  • Predict changes from temperature
  • Explain weather changes such as dew and icy roads
  • Tell changes that can be undone from those that cannot

NGSS standard: 5-PS1-4, 2-PS1-4

Worked example

At 25°F a puddle freezes; at 45°F the ice melts again, so freezing can be undone. A log burned to ash cannot become a log again.

Common mistake

Naming the material but ignoring whether it gained or lost heat.

Helpful hint

Ask whether the material got warmer or colder, and whether it can go back.

Questions parents ask

What is the most common mistake with changes in matter?

Naming the material but ignoring whether it gained or lost heat.

How can I help my child with changes in matter?

Ask whether the material got warmer or colder, and whether it can go back.

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: States of Matter · Forces and Motion

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