---
title: 3-ESS2-3
description: 3-ESS2-3 Plan and conduct an investigation to determine the connections between weather and water processes in Earth systems.
image: https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/Right%20Image.png
---

[![Teacher Login](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/347944/f56bee57-133e-4975-8055-799f1f23588b.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/347944/f56bee57-133e-4975-8055-799f1f23588b)

[Teacher Login](https://app.knowatom.com/signin)

[![KnowAtom Logo](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/KnowAtom%20Logo.svg "KnowAtom Logo")](https://www.knowatom.com/)

# 3-ESS2-3

Plan and conduct an investigation to determine the connections between weather and water processes in Earth systems.

[![Download a Sample Unit](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/347944/20eee377-e175-48fe-a039-ae723137a2a6.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/347944/20eee377-e175-48fe-a039-ae723137a2a6)

 Science & Engineering Practices

- [Developing and using models](https://www.knowatom.com/developing-and-using-models)
- [Planning and carrying out investigations](https://www.knowatom.com/planning-and-carrying-out-investigations)
- [Constructing explanations and designing solutions](https://www.knowatom.com/constructing-explanations-and-designing-solutions)
- [Engaging in argument from evidence](https://www.knowatom.com/engaging-in-argument-from-evidence)
- [Obtaining evaluating and communicating information](https://www.knowatom.com/obtaining-evaluating-and-communicating-information)

 Disciplinary Core Ideas

- [Weather and Climate](https://www.knowatom.com/weather-and-climate)
- [Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer](https://www.knowatom.com/conservation-of-energy-and-energy-transfer)

 Crosscutting Concepts

- [Patterns](https://www.knowatom.com/patterns)
- [Cause and Effect](https://www.knowatom.com/cause-and-effect)

[![New call-to-action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/347944/b5a1446e-d782-4a5f-a019-0b3b98c8304f.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/347944/b5a1446e-d782-4a5f-a019-0b3b98c8304f)

## Browse 3-ESS2-3 Lesson Plans

Grade Ranges All K-2 3-5 6-8

<https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/4th-grade-science/earth-materials-and-water-flow>

[![](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/image4-Oct-07-2023-03-00-08-0564-PM.png) 

](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/4th-grade-science/earth-materials-and-water-flow)

## [Earth Materials and Water Flow In this unit, students focus on the science phenomena of Earth’s interacting systems, evaluating how the hydrosphere and geosphere are shaped by one another. In the first lesson of the unit, students conduct an experiment to determine how the particle size of an Earth material affects its permeability to water. This page highlights key excerpts from the components of this lesson. ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/4th-grade-science/earth-materials-and-water-flow)

[ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/4th-grade-science/earth-materials-and-water-flow)

<https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/3rd-grade-science/heat-and-evaporation>

[![](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/image1-Oct-07-2023-11-51-41-5726-AM.png) 

](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/3rd-grade-science/heat-and-evaporation)

## [Heat and Evaporation In the last unit, students learned about matter as they explored Earth’s position in the solar system. In this unit, students discuss how the sun provides light and heat to Earth, powering the water cycle, which in turn influences weather and climate. Students analyze the science phenomena of weather patterns in specific regions during a particular season. ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/3rd-grade-science/heat-and-evaporation)

[ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/3rd-grade-science/heat-and-evaporation)

<https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/3rd-grade-science/weather-and-climate>

[![](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/image3-Oct-07-2023-11-55-14-8786-AM.png) 

](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/3rd-grade-science/weather-and-climate)

## [Weather and Climate In this unit, students explore the science phenomena of Earth’s weather system and analyze how heat from the sun warms Earth’s surface unevenly, powering the water cycle, which in turn drives weather and climate on the planet. Students create weather instruments to collect and analyze daily weather data. ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/3rd-grade-science/weather-and-climate)

[ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/3rd-grade-science/weather-and-climate)

<https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/5th-grade-science/earths-water>

[![](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/image4-Oct-08-2023-11-09-12-9810-AM.png) 

](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/5th-grade-science/earths-water)

## [Earth's Water In this unit, students analyze the phenomena of Earth’s interacting systems, focusing on how the hydrosphere interacts with and is influenced by the other systems. In this lesson, students graph and model the distribution of fresh water and salt water on Earth and use a physical model to analyze how fresh water moves and becomes salty. This page showcases each section of this lesson.](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/5th-grade-science/earths-water)

[ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/5th-grade-science/earths-water)

Standards citation: NGSS Lead States. 2013. *Next Generation Science Standards: For States, By State*s. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. Neither WestEd nor the lead states and partners that developed the Next Generation Science Standards were involved in the production of this product, and do not endorse it.

![KnowAtom Logo](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/KnowAtom%20Logo.svg "KnowAtom Logo")

Quick Links

Resources

Sign Up for Our Blog

### Sign Up for Our Blog

Connect with Us

- <https://www.facebook.com/KnowAtom/>
- <https://twitter.com/KnowAtom>
- <https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS0rbN0RfqaU1xaISrdVpTA>
- <https://www.knowatom.com/teaching-phenomena/rss.xml>

© 2026 KnowAtom LLC  •  10 Brady Drive Unit 3   •  Ipswich MA •   01938 USA

[DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION](https://www.knowatom.com/do-not-sell-my-personal-information) | [Privacy Policy](https://www.knowatom.com/privacy-policy) | [Terms of Use](https://www.knowatom.com/terms-of-use)

```json
{
  "@context" : "http://schema.org",
  "@type" : "Organization",
  "address" : {
    "@type" : "PostalAddress",
    "addressCountry" : "USA",
    "addressLocality" : "Salem",
    "addressRegion" : "MA",
    "postalCode" : "01970",
    "streetAddress" : "27 Congress Suite 410"
  },
  "alternateName" : "KA",
  "areaServed" : {
    "@type" : "GeoCircle",
    "geoMidpoint" : {
      "@type" : "GeoCoordinates",
      "latitude" : "+42.5182274",
      "longitude" : "-70.8877569"
    },
    "geoRadius" : "150 km"
  },
  "description" : "Next Generation Science STEM Curriculum",
  "email" : "fvigeant@knowatom.com",
  "image" : "https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/KA-GSD.png",
  "logo" : "https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/Knowatom-2017/Image/logo-1.png",
  "mainEntityOfPage" : {
    "@id" : "https://www.knowatom.com/3-ess2-3",
    "@type" : "WebPage",
    "description" : "3-ESS2-3 Plan and conduct an investigation to determine the connections between weather and water processes in Earth systems."
  },
  "name" : "KnowAtom",
  "sameAs" : [ "https://www.facebook.com/KnowAtom", "https://twitter.com/KnowAtom", "https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS0rbN0RfqaU1xaISrdVpTA", "https://plus.google.com/110709105138117096940" ],
  "telephone" : "(617) 475-3475",
  "url" : "https://www.knowatom.com"
}
```