FOSS at Home
FOSS® at Home
MAGNETISM AND ELECTRICITY
Name ____________________________________
The FOSS® (Full Option Science System™) program offers a number
of ways to get parents involved in their child’s science education.
Included here are short descriptions of several ways to bridge from
classroom to home.
Letter to Parents. The letter to parents can be sent home at the start
of a new science module. The letter describes what children will
be learning and ways that parents can enrich the science-learning
experience.
FOSS Science Stories. FOSS Science Stories is a series of original books
developed to accompany and enrich the FOSS modules. The books
include a variety of articles written in a number of styles, including
narrative tales, expository articles, technical readings, and historical
accounts.
Here are some suggestions for using FOSS Science Stories at home.
• Expository and Historical/Biographical Readings. The
expository and historical/biographical readings provide
excellent opportunities for students and parents to discuss
the science content students are learning in the module.
Specific articles include Making Static and Two Reference
Sources about Edison.
Date
LETTER TO PARENTS
___________________________________
Cut here and paste onto school letterhead before making copies.
SCIENCE NEWS
Dear Parents,
Our class is beginning a new science unit using the
FOSS Magnetism and Electricity Module. We will investigate
permanent magnets, build electric circuits powered by D-cells
(flashlight batteries), and explore electromagnetism.
You can increase your child’s understanding and interest
in magnetism and electricity by asking him or her to talk about
the investigations we are doing at school. Also, watch for Home/
School Connections sheets that I will be sending home from time
to time. These activities describe ways the whole family can look
more closely at magnetism and electricity around your home. You
may find magnets at work holding notes on the refrigerator or securing cabinets closed; electricity
powering lamps, televisions, and flashlights; and electromagnets in motors and speakers. It can be
lots of fun to make inventories of magnets and electrical appliances.
To help your child investigate circuitry you may provide an old broken appliance for him
or her to take apart. You can explore the appliance together to discover how it is wired and where
connections are made.
One thing we will stress in our study of magnetism and electricity at school is safety. You
may want to review your home safety rules for magnetism and electricity as well.
• Never put any object other than a certified plug into wall sockets.
• Do not open the case of an electrical appliance that is plugged in.
• Do not bring magnets near computers, videotapes, or audio recordings.
We are looking forward to many weeks of exciting investigations with this Magnetism and
Electricity Module. If you have any questions or comments, or have expertise you would like to
share with the class, please drop me a note.
Comments:
FOSS Magnetism and Electricity Module
© The Regents of the University of California
Can be duplicated for classroom or workshop use.
Investigation 1: The Force
No. 1—Teacher Sheet
No. 1—Teacher Sheet
• Technical Readings. The technical readings provide good
opportunities for students to do a science activity at home
with their families or follow instructions for a science
project. For example, students could do the activities
outlined in Magnificent Magnetic Models and Make a Compass
as homework or as their end-of-module project.
• “Questions to Explore.” Students can read the article in
class and then answer the “Questions to Explore” at home
in their science notebooks. You might consider this strategy
after students read How Electromagnetism Stopped a War or
Morse Gets Clicking.
• After the Story. See the Science Stories folio in the Teacher
Guide for suggestions on how to extend the stories at home.
For example, after students read Magnets and Electricity in
Your Life, you might have students search their homes for
devices that use electricity. Students can draw a diagram of
their home and mark each place where the electric devices
are used.
Magnetism and Electricity
Magnetism and electricity
Name ____________________________________
Date
___________________________________
HOME/SCHOOL CONNECTION
INVESTIGATION 2: MAKING CONNECTIONS
WHERE’S THE ELECTRICITY?
Where’s the electricity in your home? Take a tour and count the number of:
• Lights. ________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
• Appliances that use electricity. ___________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
• Wall outlets where you can plug things in. _________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
• Wall switches for turning on lights. _______________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
Be sure to talk with your family about safety when using electric appliances. Write your
family safety rules below.
Home/School Connection
No. 35—Student Sheet
FOSS Magnetism and Electricity Module
© The Regents of the University of California
Can be duplicated for classroom or workshop use.
No. 35—Student Sheet
Name ____________________________________
Date _____________________________________
MATH EXTENSION—PROBLEM OF THE WEEK
INVESTIGATION 1: THE FORCE
BUYING MAGNETS
A teacher wants to set up a Magnet Exploration Center where students can find out more
about magnets during their free time. She has $50.00 to spend. She looked in the magnet
section of a science catalog and found these prices.
ITEM
QUANTITY
PRICE
Large bar magnets
Set of 2
$10.95
Small bar magnets
Each
$2.75
Large horseshoe magnets
Each
$7.95
Small horseshoe magnets
Each
$4.50
Disk magnets
Set of 4
$4.50
Lodestones
Set of 10
$7.95
Student Sheets. Throughout the module, students complete various
recording and response sheets. Students should bring the sheets and/
or their science notebooks home for families to review and discuss.
For example, student sheet number 7, The Flow of Electricity, is a good
opportunity for students to explain and review with parents how
electricity flows.
Home/School Connections. Home/School Connections are activities
developed specifically for the whole family to enjoy at home. For
example, in Investigation 2 (student sheet number 35) students create
an inventory of electric fixtures and appliances around their home
and then develop a list of rules for using electricity safely.
Interdisciplinary Extensions. Each investigation has suggestions for
art, language, math, social studies, and science extensions. These are
good family activities. For example, after Investigation 5 students can
build a cardboard telegraph at home. They might also do the Math
Problem of the Week at home.
FOSSweb (www.fossweb.com). FOSSweb is an interactive website
where families can find instructional activities and interactive
simulations specifically designed for each FOSS module.
1. What materials would you recommend she buy for the Magnet Exploration
Center? (Remember, she has only $50.00 to spend.)
2. Write a paragraph about why you chose the items you did.
FOSS Magnetism and Electricity Module
© 1998 The Regents of the University of California
Can be duplicated for classroom or workshop use.
Problem of the Week
No. 29—Student Sheet
No. 29—Student Sheet
NOTE: All student sheets, including
the Letter to Parents, Home/School
Connection, and Math Problems
of the Week, are available in FOSS
Teacher Guides and online at
www.fossweb.com. They are also
available in Spanish. See For
Parents and Teachers: Home/
School Connection on page 4 of this
folio.
NOTE: Pages 3 and 4 of this folio can be photocopied and sent home
for parents to read. These pages provide information on the resources
for students and their families on FOSSweb.
full option science system
FOSS at Home
FOSSWEB (WWW.FOSSWEB.COM)
The FOSS program maintains a resource-rich website for students and
their families and friends. To explore the resources available for the
Magnetism and Electricity Module, first enter www.fossweb.com in
your browser.
The FOSS website requires plug-ins for your browser. We recommend
that you click the “Test Your Browser” link at the bottom of the home
page before you begin to ensure your computer has the minimum
requirements.
Click the grades 3–6 icon to get a menu that links to each of the 3–6
modules. There you can choose Magnetism and Electricity and
travel to a wealth of information and activities specific to this module.
ACTIVITIES
In the Magnetism and Electricity Module, you’ll find two activities:
Kitchen Magnets and Electromagnet. Kitchen Magnets should be
introduced after students have completed Investigation 1: The Force.
This activity challenges children to find different magnets in a
typical kitchen. You might ask,
• What are some different uses of magnets?
• Where are magnets used in your kitchen?
Magnet locations are highlighted as the cursor is moved around
the kitchen. When you click on a magnet, information about it
appears. Children can keep a record of where they find magnets
in the kitchen, and then look for similar magnets in their own
kitchen.
The Electromagnet activity should be introduced after students
have completed Investigation 4: Current Attractions. In this activity,
children will change different parts of an electromagnet and observe
the results. You might ask,
• How did you make an electromagnet?
• How did you change the electromagnet to increase the number of
washers you could pick up?
Point out the different parts of the electromagnet that can change
in the activity: the wire gauge, the type of wire, the type of current
(power supply), the voltage, and the number of winds. Explain that
AC means alternating current, and DC means direct current. Try
Magnetism and Electricity
Magnetism and electricity
different combinations of these parts to find out which combination
picks up the most iron filings. Set up one combination of parts and
test it. Point out that the number of iron filings changes each time one
of the parts is changed.
MOVIES
The Movies section includes animations of how some electric devices
operate. The electric devices include a speaker and a lightbulb.
PICTURES
In the Pictures section, you can view images of several electronic
devices that have been dissected and places where electricity is
generated, such as Hoover Dam.
WEBSITES
The Websites section includes links to sites that can extend and
enrich children’s experiences with the Magnetism and Electricity
Module.
VOCABULARY
In the Vocabulary section, you will find the glossary words and
definitions used in the Magnetism and Electricity Module. They are
provided in English and Spanish.
BOOKS/SOFTWARE
This section includes an annotated list of books, videos, and software
recommended for the Magnetism and Electricity Module. You
should be able to find many of these titles at your local library.
For parents and teachers: Home/school connection
The For Parents and Teachers section includes the Home/
School Connection that describes ways for families to do
science together. For example, in Investigation 1, families
search for permanent magnets in their home and later design
a magnet game. Look in this section for other resources
included in a downloadable PDF file, including a general
letter introducing the module, student projects, and math
problems that relate to the science investigations.
Copyright The Regents of the University of California
full option science system
1014229