5E Instructional Cycle
Magnets and Metals
Grade Level: 5
Lesson concept: Magnets attract some metals
Stage
Engage
Explore
#1
Teacher Does
Student Does
Distribute magnet to each student.
Ask students to observe the object
and see what it can do.
Round; black, rolls, sticks to some
things
When they find out it sticks, ask
them if they know what the object
is.
Magnet
Ask students to describe other
magnets they have seen and tell
what they do.
Refrigerator, horseshoe,
Sticks to things, picks up things,
use to put pictures on refrigerator
What can the magnet stick to that
is around your seat? (don’t leave
your seat).
Explore with the magnets.
What did you find out?
Sticks to some things but not
everything
(may say sticks to metal)
What is common about the things
it sticks to?
Looks like metal things
Write the word stick on the board
and then write “attract.” Ask
students what they think that word
means.
Like someone; stick to something
Scientists use attract to describe
what a magnet does when it sticks
to something.
Write stick = attract in your
notebook.
Write stick = attract
Tell students they will continue to
explore what magnets attract.
Write item and description in
notebook
Distribute a bag of items (make
sure it includes aluminum, copper
penny, brass brad in addition to
other metals, and some non-metal
items) to partners.
Ask them to look at the items,
observe them and record their
observations in their notebook.
Based on their observations, ask
students to predict if the magnet
will attract the object. Construct a
chart to record your predictions,
and provide room on the chart to
record what actually happens.
Make chart
(column headers: item, prediction
attract yes or no , actual attract
yes or no)
Tell your partner what kinds of
items you think the magnet will
attract.
Report to a partner before
answering the teacher’s questions.
Discuss their predictions. In
general what kinds of items do you
think the magnet will attract?
How do I know which items are
metals—What are their properties?
(students should be able to answer
these questions from their
previous investigations on metals)
Tell students to test items and
record results in their chart.
Explain
#1
Write observation of the items.
metals
shiny, malleable (bendable)
Test and record in chart in their
notebook.
Ask students to review their data
table.
Which items did the magnet
attract? Teacher records students’
responses in a T chart as she asks
each group to report out. Use
Numbered Heads and ask student
#2 to report out for the group.
What is the same about these
items? Use the stem: “I observed
noticed that…. ”
Give list
I observed that they are metal.
Which items did the magnet not
attract? Use stem: “We noticed
that the magnet did not attract….”
We noticed that the magnet did
not attract…………(students give
list).
Did any of these items surprise
you? Why?
Aluminum, brass, copper penny.
They surprised me because I
thought magnets attract all metals
but it didn’t attract these.
Ask students to write a statement
in their notebooks (note this will
be a precursor to the
claim/evidence at the end of the
lesson) that summarizes their data
and what surprised them.
Why do you think the magnet
attracts one group of metals, but
not another group of metals?
What is going on?
Record what you are
thinking/wondering about in your
notebook.
Ask students to read their
sentences to their partner.
Select a couple of partners who
have sentences that you want to
have the whole class hear (e.g.,
uses academic vocabulary to
explain) and ask them to share.
Explore
#2
Write what the magnet attracted,
what the magnet didn’t attract and
what surprised them.
The metals that the magnets
attract must have something
different than the metals that the
magnet does not attract.
Write in their notebooks.
Read their sentences to their elbow
partner in an inside voice.
Share
Today we are going to read to find
out more about why the magnet
attracts some metals, but not
others.
When you read today, what might
you want to find out from your
reading?
Make a list of the student
questions and select the question
that has to do with why some
magnets attract only some metals.
brainstorm questions like:
“Why do some magnets attract
only some metals?”
Today we are going to use a new
strategy for reading using post-its.
I’m going to give you some sticky
notes. If you need more, let me
know. As you read, I want you to
use the sticky notes in the
following way:
1. put a star on a sticky note
and stick to the part(s) of
the reading that help you
find an answer to your
question
2. put an ! on a sticky note
and stick to the reading
where you find something
interesting
3. put a ? on a sticky note and
stick it to the part(s) of the
reading that you have
questions about.
When you are done with your
reading, you will read the part of
the reading that is next to your
sticky notes with a partner.
Distribute materials and start to
read.
When they have finished reading,
ask students to partner and
discuss in a Three-Way Interview.
(partners talk to each other and at
the end to the teacher)
Partner A asks Partner B for one
sentence with a star. Then Partner
B asks Partner A for a sentence
with a star. They continue to take
turns for the ! passage and the ?
passage.
As they discuss, ask students to
take notes in their notebook about
their discussion. Suggest that they
make 3 columns to record the
answer to their question, the
things that were interesting and
Start reading, using sticky notes as
they go
the questions they have.
Tell students to start their
interview.
Share what they starred, marked
with ! and ?
For example:
Partner A: I put a star next to the
sentence that talks about iron.
Partner B: I put a star next to the
sentence that has iron and another
one next to the sentence that says
nickel and cobalt.
Partners A and B continue to share
their sentences with each other
and record their conversation in
their notebook.
Explain
#2
After students have had an
opportunity to share with their
partners, ask Partner A to share
one thing that he/she heard
Partner B say.
Partner A in each group shares one
sentence he/she heard.
Ask Partner B to share one thing
that he/she heard Partner A say.
Partner B in each groups shares
one sentence he/she heard.
Ask students to write a claim from
evidence about metals and
magnetism based on their
experiment and reading.
Ask students what makes a good
claim and evidence statement.
Remind them of the criteria (see
end of the lesson for the example)
on the wall if they need a hint.
Claim is a generalized statement
supported by evidence. Evidence
should come from more than one
source and be related to the claim.
Tell students they can use this
sentence frame if they need to.
My claim is_______________
The evidence from my
investigation and reading that
support this claim are__________
My claim is that some metals have
magnetic properties. The evidence
from my investigation is that the
magnet attracts some metals but
not others. It attracts the paper
clip and nail but it doesn’t attract
the aluminum foil or the brass brad
or the copper penny.
The evidence from my reading is
that I learned that magnets attract
only metals made of iron or steel
(and some with nickel or cobalt).
Aluminum foil and brass do not
have iron, so that explains why
magnets don’t attract them.
Elaborate
Evaluate
So what kind of metal do magnets
attract?
Metals that contain iron/steel (or
nickel or cobalt)
Which items in our classroom are
made of iron? How could we find
out?
Use the magnets to see if they
attract the item/object.
Distribute magnets. Work with a
partner to find as any items made
of iron as you can. Record the list
in your notebook.
Try to find items and record in
notebook.
What did you find? Use the stem:
“We observed that. . .”
When students report out their
findings, they use the stem, “We
observed that. . . “
What surprised you in your
results?
(For example) Metal doesn’t have
to be silver, it can be colored, but
if it has iron in it, the magnet will
attract it.
Complete this prompt about
magnetism as a property of metals
I used to think____________.
Now I think__________.
I wonder why__________.
I wonder if ___________.
I used to think all metals were
magnetic. Now I think that only
those that contain iron/steel are
magnetic. I wonder why my
magnets don’t stick to our new
stainless steel refrigerator. I
wonder if magnets are all the same
or if they are different. I wonder
what magnets are made from.