Grade:
Activity #:
Activity Title:
Recommended Group Size:
Special Notes:
First
3
Magnets
Class/Small Groups
Please feel free to bring any objects
from home for the students to test
Purpose
To explore magnets, understand how they work and what is attracted to them.
Scientific Questions: Will different objects be attracted to magnets? Why?
Equipment
•
•
•
•
•
•
(An asterisks (*) indicates that an item provided in Learning Lab.)
Magnets*
Items for Magnet Experiment (paper clips, crayons, pennies, brads,
washers)*
Iron Filing Cases*
Compass for demonstration*
Observation Journal (have teacher make copies for each student)*
Pencils
Suggested Discussion Topics
•
Experimenting with magnets is a fun way for children to explore the
world around them while developing inquiry and critical-thinking. Remind
children that magnets attract objects made with iron, and they have two
poles, a north pole and a south pole. The opposite poles of magnets
will attract each other, while the like poles will repel. Magnets can pull
through gases, like air, but some can also pull through solids and liquids.
We recommend using plenty of hands-on activities with magnets to help
children explore the properties of magnets and experiment with
magnetic fields.
•
Magnets attract, or pull, objects made with iron. Invite children to
use magnets to attract different objects. Paper clips, scissors, screws,
nuts, and bolts are just a few common everyday objects that are
magnetic. Guide children to understand that a magnet will not attract
paper, rubber, wood, or plastic. Some children believe that any kind of
metal is magnetic. Remind them that aluminum cans are metal, but do not
contain iron. Therefore they are not magnetic. Steel is a metal that is
made with iron, so steel objects like tools and silverware are usually
magnetic.
•
Magnets are made of metals containing iron, cobalt, nickel, or steel that
have been exposed to a magnetic field, which rearranges the metal's
molecules in a north-south pattern. This polarization results in the metal
being magnetized. Children should know that magnets have two poles, a
north pole and a south pole. The pole is where the pull of the magnet is
the strongest. Earth’s liquid iron core helps our planet act like a gigantic
magnet. The area near Earth’s geographical North Pole and South Pole
are where our planet’s magnetic pulling force is strongest. Help children
realize that a compass needle is a rotating magnet that is always
attracted to Earth’s North Pole.
•
Even though magnets can come in different shapes, strengths, and sizes,
they all have a north and south pole. In fact, if you cut a magnet in half,
you will still get two different poles. On a round magnet, one side is
the north pole while the other side is the south pole. Remind children
that when opposite poles are next to each other, they will attract. When
like poles are near each other, they will repel, or push away from each
other. You may want to demonstrate this concept using two magnets, and
let students experiment with different shaped magnets to discover the
north and south poles.
•
Magnets can pull through gases, like air, but they can also pull through
solids and even liquids, depending on the strength of the magnet. A
magnetic field is the area around the magnet where it can attract or
repel things. A magnet will affect a magnetic object only when it enters
its magnetic field. This is why a small magnet on one side of the room will
not attract things on another side. The strength of a magnet is stronger
as you get closer to it, and likewise its strength is weaker as you are
farther away. Have children experiment with different shapes, sizes, and
strengths of magnets to explore these magnetic fields.
•
Encourage children to think about how they use magnets, how they work,
and why they are useful. Provide many hands-on activities for children to
explore different sizes and strengths of magnets. Have them come up
with questions about magnets and create their own experiments to find
the answers to their questions and develop science inquiry skills.
Instructions
•
Begin class with a brief discussion of magnets.
•
Pass out magnets and allow the students to explore the magnets’ poles.
•
Pass out the items to be tested.
•
Ask the students to predict if the items will be attracted to the magnets
and record their predictions on the Observation Sheet.
•
Review how to record the results on their sheets and then have the
students test the items.
•
Pass out the iron filing cases and allow the students to explore the
ability of the magnet to pull through the plastic case.
Additional Resources
What makes a magnet? Franklyn M Branley
Amazing magnetism (Magic school bus) Rebecca Carmi
http://www.brainpopjr.com//science/forces/magnets/
http://kbutler.edu.glogster.com/magnets
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks2/science/physical_processes/magnets/read/2/
Observation sheet
Scientist:_________________________________
Date:___________________
Magnets
________________________ means to “push away from each other”.
________________________ means to “pull together”.
Circle your answer
Crayon
Prediction
Yes
/ No
Result
Yes
/ No
Paper clips
Yes
/ No
Yes
/ No
Penny
Yes
/ No
Yes
/ No
Washer
Yes
/ No
Yes
/ No
Brad
Yes
/ No
Yes
/ No