Naomi Marotta
Francine Delany New School for Children
Electricity and Magnetism
4th grade, science
Standards addressed and unpacked content:
4.P.3.1 Recognize the basic forms of energy (light, sound, heat,
electrical, and magnetic) as the ability to cause motion or
create change.(Bloom’s level I)
Unpacked
4.P.3.1
Students know basic forms of energy: light, heat, sound, electrical, and energy of motion.
Students know that electricity flowing through an
electrical circuit produces magnetic effects in the wires. In an electrical circuit containing a
battery, a bulb, and a bell, energy from the battery
is transferred to the bulb and the bell, which in turn transfer the energy to their surroundings as
light, sound, and heat (thermal energy).
Sample assessment questions:
What is electricity?
What is magnetism?
4.P.2.1 Compare the physical properties of samples of matter
(strength, hardness, flexibility, ability to conduct heat, ability
to conduct electricity, ability to be attracted by magnets,
reactions to water and fire). (Blooms level II-­-­Understanding)
Based on experiments conducted in class, which items would you expect to stick to a magnet?
Which items would conduct electricity?
4.P.1.1 Explain how magnets interact with all things made of iron and
with other magnets to produce motion without touching them. (Blooms level II)
4.P.1.1
Students know that a magnet pulls on all things made of iron without touching them, and that this
pulling can result in motion. Students know
that a magnet attracts some metals, but not all of them. Students know that a magnet has a
force field and poles that determine how a metal
affected by the magnet will behave within its field.
How do magnets work?
What will happen if you place the NORTH poles of two magnets together?
What will happen if you place a NORTH pole and a SOUTH pole together?
Where is magnetism strongest in a magnet?
4.P.1.2 Explain how electrically charged objects push or pull on other electrically
charged objects and produce motion. (Bloom’s level II)
4.P.1.2
Students know that an object that has been electrically charged pulls or pushes on all other
charged objects and that this can result in motion.
Students know that electrical charges can result in attraction, repulsion or electrical discharge.
Explain why you get an electric shock when you touch a doorknob after walking across a carpet.
Explain why your hair sticks to a balloon rubbed across your head.
Explain why the charged nail in an electromagnet attracts a paperclip
Labs:
Static Electricity
Electromagnets
Conductors and Insulators
Magnets-­-­what is attracted to a magnet?
formative assessments:
journals-­-­assigned writing topic
graphic organizers
lab reports
demonstrations-­-­student-­led (rubric)
paragraphs using word bank
readings/texts: At least one per week plus discussion
Oscar and the Bird book (read aloud)
how electricity is made (different types of power plants)
map of energy plants in NC (social studies crossover) and maps of coal mines in U.S.
article on how to reduce electricity waste
Impact of power plants etc. in NC (environmental, economical)
Coal Miner Song Pete Seeger
These texts will be imbedded into reading curriculum as a shared text once/week along with
class discussion
Possible extension: Students make posters about where electricity comes from and how to
conserve electricity in order to teach other classes about how we can conserve electricity in our
school.
Brainpop Movies: Electric circuits, batteries, electricity, current electricity, electromagnets,
static electricity, magnetism
Unit Overview
lesson number
and title
standard(s)
addressed
SMART
objective
activities/ lesson assessment
description
1.energy balls
4.P.3.1
by the end of
this lesson,
students will be
able to articulate
that electrical
energy comes
from a source
(such as a
battery) and
travels in a path
that must be
connected (a
circuit)
exploration with
energy balls,
discussion of
student theories
as they test
ideas about how
the ball lights up
pre-­assessment
-­-­writing task
How does
electricity travel?
science journal
graphic
organizer for
energy balls
2. (two days)
Simple
circuits-­-­how
electricity
travels,pt 1
conductors and
insulators pt 2
4.P.3.1
4.P.2.1
by the end of
two lessons,
students will be
a able to explain
how a simple
circuit works
using the terms,
circuit, open
circuit, and
closed circuit.
Students will be
able to write
definitions for
insulator and
conductor and
classify items as
insulators or
conductors
Brainpop-­circuit
s
Students make
simple circuits
with battery, light
bulb and wire,
test different
materials to see
if they help
complete the
circuit
lab work
How does a
circuit work?
from lab sheet,
definitions for
conductor and
insulator, t chart
of materials as
conductors/insul
ators
3
magnets-­poles
and fields, what
sticks to a
magnet?
4.P.1.1
By the end of the
session,
students will be
able to explain
that a magnet
has poles and
that the
watch Bill Nye
movie-­-­magnetis
m section
Brainpop-­-­magn
etism,
Bill Nye,
magnetism (the
Formative
assessment:
drawing of iron
filings, label
poles and tell
where
magnetism is
magnet’s poles
are the
strongest part of
a magnet.
Students will be
able to name
iron, nickel and
cobalt as being
the only items
that stick to a
magnet.
earth as a
magnet)
student lab (two
groups) Using
iron filings to
draw a magnetic
field, testing
different items
for their ability to
stick to a
magnet
strongest.
name the three
metals that will
stick to a
magnet
4 Static
electricity
4.P.1.2
At the end of
today’s session,
students will be
able to explain
the reason that a
balloon attracts
hair when it is
rubbed on a
head and why
you might get an
electric shock
after walking
across a carpet
and touching a
metal doorknob.
static electricity
demonstration,
Brain Pop on
static electricity
discussion of
static electricity
journal topic at
end of lab sheet.
Explain why the
balloon made
your hair stick
up and then
stuck to the wall
5
electromagnets
4.P.1.2
At the end of
today’s session,
students will be
able to explain
how an
electromagnet
works.
electromagnet
demonstration,
introduce
demonstration
projects
journal topic:
how does an
electromagnet
work?
6 Mini-­Project
presentations
All standards in
unit
As
partners/groups
present,
audience
members take
notes on the
terms and
concepts
presented
Student
Presentations
(rubric for
presentation and
demonstration of
understanding)
Completed
notes on
presentations
7 Unit Test
4.P.1,2,3
-­-­-­-­-­-­
Unit
-­-­-­-­-­
Assessment
Mini-­Project:
You will be doing a “Bill Nye” style demonstration illustrating one aspect of electricity or
magnetism. You will conduct the experiment or demonstration and explain why it works to your
audience. The audience will take notes on what you say.
(make notes sheet for demonstrations)
Ideas:
Making an electromagnet and explaining why it works
Making a compass and explaining how it works
Demonstrating how to create a simple circuit to light up a light bulb
Using iron filings to demonstrate the poles of a magnet
Show how magnets attract and repel each other and explain why
Use snap circuits to make a circuit in which electrical energy leads to another kind of energy
(sound, light, motion etc)
Demonstrate how some materials are attracted to magnets while others aren’t. Explain why.
You will have one class period to plan your demonstration and gather materials. You will need to
write out a script and turn it in for approval before your demonstration. This may be worked on
during writer’s workshop.
**Need to make rubric for this project.
Name ____________________________________ Date__________________________
Magnetism and Electricity Quiz
1. Look at the pictures of the circuit. For each circuit, tell if you think the bulb will light up. Explain
how you know.
2. George rubbed a balloon on his hair. His hair became attracted to the balloon and started
sticking up. Later, he was able to stick the balloon to the wall! His friends explained why. Read
each friend’s explanation and decide who you agree with. Tell why you think that friend is correct.
Alison says: Electricity from George’s body traveled through his hair and into the balloon. There
was still some leftover electricity so the balloon stuck to the wall.
Jan says: Rubbing the balloon on George’s head caused both the balloon and his hair to
become electrically charged.. The balloon was then able to attract his hair and then stick to the
wall because they had opposite charges.
Max says: Energy in the balloon traveled into George’s hair and made it stick up.
Dorian says: Electricity in the air went into the balloon and made George’s hair stick up.
Who is right?
How do you know?
3. Circle the items you think would stick to a magnet.
4. Why do some items stick to magnets?
5. Use the terms in the word bank to fill in the blanks in the paragraph.
word bank:
source electricity conduct paper clip
eraser circuit
conductor insulator experiment
Today in class we did a really neat____________________! We made a light bulb light up with
just a wire, a battery, and a lightbulb. The battery was the energy ____________ I learned that
electricity has to travel in a closed path, or____________. If part of the circuit is left open, the
__________________can’t travel and the light bulb won’t light up. We also added other materials
to the circuit to see if they could ___________ electricity. The ___________ worked but the
________________ didn’t. This is because the paper clip is a__________________, it conducts
electricity. The eraser is an__________________so it doesn’t allow the electricity to flow.
6. Circle the items that you think would conduct electricity.
paper clip eraser person shoes pencil aluminum foil pen wooden table metal wire
7. What will happen if you place the NORTH poles of two magnets together?
8. What will happen if you place a NORTH pole and a SOUTH pole together?
9. Where is magnetism strongest in a magnet?
10. Why is it important to not use too much electricity?