Unit Title: Magnets
Grade Level: First Grade
Lesson Title: Magnet Centers
Curriculum Areas Addressed: Science, Math, Reading, and Writing
Time Required: 55 Minutes
Instructional Groupings:
Small groups
Standards:
S1CS5. Students will communicate scientific ideas and activities clearly.
a. Describe and compare things in terms of number, shape, texture, size, weight, color, and motion.
b. Draw pictures (grade level appropriate) that correctly portray features of the thing being described.
c. Use simple pictographs and bar graphs to communicate data
S1CS6. Students will be familiar with the character of scientific knowledge and how it is achieved.
Students will recognize that:
a. When a science investigation is done the way it was done before, we expect to get a similar result.
b. Science involves collecting data and testing hypotheses
c. Scientists often repeat experiments multiple times, and subject their ideas to criticism by other scientists who
may disagree with them and do further tests.
d. All different kinds of people can be and are scientist
S1P2. Students will demonstrate effects of magnets on other magnets and other objects.
a. Demonstrate how magnets attract and repel.
b. Identify common objects that are attracted to a magnet.
c. Identify objects and materials (air, water, wood, paper, your hand, etc.) that do not block magnetic force.
MCC1.G.2 Compose two-dimensional shapes (rectangles, squares, trapezoids, triangles, half-circles,
and quarter-circles) or three-dimensional shapes (cubes, right rectangular prisms, right circular cones,
and right circular cylinders) to create a composite shape, and compose new shapes from the
composite shape.
ELACC1W2: Write informative/ explanatory texts in which they name a topic, supply some facts about the topic,
and provide some sense of closure.
ELACC1SL5: Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts,
and feelings.
ELACC1SL6: Produce complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation.
ELACC1RF1: Demonstrate understanding of the organization and basic features of print.
a. Recognize the distinguishing features of a sentence (e.g., first word, capitalization, ending punctuation).
As a result of this lesson/unit students will…
BeThe students will be respectful of the materials, their peers, and time; hard workers, good listeners, and good team
members.
UnderstandHow do we know what objects magnetic force can travel through?
How do we know what objects are attracted to magnets?
KnowDefinition of magnetic force, repel, and attract
Correct Formation of sentences- correct punctuation and capitalization
Formulate ideas and be able to write about how and why objects are magnetic
Do (Skills)Experiment
Hypothesize
Test
Predict
Write
Listen
Demonstrate
Examine
Illustrate
Communicate
Steps in the Lesson: Include the attention getter or the hook for the lesson, the introduction, the lesson procedures
including ideas for whole‐class, small group, and individual instructions; differentiated activities
Attention Getter or Hook:
Divide the students into groups of four or five. Have the students sit with their groups on the carpet.
Introduction:
Once the students are sitting with their groups, introduce the centers. Go over the directions for each center,
length of time spent at each center, and what activity will be done at the center. Inform the students that there
will be music playing while they are at the center, but once the music stops, they should clean up their center, and
move to the next one by the time the music has started. Have the students get their pencils from their desks by
groups and return to the carpet. Inform the students that if everyone works hard and stays focused, they will earn
a link for our classroom chain.
Body or Procedures:
Each group will have about 10 minutes at each center then the students can rotate to the next center.
Center 1“Magnetic Fridge Facts”:
In this center, there will be a tub filled with rice and “fridge facts”. The students will take turns to find a fridge fact.
The student will take a magnet wand, dig in the rice and see if they can find a fridge fact word. Once the magnetic
fridge fact is on their magnet want, they pull it out of the rice and the whole group will write the word on the
paper provided. Once the word is written, students will place it to the side; not back in the tub. They must work as
a whole group to find all the words. When it is time to switch to the new center, they will put all the words back in
the container for the next group.
Center 2 “Magnetic Force”:
At this center, students will be given a variety of objects. Block of wood, paper, cup of water, Notebook, Cloth
Towel, 1 index card, 3 index cards (stapled together), their desk/table, and paper clip. They will experiment to see
what object out of the given above will the magnetic force go through and move the paper clip.
Before testing out the supplies, students will make their predictions on a recording sheet about whether they think
a magnet will pull a paper clip through the item or not. Next, they will test their theory to see if the item is
blocking the magnetic force. Have them write “yes” or “no” on their recording sheet from their test. The students
must then try and define what a magnetic force is and whether they believe it can be strong, weak or changed.
Center 3 “Magnet Art”:
Once at this station, the students will split into smaller groups of 2-3 to work together at this station. Students will
be provided with a variety of shape magnets on a tray. The students will be asked to create a picture of whatever
they would like to using the magnetic shapes, keeping their creating on the tray. As the teacher(s) are walking
around, they will ask questions about their picture, ask them to identify shapes, and ask if they had any trouble
having the magnets/objects stay where they wanted. Does it have to do with the magnetic poles, or the magnetic
force? The students will then draw their work on the paper provided labeling the different shapes and write a few
sentences about their piece of art. (this will be used as a pre-assessment to see what the students know about
shapes).
Center 4 “Sorting by Magnetic and non- magnetic”:
In this center, there is a basket of items that are either magnetic, or nonmagnetic. Before touching any of the
objects, the students will take a minute to look in the basket. Next, they will work as a team to separate the
objects into either “magnetic” or “non-magnetic”. Once they have sorted the items, they will write down their
predictions on the recording sheet. Once they have written down their guesses, they will then test. If their test
was correct, they will write “yes” in the box, if they were wrong, they will write “no” and move the object to the
correct tray.
Center 5 “Magnet Factory Board Game”:
Students will work to through a magnetic car game. They must draw a card that has a question dealing with a
variety of different areas that the students have already worked with. Addition, sight words, definition of magnetic
vocabulary. Every time they answer a question correctly, they will be able to move the amount of spaces specified
on the card drawn. They will move their car down the road using a bar magnet. The first student to reach the
Magnet Factory is the winner.
Closure/Wrap up:
Discussion over what students found out about magnets through the centers. Clarify any misunderstanding or
confusion. Have the students turn in work from the centers into their homework folder.
What will I differentiate? Content/Process/Product
Content- lots of cross curriculum students can connect with magnets
Process- Mixed groups based on cognitive levels
Process- Directions at each center with words and pictures
How will I differentiate?
As I, or the other teacher walk around to the different centers, we can scaffold our questions based on the
students at the center. Help the students where we see it may be needed.
How will I differentiate for featured student 1? L.H.
She will be put in a mixed group, with students that will help facilitate her learning. During the art center, she will
not need help making her artwork, but she will need help formulating her ideas to put it on paper. Having the
visual directions with pictures at each station will refresh her memory from the directions given on the carpet.
How will I differentiate for featured student 2? T.H.
Having music playing while he is learning, will aide in keeping him focused. He can move to the music while he is
participating in the center. I will make sure that my auditory instructions fully explain the center as opposed to
just expecting them to read from the directions at the center.
Assessment:
Collection of recording sheets and writing will be looked over for understanding and used as formative
assessments. Looking at these, I can check to see how they are progressing through the “KNOW/DO/BE” and I will
know what areas the students are understanding and which ones might need extra work.
Formative assessment of the students shapes in pictures and writing.
Materials, Additional Resources, and Background Information:
Copies of Directions and recording sheets at each center
Center 1:
Tub
Rice
Paper clips taped to fridge facts on paper
Magnet wand
Center 2:
Paper clips
Block of wood (popsicle sticks)
Paper
Cup of water
Notebook
Cloth Towel
1 index card
3 index cards (stapled together)
Center 3:
Tray
magnets
Magnetic items
crayons/ markers
Center 4:
Magnetic shapes
2 trays
1 tub/ basket
Magnet
Center 5:
Road Game Board
Question Cards
Metal Cars
Bar magnets
Clear Links to Theories:
Dewey- Students will use prior-knowledge of magnets to predict in the centers. This experience will be both an
active and social learning experience.
Montessori- The teacher will provide the tools and the workspace for children’s learning. The teachers can help
when they see a need, but the students will be learning as a group in a comfortable environment.
.
Gardner- A variety of learning styles, visual, auditory, art, and others are all happening through these centers, each
student has a way that they are going to be able to learn by working through the centers
Vygotsky: The students will use social interactions, conversations, and group work to further knowledge and
deepen understanding.
Connections to Technology and/or the Arts:
Creation of a magnet artwork
Music playing in the background
Description of Collaboration with Others:
PEC teacher and host teacher