Writing About Magnets Thematic Unit, Created by Jennifer Reese
Lesson Plan # 4: Writing a Paragraph about Magnets
Instructional Materials:
 Projector
 Computer
 The PDF version of the book Magnet Fun
by Lisa Oram (A Pearson leveled reader
from SuccessNet).
 Document Camera
 Collecting Facts Graphic Organizer (Tool
1-25a) from Step Up to Writing
 Sentences and Sentence Fragments
PowerPoint Presentation.
Student Materials:
 The PDF version of the
book Magnet Fun by Lisa
Oram (A Pearson leveled
reader from SuccessNet).
 An iPad or laptop for each
student.
 Collecting Facts Graphic
Organizer (Tool 1-25a)
from Step Up to Writing.
 A wand magnet, a horse
shoe shaped magnet, a bar
magnet (one of each for
each pair of students)
 15 paper clips for each
pair of students.
 Magnet Paper Clip Bar
Graph Worksheet.
 Sentence and Fragment
Response cards.
 Paragraph Checklist
Objectives:
 Students will choose 4-6 of the most interesting facts about magnets learned
over the past 3 days.
 Students will write a topic sentence.
 Students will write 4-6 complete sentences using their identified facts to
create a paragraph.
Gaining Attention:
Time:
10
 Give each student the Magnet Fun worksheet.
minutes
 Show them an example of each of the types of magnets (bar
magnet, wand magnet, and horseshoe magnet) and have them
predict which type of magnet will pick up the most paperclips and
write the answer to question #1 on the worksheet.
 Put students into partners or groups depending on the number of
students in the class and materials available.
 Explain to each set of partners that they will be doing an
experiment to find out which magnet will pick up the most
magnets.
 Explain that they will then they will fill in the bar graph with the
results of the experiment and answer questions 2 and 3 on the
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Writing About Magnets Thematic Unit, Created by Jennifer Reese
worksheet.
Recall/Direction:
 Tell students that today they will be picking the most important
and most interesting facts they’ve learned about magnets. Then
they will be writing 4-6 sentences to make a paragraph about
Magnets.
 Review with students by reminding them that a sentence has a
capital and an ending punctuation and a sentence expresses a
complete thought.
 Use Sentences and Sentence Fragment PowerPoint presentation
to show students examples of sentences and sentence fragments
(slide #2).
 For each Slide #3-#16, have students use the Sentence and
Fragment Response cards: Read the sentence on the slide or call
on a volunteer to read, or have students chorally read. Then give
students a few seconds to think about whether the slide is
showing a sentence or a fragment. Then give a signal and have all
of the students show the correct response card. Discuss with the
class their reasoning behind their answers by calling on
individual volunteers.
 Have students refer to their Collecting Facts graphic organizers
from the previous day’s lessons and put a star by 4-6 of the most
important and interesting facts about magnets.
Time:
10
minutes
Modeling:
 Model with students what their topic/intro sentence should look
like. Tell students, “A topic sentence tells the reader what you’re
going to tell them in an interesting way.” Have students repeat
the statement in unison until everyone is answering correctly.
Write an example of an interesting topic sentence on the board:
Have you ever wondered how to make a peanut butter and jelly
sandwich? (use an example of a different topic so the students
don’t get stuck on the example given by the teacher).
Time:
10
minutes
Guided Instruction:
 Have the students talk with a partner to come up with an
interesting topic sentence.
 Have the partners share their topic sentences with the class.
Write the sentences on the board.
 Let the students pick their favorite topic sentence or come up
with a new topic sentence.
 Give each student the Paragraph checklist. Read over the
checklist with the students and answer any questions the
students may have. Tell the students they will be using the
Time:
10
minutes
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Writing About Magnets Thematic Unit, Created by Jennifer Reese
checklist to check their own paragraphs, have a partner check
their paragraphs, and for the teacher to check their paragraphs.
Independent practice:
 Have students finish writing their paragraph using the checklist,
the topic sentence they’ve already chosen and the facts they
starred on their Collecting Facts graphic organizers. Let students
use their iPads to refer back to the Magnet Fun book if they need
help with spelling.
Time:
20 – 40
minutes
Evaluation:
 When students are finished writing their paragraphs, they will use
the paragraph checklist to check their own paragraphs, to have a
peer check their paragraphs, and to finally have the teacher check
their paragraphs.
Time:
10
minutes
Closure:
 Ask for a volunteer to share his or her paragraph.
 Tell students that tomorrow they will take their paragraphs and
turn it into their final project using the iMovie or Comic Life Apps.
Time: 5
minutes
Extension activities to connect to Social Studies and Math:
Social Studies Connection: Have students draw a picture of a
compass and explain why it points north and how it led to the
exploration of America.
Math Connection: Have students measure the distance in
centimeters that different magnets affect a compass.
Math Connection: Have students estimate how many paperclips
different magnets will hold (included in lesson)
Math Connection: Use Magnet Power Worksheet and have
students graph the # of paperclips different types of magnets will
hold (included in lesson).
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