Magnets
Unit: Science
Topic: Magnets
Year: 3-4
Timeframe: 2 sessions
Objectives: Students will develop an understanding of magnets. This lesson should also introduce the basic concepts relating to attraction.
Key Understandings:
Students will:
- Identify the various uses of magnets;
- Develop a basic understanding of attraction;
- Determine what kind of objects are attracted to magnets and what objects are not.
Skills: Reading, researching, communication, discussing, comprehending, co-operating, hypothesizing, describing, observing, questioning.
Resources:
- Various magnets
- Various objects that will and won’t be attracted to magnets (eg. Paper clips)
Paper - Magnetic strip
- Flat foam
Lesson 1:
Start with some guided discussion, using the following questions as a guide:
What do students know about magnets?
Why do we have magnets and what are their uses?
Introduce students to the concept of magnetic attraction. Show various forms of magnets, eg. Bar, horse shoe, etc. and let the children play with them. After some play, ask the group to talk about what they found out.
Divide the white/black board into two halves, under the headings ‘Attracted’ and ‘Not attracted’. As a class go through and list things that are and aren’t attracted to magnets.
Lesson 2:
Quick recap of the previous lesson.
Introduce students to various types of fridge magnets as an introduction to their next task, making their own fridge magnet.
Student should then make their own fridge magnets using a small piece of flat foam and a piece of magnetic strips. Stress the importance of drawing out a plan first, and the problems that can be had if the object attached to the magnet are too big or heavy.
Assessment:
Observe students comments and understanding of magnets.
Note skills used in making their own fridge magnet, did they modify their object? Was it successful? Did it stick on?
