Magnetism

Designed by: Marian Davis, Meadowfield Elementary

South Carolina Science Curriculum Standards: Demonstrate and describe how the poles of magnets attract and repel each other. (IV.B.1.b.)

Grade Level: Second        Subject: Science

Overview: Students will discover that every magnet has a north pole and a south pole. They will demonstrate that unlike poles attract each other and like poles repel each other.

Focus/Essential Question: How can we demonstrate how the poles of magnets attract and repel each other?

Time Frame: One fifty minute lesson.

Resources/Materials:

Internet sites: 
http://www.brainpop.com/science/forces/magnetism/index.weml http://beakman.com/interact/mag.html http://disney.go.com/DisneyTelevision/BillNye

Bar Magnets with poles marked Disk magnets Pencils Clay Paper clips Science journals Computer with Internet access TV Averkey

Culminating Assessment: Students will perform activities and describe the results of their observations. The teacher will assess the student's understanding by using the following rubric.

Magnetism Rubric

 
 
 Instructional Activities:

Activity One: Begin the activity by having students stand in a circle facing the center. Explain that if they are facing the same direction, they cannot touch each other. If they are facing in the opposite direction than their neighbors, then they need to make a connection by holding hands.

Have every other student turn around and face away from the center. Ask if they see any connections that can be made. Have every one face the center again.

Repeat this activity several times. Each time use a different pattern of selecting students to face away from the center. (Two in, one out) (Three in, two out). After each selection, ask students to look for connections that can be made.

Divide class into groups of two. Give each student a magnet and have the pairs explore with the magnets together. Ask them to think about how their magnet acts with their partner's magnet.

* Ask students if they notice anything interesting about how the magnets work together. * Do the magnets go together or do they act like they don't want to go together? * Ask students why they think the magnets are attracted to each other sometimes, and at other times they won't go near each other.

Activity Two: Introduce the terms attract and repel to students. Demonstrate by laying two magnets flat on the overhead projector so that students can see them on the screen. Ask them what will happen when you push the two magnets together. Show attraction by pushing two magnets together. Show repulsion by turning one magnet around and repeating the process. (One magnet can chase the other around the screen.)

Tell students that every magnet has two poles, a North pole and a South pole. Explain that the poles are on the ends of the magnets. Unlike poles attract while like poles repel.

Explain to students that earlier, when they held hands, if they were facing in opposite directions, they were acting like magnets and their hands were poles. Remind them that when they were facing in the same direction, they couldn't touch, and this is what happens with magnets. The poles have to be different for the two magnets to touch. Tell students about the phrase "opposites attract". This will help them remember about magnets. The North Pole always wants to be next to the South Pole because they are opposites.

Activity Three: Have students design a maze on a sheet of 8 1/2" x 11" paper. Explain to each pair of students that they are to think of a way to get one of their magnets to go through the maze by touching only the second magnet with their hand. (The magnets cannot touch one another.)

As soon as students have figured out how to get through the maze, have them raise their hands so that they can demonstrate and describe to you how they did it.

Once students have demonstrated how they got through the maze, ask questions about how they figured out what to do and why it worked. In their explanations, see if they are able to describe how the poles of a magnet work with and against one another.

Activity Four: Give each pair of students a chunk of clay and two disk magnets. Ask them to make a ball out of the clay and set it on the desk in front of them. Tell them to put a pencil in the clay so that the pencil stands straight up. (Make sure the point is stuck in the clay and the eraser end is up!)

Explain that you want them to figure out a way to put the magnets on the pencil so that one of the magnets will float above the other magnet.

As students figure out how to make the magnet float, have them raise their hands so that they can show you what they did.

Once students have demonstrated their solution, ask questions about how they figured out what to do and why it worked. In their explanations, see if they describe how the poles of a magnet work with and against one another.

Activity Five: Ask students if they think one part of the magnet is stronger that other parts of the magnet? Have them predict which part would be stronger. Then, have them spread paper clips on the table. Tell them to place the magnet on top of the paper clips, and then lift.

* Ask students what parts of the magnet the paper clips are attracted to. * Have them count how many paper clips are stuck to each pole of the magnet and compare the amounts. * Have them observe the part of the magnet that had fewer paper clips stuck to it.

Extensions:

Visit Bill Nye the Science Guy on the Internet to learn more about magnetism . Click on U-Nye-Verse. Then, click on Episode Guides. When you get to the Episode Guides, click on the drop down menu under Physical Science and choose Magnetism.

Play a game with Beakman & Jax and find out what goes on inside a magnet. Later, ask your Mom or Dad to help you make a magnet of your own!

View a movie about magnetism at Brain Pop. After watching the movie, click on Play the Quiz and see if you can answer the questions about magnetism.