Mother Nature's Funnest Play Things: Magnets
Summary
In this set of experiments, students will investigate Mother Nature's most fun play things: magnets. Students will observe and demonstrate opposite poles: North/South. They will discover that magnets can "repel" or "attract" depending on which pole are facing each other. Students will observe through investigative activities how a natural force is created by two magnets and answer the question, "Can I block this force that is being created?"
Students will use science journals to summarize, question for future investigations, and make predictions they hope to see answered in the future.
CollapseLearning Goals
The activities the students will take part in will provide them with the basic concepts of a magnet and how they work. They will understand that two like poles "repel" while opposite poles "attract." Students will begin to understand the natural (physics) behind magents and how these forces work on Earth and the rest of the Universe. They will see the phenomenon known as "induced magnetism." Through experiments, students will use critical thinking to discover why certain objects are better to use as "temporary magnets." They will hypothesize about what happens to a nail and its "pockets" of magnetism called "magnetic domains." With this in mind, I am hoping to see that students begin to question how "temporary magnets" are used every day in their life and how many modern-day things use magnets.
Context for Use
These experiments are designed for the fourth grade classes to go along with and enhance the FOSS Kit: Magnetism and Electricity. These activities can been done by all level of students with adult help. The size of the class depends on the district numbers provided. The size would be 20 as this is manageable. These experiments will not take more than thirty minutes to complete. The journals can be done during language arts and can be infused during small group activity reading time. With student summary and prediction, students should be able to take 20 to 25 minute to complete. Pair up where needed as more questions can be generated.
Description and Teaching Materials
Each group will need at least two magnets, a piece of thread at least a foot long for the second part of the investigation, masking tape, and a desk top (experiment #1.) Tie the thead around one end of the magnet. Once this is done, tape the thread to the desk top and let the magnet hang freely from the desk. Let the magnet stop spinning. Mark the side facing you with a piece of tape. This side is the polar opposite of the other. If a student were to walk in that direction, they would come to one of Earth's magnetic poles. In the second part of the investigation, the students will need aluminum, a penny, plastic, and any other materials they can find from a bin provided by the teacher, as well as a paper clip and glass or any other object on which the magnet can rest several inches from the desk top. Students will tie the paperclip to one end of the magnet. Have them place the magnet on top of the glass. Start by allowing the students to stick the paper clip to the magnet. Tape the thread to the desk top. Begin to pull the thread slowly until you pull the clip from the magnet. Do this until they have the clip about an inch from the magnet. Now make sure that the thread does not allow for the clip to return to the magnet for you want it floating in mid-air. With the materials provided, see if they can block the force between the magnet and the paper clip. What happens? Ask the to use their journal and predict the outcome for each object they are going to use. They should do this before they try any of them. Have them give reasons for their finding and develop questions for the future they would like to investigate.
This would then lead to the second days investigations of forces anf the flow of protons (investigation #3.) It will also lead on to compasses and poles investigation#4.)
This would then lead to the second days investigations of forces anf the flow of protons (investigation #3.) It will also lead on to compasses and poles investigation#4.)
Teaching Notes and Tips
This investigation does not use the donut magnets to show that there is a force between objects that attract magnets. They also help lead into many of the other activities that work with temporary magnets and electro-magnetism.
Assessment
Students will be assessed through journal writings, observation of the activities, and the formal assessment that comes with the FOSS Kit.
The journal will be an informal assessment that the teacher should see that the students looking for meaning and overall understanding of magnets and how they work.
By doing verbal assessments as the students are actively engaged in the investigations, the teacher will get a good idea if the students are learning the desired goals by the way they interact with their peers and the questions they ask as you walk the room.
The overall assessment will be the final provided with the kit, as that is the one that will grade to met the state standards. All students should be able to handle this assessment unless noted by special needs.
The journal will be an informal assessment that the teacher should see that the students looking for meaning and overall understanding of magnets and how they work.
By doing verbal assessments as the students are actively engaged in the investigations, the teacher will get a good idea if the students are learning the desired goals by the way they interact with their peers and the questions they ask as you walk the room.
The overall assessment will be the final provided with the kit, as that is the one that will grade to met the state standards. All students should be able to handle this assessment unless noted by special needs.
Standards
Science Framework- Fourth Grade: 2E4; The students will undrestand the relationship that exists between magnets and electicity.2E4#2:The students will demonstrate how an electric current can make an ion object magnet. 2E4#3: Even without touching them, a magnet pulls on all things made of iron and either pushes or pulls on other magnets.(AAA;4G2) Taken from SPPS Science Framework- Fourth Grade provide by the Bakken.