Name: Danielle OGrady Grade: 4

Subject Area: Science Type of Setting: Urban

1. Purpose/Essential Question(s)
a. The purpose of this lesson is to introduce the students to
magnets and how magnets work.
b. Essential Question: How do magnets interact with other
objects?

2. Academic Language
a. Magnet
b. Pole
c. Attract
d. Repel

3. Skills
a. Make observations
b. Organize data

4. Objective
a. I can explore the properties of magnetism by performing a
series of tasks that demonstrate different properties of magnetism.

5. Common Core Learning Standards

a. 5.1e: Magnetism is a force that may attract or repel certain
materials.
b. 5.2a: The forces of gravity and magnetism can affect objects
through gases, liquids, and solids.
c. 5.2b: The force of magnetism on objects decreases as
distance increases.

6. Pre Assessment
a. Students will complete a worksheet that assesses their
knowledge of magnetic attraction. Students responses will determine if
the students have an understanding of how magnets work.

7. Questioning
a. Procedure
i. Please raise your hand if you have heard of the
north pole and south pole.
ii. What is the north pole and south pole?
b. Closure
i. How do magnets interact with other objects?
8. Learning Segment/Lesson Presentation
a. Set Induction
i. The teacher will begin the lesson by doing the
following Magnet Magic Trick:
1. The teacher will call a student to
be their volunteer
2. The teacher will put a paperclip in
the students hand
3. The teacher will then wave their
hand with the magnetite ring over the students hand with the
paperclip. The paper clip will attach itself to the teachers
ring.
ii. The teacher will then explain that the paperclip
was attracted to the ring because the ring is magnetic
b. Procedure
i. The teacher will use the following anchor chart:
 1. The teacher will explain that a
magnet is any object that attracts metals such as iron, steel,
or cobalt.
2. The teacher will then
demonstrate magnetism by using a magnet and a steel can.
3. The teacher will then ask the
students to raise their hand if they have heard the terms
north pole and south pole.
4. The teacher will then ask the
students what the north pole and south pole are, hoping to
get a response such as the earth has a north pole and
south pole.
5. The teacher will then explain that
like the earth, magnets have both a north pole and a south
pole.
6. The teacher will then
demonstrate that like poles repel and opposite poles attract
using two bar magnets with the poles labeled.
7. The teacher will then have the
students try making the magnets attract and repel using the
labeled bar magnets at their table.
ii. Magnet Stations Activity
1. Students will be divided into six
groups, with one group at each station. Each group will have
10 minutes to complete the activity at their station before
they rotate.
2. Station 1: Whats the Attraction?
a. Group A: Students
will test 5 magnetic objects and 5 nonmagnetic
objects to see if they are attracted to the magnet.
b. Group B: Students
will test 4 magnetic objects and 4 nonmagnetic
objects to see if they are attracted to the magnet.
c. Students will then
record their results in the following graphic organizer:

Attracted Not Attracted

3. Station 2: Thick & Thin

 a. Students will test to
see if a magnet can attract a paper clip through the
following materials: cloth, aluminum foil, pattern block,
carpet sample.
b. Students will then
record their results in the following graphic organizer:

Yes No

4. Station 3: Magnet Train

a. Students will line up
3 bar magnets to create a magnet train.
b. Students will then
draw a picture of their magnet train and label the
poles of each magnet.
5. Station 4: Floating Magnets
a. Students will stack
4 ring magnets on a pencil so that none of the
magnets are touching. Students will then draw a
picture of their pencil and magnets and label the
poles.
6. Station 5: Strong, Stronger,
Strongest
a. Students will link
paperclips together to see how many paperclips the
poles can hold and how many paperclips the center of
the magnet can hold.
b. Students will then
record how many paperclips the magnet held.
7. Station 6: Build a Compass
a. Students will stroke
a straightened paperclip 20 times in the same
direction to turn it into a magnet. Then the student will
place the paperclip on the floating styrofoam cup in
the water. The paperclip will point north.
c. Closing
i. The teacher will lead the class in a discussion
based on the Essential Question: How do magnets interact with
other objects?
9. Materials/Resources/Technology Integration
a. Magnetite Ring
b. Magnet Station booklets
c. Magnet Stations
i. 5 Magnetic Objects
1. 1 Battery
2. 1 Tweezer
3. 1 Keychain
4. 1 USB drive connector
5. 1 screwdriver head
ii. 5 Nonmagnetic objects
1. 1 coin
2. 1 aluminum can
3. 1 glass/plastic cup
4. 1 rubber band
5. 1 wooden object
iii. 2 wand magnets
iv. Cardboard
v. Fabric
vi. Aluminum foil
vii. Pattern block
viii. Carpet sample
ix. 9 bar magnets
x. Pencils
xi. 8 ring magnets
xii. 2 boxes of paper clips
xiii. 1 Horseshoe magnet
xiv. Bottom of styrofoam cup
xv. Straightened paper clip
xvi. 9x13 pan with a layer of water
xvii. Compass

10. Recommendation for Follow Up Differentiated Activities

a. If students are still struggling, these students will complete
one of two worksheets depending on what they are struggling with:
i. Worksheet 1: Fill in the blank paragraph about
magnets with word bank
ii. Worksheet 2: Students will identify if the poles
pictured on the worksheet will attract or repel

11. Post Assessment

a. Students will answer the questions on the Learning
Summary page of their Magnet Stations booklet

12. Re-engagement
 a. Students will view the BrainPop video on magnetism

13. Special Needs

a. Group A is general ed students and Group B is students with
disabilities and at-risk learners
b. During the mini-lesson, students will make magnets repel
and attract (kinesthetic learners)
c. Teacher will model what has to be done for each center.
d. Station 1:
i. Group B will have less objects to test than
Group A.
ii. Objects at this center will be labeled.
e. Station 2
i. Objects at this center will be labeled.
f. Station 3
i. Group Bs bar magnets will have the poles
labeled for them
g. Station 4
i. Group Bs ring magnets will have the poles
labeled for them
h. Station 5
i. Group A will complete the station using as
many paper clips as they can
ii. Group B will complete the station using 20
paper clips

14. Resources
a. http://schools.nyc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/949E0441-ADAF-445C-A915-
E9F8123E1387/0/K5ScienceScopeandSequence_Updated.pdf
b. http://www.ashleigh-educationjourney.com/magnet-activities/
c. http://www.ldsd.org/cms/lib/PA09000083/Centricity/Domain/4
30/Magnetism_and_Electricity_KUD_and_Learning_Map.docx
d. https://www.brainpop.com/science/motionsforcesandtime/ma
gnetism/
e. https://youtu.be/nvoCZji-Sro?t=6m8s