Dana Malone

EDPS 603 OL
Teaching Math, Science & Technology
In General & Special Education
Prof. Julia Bove
Assignment # 8 Lab on Magnetism
Due August 1st

Subject: Science
Unit: Magnetism
Grade: 3rd

Activity Objective:
Through several experiments, students will learn the properties of magnets and the basic
concepts about magnetism.
They will discover:
- What kinds of materials are affected by magnets and identify their properties
- Observe how some magnets are stronger than others
- Observe how magnets interact with each other

Processes/Skills:
• Observation
• Data collection
• Recording

Materials:
• An assortment of magnets, enough for each group
• Several little boxes of paper clips
• Sand
• Magnetic material - Steel & Aluminum nails, large screw, coins, iron filling
• Non-magnetic material - Straws, cardboard, rubber bands, plastic spoon, paper
• Worksheet to record observation of each activity and follow-up questions to be
answered

Motivational activity:
The lesson would start by asking the children if they know what magnets are and what do
they do. Some children may not be able to answer, some may refer to the magnets their
parents keep on the refrigerator, and some may respond that magnets attract metal. The
teacher will then take a pile of sand in a tray and mix in some paper clips. Then ask, what

1
will happen if I move a magnet across this mixture? Students should present their
hypothesis followed by the teacher performing the experiment. Once complete ask the
children what they observed. They should describe how the magnet was able to pull the
magnets out of the sand. The teacher will now explain the experiments that the students
are to perform. Depending on the size of the class, they should be broken up into groups
of two or three students.

Main Activities:
1- Magnetic vs. non-magnetic
This activity allows for students to see for themselves which items are magnetic and
which are not.
- Each group will be given several magnets and some magnetic and non-magnetic
items.
- Each student is to record on their worksheet which items they tested and what
happened. They will be asked to explain why some items “stuck” to the magnet and
others didn’t; what do these items have in common.
- The class as a whole will discuss their findings
- Discuss properties of magnetic items
- Teacher points out a few items in the classroom and asks the students to predict
whether they are magnetic or not and why, then test with a magnet.

2- Strength of magnets
This activity will demonstrate that magnets of different sizes have greater or lesser
attraction
- Each group is to be given three different size magnets, a large screw and a box of
small paper clips
- Each group is to see how many paper clips they can get each of the three magnets to
hold being as creative as they can and recording their findings. They can try to just
dip the magnet in the box or link the clips together to form a chain seeing how many
can be linked together before the magnet no longer holds the chain up.
- They will then use each magnet to try to pick up the large screw and record their
findings
- The class as a whole will discuss their findings. Why do they think some magnets can
carry paper clips than others? Why were some magnets able to lift the large screw and
others not?

2
 3- How magnets interact with each other
- Each student will be give two bar magnets
- Directed them to place the magnets near each other in three different orientations and
record their observations
- Discuss their findings. What happened when the two magnets where placed near each
other? Discuss force, attract and repel.

Homework:
Children will be asked to define the following vocabulary words discovered in class:
Magnet, magnetic, non-magnetic, magnetic force,
They are to answer the following questions:
What happens when magnets attract?
What does it mean when magnets repel each other?
They are to do the following experiment:
Find three objects in your house that is magnetic.