IOWA 4-9 SCIENCE PROJECT

TEACHER GUIDE for: Magnets 2-Attraction/Repulsion Marlene Gaston
MAGNETS.471 Grades 4-7

CONCEPT OBJECTIVE: Students will investigate and observe that two magnets interact by attracting when unlike poles are together and repelling when like poles are together.

PROCESS OBJECTIVE: To develop a student's observing, exploring, recording, predicting and inferring skills.

MATERIALS (for each student):
1 copy of Student Activity Worksheet 2
2 small bar shaped magnets

EXPLORATION:
1. Distribute 2 magnets and 1 copy of Student Activity Worksheet 2 to each pupil.
2. Teacher's directions to students:
"Use one of your magnets (called magnet #1) to make the other magnet (called magnet #2) move many different ways. Magnet #1 is always in your hand."
"Record what you did with magnet #1 and describe how magnet #2 moved."
Allow as much time as necessary for students to try a wide variety of manipulations. (30-45 min.)

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT: (This activity could be done with the whole class or small groups. Allow students time to try any manipulation of magnets they did not try in the exploration activity.)
1. Ask the class:
"What kinds of movement did magnet #2 do?" (Flipping, jumping, and sliding are some.)
"In what directions did all of these various movements happen?" (Toward magnet #1 or away from magnet #1 are the two possible directions.)
"What did you do with magnet #1 when magnet #2's movement is toward it? What did you do with magnet #1 when magnet #2's movement is away from it?"
2. Introduce the words "poles" (the parts of the magnets that attract and repel), "attract" (movement toward magnet #1) and "repel" (movement away from magnet #1).
3. Ask the students to make a rule about what parts of 2 magnets cause repelling and what parts of 2 magnets cause attraction.

APPLICATION AND EVALUATION A:
Ask each student to plan and practice one acrobatic stunt for the Magnetic Acrobatic Show. The acrobat is a magnet and the student will need a second magnet to get the acrobat to perform. Allow time for a whole class show (sharing time).

APPLICATION AND EVALUATION B:
On a piece of paper plan how you would write your name with small bar magnets. All letters of your name must be 2 magnets tall and 1 magnet wide. Color the colored ends of the magnets. Use magnets and build one letter at a time to see if your plan will work. (Letters may be somewhat distorted.)

IDEAS: Have students build other students' plans.
Require a minimum number of letters in the plan.

MAGNETISM STUDENT ACTIVITY WORKSHEET 2

WHAT I DID WITH MAGNET #1 | DESCRIBE MOVEMENT OF MAGNET #2
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