3-PS2-3. Ask questions to determine cause and effect relationships of electric or magnetic interactions between two objects not in contact with each other.
3-PS2-4. Define a simple design problem that can be solved by applying scientific ideas about magnets.
Objective: At the end of this activity, students will be able to determine the interactions between two magnets and be able to design and solve problems using magnets.
The 5 E's
Engage
7 minutes
Students in 4 groups will be given a box of objects. Students should make two groups with the objects, one group of what they think is magnetic and one group that they don't think is magnetic.
Explore
Stations
7 minutes per station
Materials
Tape
Skewers
String
S-shapes
Rulers
Cups
Paperclips
Magnets
Students will be exploring disk magnets. They will be seeing when magnets attract and repel. Students should put their pencils with the eraser down on the desk.
You will need to tie a 12-inch piece of string to the center of a bar magnet. Tape the end of the string to the desk. Drape the magnet over the edge of the desk so it is hanging. A loose bar magnet will then be used to point at the hanging magnet. This will work best if you hold the loose magnet similarly to a wand.
Scavenger Hunt: Find 5 objects around the classroom or around the 1st floor of the building to test whether or not they are magnetic. After finding and testing 5 different objects return to your seats and discuss what was similar about the magnetic objects.
Focus Question: How does the strength of the magnet change when more than one magnet is added together? Slowly add s-shapes to the paperclip. Record the number of s-shapes there were on the clip before it fell off.
Explain
Bill Nye Video (5:38)
Students will write down one fact they learned about magnets from the video.
Elaborate
In groups students will get a problem. They must solve the problem using at least one magnet. Students must list the materials they would use, draw what the solution would look like.
Ms. Marcus accidentally dropped her paperclips into her water bottle! She doesn’t want to dump her water out and she also does not want to get her hands wet! Your task is to design something that can retrieve the paper clips.Please show your materials list, scientific drawing, and a description of how/why your tool works to Ms. Marcus. Use the organizer attached to submit to Ms. Marcus with your model.
Josh wants to race model cars with his friends. The cars they are using are not battery powered and do not move on their own. The trick to this race is the boys are not allowed to touch the car to make it move. How can Josh and his friends make the cars move when they are racing without touching them?Create a list of materials and draw your design on your organizer.
Oh no! Mr. Hamlock dropped some bolts and nuts in the sand below his ladder. He doesn’t want to get his hands dirty digging in the sand. Help Mr. Hamlock get his bolts and nuts out of the sand without using your hands.Create a list of materials and draw your design on your organizer.
5 min
Evaluate
Students will write a postcard to a friend or family member summarizing what they learned in class today.
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