You will assess students’ understanding of forces that cause objects to attract and repel one another.

• Monitor students’ ability to sort and classify will be assessed through monitoring and a review of student responses during the magnet activity.

• Monitor students as they demonstrate magnetic forces by using magnets to display a pushing or pulling force.

• Collect students’ worksheets for individual assessment.

Begin the lesson by asking: “Can you tell me something you know about magnets?” Record the responses on a KWL Chart or class chart (S-K2-15-3_KWL Chart.doc). Ask students “What do you want to know about magnets?” Record their responses on the KWL Chart. Divide students into groups of two to four students. Give each student group two magnets and allow them time to explore the magnets and objects around the room.

Give each group various objects that are attracted or not attracted to magnets. Have students group the objects. Observe students grouping the objects. Ask students to identify the items that were attracted to the magnet. Record their responses. Ask students to identify the items that did not attract. Record the responses.

Draw an arrow on the board or chart to indicate a pull direction and ask each group to place the magnets so that a pulling force is seen. Students should place the magnets so that they attract. Observe students as they demonstrate the pulling force of the magnets.

Now tell students to demonstrate how the magnets show a pushing force. Students should place the magnets so that they repel each other. Observe students as they demonstrate the pushing force of the magnets.

Draw two magnets on the board or chart. Indicate the poles on each magnet. Ask students how the magnets would be placed to show a pulling force. Ask students how the magnets would be placed to show a pushing force. Call on a student to draw the arrows to indicate a pulling and pushing force:

Bar Magnets

“Arrange the magnets to show a pulling force and a pushing force.”

Give students gender-appropriate copies of the hockey player cutouts (S-K2-15-3_Hockey Player Cutouts.doc). Have students cut out the figure and place a paper clip at the bottom of the figure. Give each student a shoebox lid or piece of flat cardboard and have him/her place the figure on the box. Have students place the magnet under the box or lid and stand the figure up. Tell students to gently move the magnet and observe the figure. If there are not enough shoebox lids or cardboard flats for each student, then have students work in small groups and take turns. As students perform this activity, ask: “Can the figure move in different directions? What causes the figure to move? Can you see the force that moves the figure?”

Extension:

For students who might need opportunities for additional learning:

• Provide students with partially filled-out KWL charts as a guide as the class fills out the charts.

• Students may role play the attracting and repelling forces of magnets by safely pushing hands together with another student and pulling on each other’s hands when prompted by you.

For students who may be going beyond the standards:

• Students can research how magnets are used in our daily lives. Students must present a poster of household items that use magnets to work along, with a short presentation on which household products were interesting to them.