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Magnets Push or Pull Objects

Magnets Push or Pull Objects

TEKS Objective

The student will predict and describe how a magnet can be used to push or pull an object.

Essential Understanding

The student knows that energy, force, and motion are related and are a part of their everyday life.

Science Background

Background Information for Magnets: Canada Science and Technology Museum (website) – Everything you always wanted to know about magnets!

Background Information for Magnets
Canada Science and Technology Museum, www.sciencetech.technomuses.ca

Signature Lesson

Magnetic Pick-ups: Science NetLinks (website) - Students learn that some materials are attracted to magnets, while others are not.

Magnetic Pick-ups
Science NetLinks, www.sciencenetlinks.com

How Strong is Your Magnet? Science NetLinks (website) - Measure the strength of a magnet and graph how a magnet’s strength changes with distance.

How Strong is Your Magnet?
Science NetLinks, www.sciencenetlinks.com

Supporting Lessons

Make a Magnet Map: Education.com (website) - Students create maps of their homes and use magnets to move pictures of their family members through their “houses” in this demonstration of a magnet’s attraction to metal.

Make a Magnet Map
by Jennifer Gregory, Education.com

Elaboration Lessons and Extensions

Magnets and Heat: The NEED Project (PDF) - Students seek to answer the question, “Does temperature affect the force of a magnet?”

Magnets and Heat
The NEED Project, www.need.org

Have a Magnet Marathon! Education.com (website) - Set up your own “magnet races” to explore with kindergarteners the properties and power behind magnets.

Have a Magnet Marathon!
by Victoria Hoffman, Education.com

Assessment Ideas

Conduct student interviews and ask the questions below. Have students answer the questions verbally, using knowledge from the previous investigation and from their science notebook as resources.

  • What are the physical properties of a magnet?
  • Which objects are attracted to a magnet?
  • What are the physical properties of an object that make them attracted to a magnet?

Literature Connections

What Makes a Magnet? Branley, Franklyn. (ISBN-13: 9780064451482)

Magnetism: A Question and Answer Book. Richardson, A. (ISBN-13: 9780736854474)

What Magnets Can Do. Fowler, Allan. (ISBN-13: 9780516460345)

Magnets Pulling Together, Pushing Apart. Rosinsky, Natalie. (ISBN-13: 9781404803336)

Related Science TEKS

(1.2A) Ask Questions
The student is expected to ask questions about organisms, objects, and events observed in the natural world.

(1.2B) Plan and Conduct Descriptive Investigations
The student is expected to plan and conduct simple descriptive investigations such as ways objects move.

(1.2C) Collect Data
The student is expected to collect data and make observations using simple equipment such as hand lenses, primary balances, and non-standard measurement tools.

(1.2D) Record and Organize Data & Observations
The student is expected to record and organize data and observations using pictures, numbers, and words.

(1.2E) Communicate Observations
The student is expected to communicate observations with others about simple descriptive investigations.

(1.4A) Tools for Collecting Information
The student is expected to collect information using tools, including computers, hand lenses, primary balances, cups, bowls, magnets, collecting nets, and notebooks; timing devices, including clocks and timers; non-standard measuring items such as paper clips and clothespins; weather instruments such as demonstration thermometers and wind socks; and materials to support observations of habitats of organisms such as terrariums and aquariums.

Related Math TEKS

1.9A    The student is expected to collect and sort data.

1.9B     The student is expected to use organized data to construct real object graphs, picture graphs, and bar-type graphs.

1.11C   The student is expected to select or develop an appropriate problem-solving plan or strategy including drawing a picture, looking for a pattern, systematic guessing and checking, or acting it out in order to solve a problem.

1.11D  The student is expected to use tools such as real objects, manipulatives, and technology to solve problems.

1.12A  The student is expected to explain and record observations using objects, words, pictures, numbers, and technology.

1.13A  The student is expected to justify his or her thinking using objects, words, pictures, numbers, and technology.

Additional Resources

Magnets and Springs: Crickweb (website) - In this interactive game for primary schools, students test various objects to see if they are attracted to a magnet. Scroll down to the “Magnets and Springs” activity.

Magnets and Springs
Crickweb, www.crickweb.co.uk

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