Electromagnets
TEKS Objective
The student is expected to demonstrate that electricity travels in a closed path, creating an electrical circuit, and explore an electromagnetic field.
Essential Understanding
The student knows that energy exists in many forms and can be observed in cycles, patterns, and systems.
Science Background
Electricity and Magnetism: Windows to the Universe (website) - Explains how electricity and magnetism are related, and discusses electromagnetic radiation, planetary magnets, and magnetic fields.
Electricity and Magnetism
Windows to the Universe, www.windows2universe.org
The Wonders of Electricity and Magnetism: MIT World (video) - Professor Walter Lewin gives a public lecture (1 hr 41m) on electricity and magnetism, including many interesting demonstrations.
The Wonders of Electricity and Magnetism
by Walter Lewin, MIT World, www.mitworld.mit.edu
Signature Lesson
Electromagnets: Science and Health Education Partnership (website) - Build electromagnets from wire and metal. Includes downloadable student worksheets.
Electromagnets
Science and Health Education Partnership, www.seplessons.ucsf.edu
- Supporting Lessons
- Extensions
- Assessment Ideas
- Literature Connections
- Related
TEKS - Additional Resources
Supporting Lessons
Classroom Visit Electromagnets: National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (PDF) - Hands-on activity in which students explore the properties of magnets and magnetism.
Electromagnet: California Energy Commission (website) - Students build basic electromagnets.
Electromagnet
California Energy Commission, www.energyquest.ca.gov
Elaboration Lessons and Extensions
Build an Electric Motor: Museum of Science and Industry (website) - Students build an electric motor that uses electromagnetism, and also explore how electricity and magnetism can work together to produce mechanical energy.
Build an Electric Motor
Museum of Science and Industry, www.msichicago.org
Exploring Magnetism: NASA (website) – See Session 2, Activity 2 to use compasses to detect the magnetic field generated by the flow of electricity.
Assessment Ideas
Ask students to describe how they could increase the strength of an electromagnetic to enable it to pick up more paper clips. [Add one or more batteries, increase the number of coils in the electromagnet.] Or, have students design electromagnets (working in groups) using materials you have provided, and have a class competition to see which magnet can pick up the most paperclips.
Literature Connections
Alexander Graham Bell: An Inventive Life. McLeod, Elizabeth (ISBN-13: 978-1550744569)
Electromagnetism. Delta Education (ISBN-13: 978-1592425228)
Samuel Morse. Hall, Margaret (ISBN-13: 978-1403453372)
Additional Resources
Electromagnets: FOSS (website) - Interactive activity in which students change variables in wire gauge, material, etc. to explore how these variables impact the function of an electromagnet.
Electromagnets
FOSS, fossweb.com
Kitchen Magnets: FOSS (website) - Look around the kitchen to find the household objects listed at the bottom of the page. Click on each object and look inside. How many of these items use an electromagnet?
TEKS Navigation
Grade 4
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