Fun with Magnets!

Last week my kids learned all about magnets!! I really enjoy making science units that allow the kids to be hands-on and experiment as much as possible. I created a magnet unit and the kids really had a blast!  Who knew magnets could be so much fun??

We started out by predicting if different items would be magnetic or not. I gave each student a recording sheet and they put down their predictions first. 

We were all sitting on the carpet with clipboards so I asked different volunteers to test each hypothesis and see if our prediction was correct:

After each item, the kids would record the results: 

 When we had tested every object, we counted up how many objects were magnetic or not and recorded it in a tally chart. The kids then filled in a bar graph and answered questions about the data:

The next day, we did a paperclip experiment where we predicted what would happen when I moved a magnet up and down the side of a cup. First I had the kids predict what would happen, then I showed them and had them record what they observed:

We then predicted what would happen if I placed a strong magnet over the paperclips. Once again, the kids predicted what would happen, I showed them and they recorded the results:

On Wednesday, I grouped the kids in threes and gave each group a magnet. I let them explore the room and find objects that were magnetic and objects that were not. It was adorable to see them walk around and talk about what they thought would be magnetic. And they did a great job sharing the magnets:

After a few minutes of exploring, I gave them each a book where they could record three things that were magnetic and three things that were not:

(the white board)

(bell)

(the wooden door)

(Metal door)

(Pencil)

(Carpet)

On Thursday we talked about motion and the different ways things move. We talked about how we move a lot on the playground and our bodies do a lot of different motions. I introduced the motion words: up, down, back and forth, zig-zag, round and round, push, pull, fast and slow. We brainstormed different activities we do on the playground for each word. Finally, I let the kids illustrate their learning in a playground motion book:

We ended our unit learning about the two poles of a magnet: north and south poles. We predicted what would happen if we put the same poles together and the opposite poles together. The kids tested it out and then they recorded their results:

 Hope you enjoyed our fun week! If you liked the unit, please click on the picture below! The first three people to comment with their email can get their own free copy!