Investigating Magnetism

The first activity is designed to be a primary scaffold to understanding the fundamentals of permanent magnets: polarity, attraction, and repulsion. Students explore how various materials interact with a magnet and draw conclusions based on their observations.

Essential Question:

What are the properties of magnets?

Materials

  • Permanent Magnet x 2
  • Wood
  • Copper
  • Iron x 2

See Invention Kit Inventory for materials and sourcing information.

Step 1

Place the magnet beside the piece of wood. Now, flip the magnet. What do you see? What questions do you have?

Step 2

Place the magnet beside the piece of copper. Now, flip the magnet. What do you see? What questions do you have?

Step 3

Place the two iron rods next to each other. Move them around to see if they attract or repel each other. What do you see? What questions do you have?

Step 4

Place the magnet beside the piece of iron. What do you see? What questions to you have?

Try moving the magnet around the piece of iron, test what happens in different locations. What do you see? What questions do you have?

Step 5

Place the magnet beside another magnet? What do you see? What questions do you have?

Now turn one of the magnets around. What do you see? What questions do you have?