Print Resource

Click Kindergarten: Magnets and Materials to access the lesson for the Kindergarten—Force and Motion strand. 

Gather 5–10 metal paper clips, 5–10 centimeter cubes, and a magnetic wand.

Place the paper clips on a table while setting the other materials aside. Attempt to pick up the paper clips without touching them. Try picking up the paper clips with the magnetic wand. Repeat this process using the centimeter cubes instead of paper clips. What happens?

Why were you able to pick up the paper clips but not the centimeter cubes? What other items could you pick up using a magnetic wand?

View the video to review the activity.

Click Force and Motion Lesson Summaries to access the document to record the activities for each lesson.

Click Grade 1: Magnets Push and Pull to access the lesson for the Grade 1—Force and Motion strand.

Gather 6–8 ring magnets, 1 unsharpened pencil, and a small ball of clay. Push the unsharpened end of the pencil straight down into the ball of clay and set it aside.

Place one ring magnet on a table and observe as you hold another ring magnet above it. Flip the magnet over and try again. What happens?

Place one ring magnet on a table and observe as you place another ring magnet beside it. Flip the magnet and try again. What happens?

Place the ball of clay with the pencil on a table. Observe as you stack the magnets one at at time on the pencil. Flip some of the magnets and continue to make observations.

What kind of movements did you observe as you placed the magnets near each other? Did the magnets ever stick together or seem to float?

View the video to review the activity.

Remember to record this activity for Grade 1: Engage on the Force and Motion Lesson Summaries page.

Click Grade 2: Magnets in Everyday Life to access the lesson for the Grade 2—Force and Motion strand.

Use RM 1 or go on a hunt for objects such as purses or cell phone cases that have magnets. What do the items all have in common? Are magnets always used in the same way? Did any of the objects with magnets surprise you?

Remember to record this activity for Grade 2: Engage on the Force and Motion Lesson Summaries page.

Click Grade 3: Forces at Work to access the lesson for the Grade 3—Force and Motion strand.

Gather a small paper clip, a 20 cm length of string, a piece of tape, and a magnetic wand. Tie one end of the string to the paper clip and tape the other end of the string to a table. Can you make the paper clip float in the air without anything touching it? You may use the magnetic wand to complete the task.

How did you make the paper clip float? What force caused the paper clip to float? The force of magnetism between the paper clip and the magnetic wand caused the paper clip to float in the air without anything touching it.

What happened when the magnetic wand got too far from the paper clip? What force caused that to happen? Your students may or may not be able to identify gravity as a force at this point in the lesson. Grade 3 is the first time the force of gravity will have been formally introduced to students.

View the video to review the activity.

Remember to record this activity for Grade 3: Engage on the Force and Motion Lesson Summaries page.

Click Grade 4: Effects of Force to access the lesson for the Grade 4—Force and Motion strand.

Find a stopwatch or use a watch with minute and second hands. Feel the soles of your shoes to note general temperature and whether they feel cold, cool, room temperature, warm, or hot,

Move your shoes quickly back and forth on the floor for 5–10 seconds. Feel the bottoms of your shoes. Has the general temperature changed? If so, how is it different? What might have caused a change in temperature? What form of energy was generated by moving your shoes back and forth on the floor?

Now move your shoes quickly back and forth on the floor for 15–20 seconds. Feel the bottoms of your shoes. Has the general temperature changed? Did the soles of your shoes feel warmer when you rubbed them on the floor for a shorter or longer amount of time? Was a force(s) involved in moving your shoes back and forth? If so, which one(s)?

View the video to review the activity.

Remember to record this activity for Grade 4: Engage on the Force and Motion Lesson Summaries page.