Lesson 4 Science

http://edweb.sdsu.edu/triton/JGarciaResearch/LessonTemplate1.html

by

Jackie Bonventre
Russ Nielsen

Objective

The students will understand the concepts behind magnets that will aid them in their understanding of magnetic fields. The students will utilize this understanding in future lessons.

Direct Instruction

They are on your refrigerator and they're in your computer. They're magnets and they're totally attractive.
All magnets are like coins. They have a heads and a tails. Try putting two heads of magnets together. They won't stick. In fact they repel. But if you place one magnet's head against one magnet's tail, the two magnets stick. They are attracted to each other.
Magnets are used with things we run into everyday. They are used in videos, computer disks and compasses that line up with the Earth's natural magnet. Even some birds have little magnets that tells them which direction they are flying.
The Earth's magnet is the iron core. The magnetic force of the this core stops dangerous radiation from harming us.
With all that magnets do for us, who can resist them?

Lab

Materials
  1. A refrigerator magnet
  2. A sewing needle
  3. A lid to a film canister
  4. A bowl of water

Directions
  1. Take the needle and rub it with the magnet 100 times. Make sure you rub in the same direction or the experiment won't work.
  2. Lay the needle on the film canister lid
  3. Put the lid in the bowl of water, making a little raft for the needle

Discussion

The needle works like a compass. The north end of the needle aims toward the north pole. The needle uses the Earths natural magnet to attract the magnet of a compass to this natural one.

Homework

The students must write a summary of what happened during their lab. They must include an explanation of why this occurred.

Last updated May 17,1997.

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