Magnets: Attract and RepelActivities & Teaching Strategies
Active learning works for magnets because invisible forces become visible when students manipulate materials directly. Testing objects and mapping fields turn abstract concepts into concrete evidence students can reason from.
Learning Objectives
- 1Classify common objects as magnetic or non-magnetic based on experimental results.
- 2Compare the interactions between different poles of two magnets, identifying attraction and repulsion.
- 3Demonstrate the pattern of a magnetic field using iron filings or a compass.
- 4Explain why certain materials are attracted to magnets while others are not.
Want a complete lesson plan with these objectives? Generate a Mission →
Stations Rotation: Material Testing
Prepare stations with magnets and objects like paperclips, wood, foil, and coins. Students predict, test, and sort items into magnetic or non-magnetic trays. Groups record findings on charts and discuss surprises.
Prepare & details
Differentiate between magnetic and non-magnetic materials.
Facilitation Tip: During Material Testing, circulate with a strong magnet to model how to approach each object slowly and deliberately, ensuring students notice subtle attractions.
Setup: Tables/desks arranged in 4-6 distinct stations around room
Materials: Station instruction cards, Different materials per station, Rotation timer
Pairs Challenge: Pole Interactions
Give each pair two bar magnets marked N and S. They test all pole combinations, noting attract or repel, and draw force directions. Pairs then predict outcomes with hidden poles using string.
Prepare & details
Analyze how the poles of magnets interact (attraction and repulsion).
Facilitation Tip: For Pole Interactions, place one marked magnet at each station so pairs can focus on observing push or pull without confusion over pole orientation.
Setup: Tables/desks arranged in 4-6 distinct stations around room
Materials: Station instruction cards, Different materials per station, Rotation timer
Whole Class: Field Mapping
Sprinkle iron filings near a magnet on paper; tap gently to show patterns. Students sketch fields, then repeat with compass to trace lines. Discuss how fields predict interactions.
Prepare & details
Predict the path of a magnetic field using iron filings or a compass.
Facilitation Tip: In Field Mapping, demonstrate how to sprinkle filings evenly and gently tap the paper to reveal patterns without overcrowding the field lines.
Setup: Tables/desks arranged in 4-6 distinct stations around room
Materials: Station instruction cards, Different materials per station, Rotation timer
Individual: Prediction Lab
Students list 10 classroom items, predict magnetism, test with magnets, and tally accuracy. They reflect on patterns in a journal entry.
Prepare & details
Differentiate between magnetic and non-magnetic materials.
Setup: Tables/desks arranged in 4-6 distinct stations around room
Materials: Station instruction cards, Different materials per station, Rotation timer
Teaching This Topic
Teach magnets by letting students lead with questions, then providing tools to test their ideas. Avoid telling students what to observe; instead, ask, 'What do you notice about where the filings gather?' Research shows hands-on exploration builds stronger mental models than demonstrations alone. Keep groups small so every student manipulates the materials and shares findings.
What to Expect
Successful learning looks like students accurately sorting materials, correctly predicting pole interactions, and sketching magnetic field patterns with clear labels. They should explain their reasoning using evidence from testing and observation.
These activities are a starting point. A full mission is the experience.
- Complete facilitation script with teacher dialogue
- Printable student materials, ready for class
- Differentiation strategies for every learner
Watch Out for These Misconceptions
Common MisconceptionDuring Station Rotation: Material Testing, watch for students grouping all metals together despite evidence.
What to Teach Instead
Ask students to test each object individually and record results on a shared class chart, prompting them to notice that aluminium foil and copper pennies show no attraction while iron paperclips do.
Common MisconceptionDuring Pairs Challenge: Pole Interactions, watch for students assuming only attraction exists.
What to Teach Instead
Have pairs record both outcomes on a two-column chart labeled 'Attract' and 'Repel,' with marked magnets so they see push forces clearly.
Common MisconceptionDuring Whole Class: Field Mapping, watch for students drawing straight lines between poles.
What to Teach Instead
Ask students to compare their sketches to the iron filings’ curves and redraw with arrows showing the field’s direction, using compasses to confirm the pattern.
Assessment Ideas
After Station Rotation: Material Testing, provide a small collection of objects for students to sort and explain their reasoning in one sentence on the back of their sheet.
During Pairs Challenge: Pole Interactions, hold up two magnets with marked poles and ask students to signal attraction or repulsion, then select a few to explain their observation.
After Whole Class: Field Mapping, ask students to observe the filings’ pattern and explain what it shows about the magnet’s force, comparing their observations to a compass’s needle movement.
Extensions & Scaffolding
- Challenge: Ask students to design a magnetic maze using only repelling forces to guide a paperclip through without touching it.
- Scaffolding: Provide a word bank (attract, repel, pole, field) and sentence stems for students to describe their observations during sorting and pole challenges.
- Deeper: Introduce a horseshoe magnet and ask students to map its field, comparing it to the bar magnet’s pattern and noting differences in strength around the poles.
Key Vocabulary
| Magnet | An object that produces a magnetic field, attracting or repelling certain materials like iron. |
| Magnetic Material | A material that is attracted to a magnet, typically containing iron, nickel, or cobalt. |
| Non-magnetic Material | A material that is not attracted to a magnet, such as plastic, wood, or aluminum. |
| Pole | The two ends of a magnet, usually labeled North and South, where the magnetic force is strongest. |
| Magnetic Field | The area around a magnet where its magnetic force can be detected. |
Suggested Methodologies
Planning templates for Science
5E Model
The 5E Model structures lessons through five phases (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate), guiding students from curiosity to deep understanding through inquiry-based learning.
Unit PlannerThematic Unit
Organize a multi-week unit around a central theme or essential question that cuts across topics, texts, and disciplines, helping students see connections and build deeper understanding.
RubricSingle-Point Rubric
Build a single-point rubric that defines only the "meets standard" level, leaving space for teachers to document what exceeded and what fell short. Simple to create, easy for students to understand.
More in Forces and Friction
Gravity: The Invisible Pull
Students will investigate the force of gravity, understanding how it affects objects on Earth and in space.
3 methodologies
Balanced and Unbalanced Forces
Students will explore how balanced forces result in no change in motion, while unbalanced forces cause objects to accelerate or decelerate.
3 methodologies
Friction: Resistance to Motion
Students will investigate how friction acts as a force opposing motion, exploring factors that influence its strength.
3 methodologies
Air Resistance and Drag
Students will explore how air resistance (drag) affects the motion of objects, particularly in relation to shape and speed.
3 methodologies
Electricity and Circuits: Making Things Go
Students will build simple circuits to understand how electricity flows and makes things like light bulbs work.
3 methodologies
Ready to teach Magnets: Attract and Repel?
Generate a full mission with everything you need
Generate a Mission