Magnets and Magnetism

Active learning helps students experience magnetism firsthand, turning abstract forces into tangible observations. Hands-on work with poles, fields, and temporary magnets builds durable understanding, as students test ideas and revise misconceptions through direct evidence.

• 6th Class
• Scientific Inquiry and the Natural World
• 4 activities
• 15 min–45 min

Learning Objectives

1. Compare the magnetic force of attraction and repulsion between different pole combinations.
2. Classify materials as magnetic or non-magnetic based on experimental results.
3. Design and conduct an experiment to map the magnetic field lines surrounding a bar magnet.
4. Differentiate between the properties of permanent and temporary magnets through observation.

Stations Rotation

⏱ 45 min·Small Groups

Stations Rotation: Magnet Properties Stations

Prepare four stations: pole identification with hanging magnets, material testing with assorted objects, strength comparison using paperclips, and field mapping with compasses. Small groups rotate every 10 minutes, predict outcomes, test, and record data on worksheets. Conclude with a class share-out of patterns noticed.

Prepare & details

Explain how magnets attract and repel each other.

Facilitation Tip: For Station Rotation: Magnet Properties Stations, set up each station with a clear task card and all required materials so students move efficiently and focus on testing rather than searching.

Setup: Tables/desks arranged in 4-6 distinct stations around room

Materials: Station instruction cards, Different materials per station, Rotation timer

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Inquiry Circle

⏱ 20 min·Pairs

Pairs: Iron Filings Field Mapper

Place a bar magnet under white paper, sprinkle iron filings evenly, and tap gently to align. Partners observe and draw field lines from pole to pole. Discuss how the pattern shows invisible forces extending outward.

Prepare & details

Differentiate between temporary and permanent magnets.

Facilitation Tip: For Pairs: Iron Filings Field Mapper, remind students to tap the tray gently to let filings settle before drawing their field lines to avoid messy, overlapping sketches.

Setup: Groups at tables with access to source materials

Materials: Source material collection, Inquiry cycle worksheet, Question generation protocol, Findings presentation template

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Inquiry Circle

⏱ 30 min·Small Groups

Small Groups: Temporary Magnet Maker

Stroke an iron nail repeatedly with a permanent magnet in one direction. Test if the nail attracts paperclips, then observe if magnetism fades over time. Groups record steps and results for fair testing.

Prepare & details

Design an experiment to map the magnetic field of a bar magnet.

Facilitation Tip: For Small Groups: Temporary Magnet Maker, circulate to check that students stroke the nail in one direction only to align domains, not back-and-forth, which weakens the temporary magnet.

Setup: Groups at tables with access to source materials

Materials: Source material collection, Inquiry cycle worksheet, Question generation protocol, Findings presentation template

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Inquiry Circle

⏱ 15 min·Whole Class

Whole Class: Electromagnet Build

Demonstrate coiling insulated wire around a nail, connecting to a battery and switch. Turn on to pick up paperclips, then off to release. Students predict and note what makes it temporary.

Prepare & details

Explain how magnets attract and repel each other.

Facilitation Tip: For Whole Class: Electromagnet Build, ask groups to plan their coil turns before testing, so they focus on variables like wire length and current direction.

Setup: Groups at tables with access to source materials

Materials: Source material collection, Inquiry cycle worksheet, Question generation protocol, Findings presentation template

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Teaching This Topic

Experienced teachers begin with students’ questions about where magnets work, then use small experiments to confront misconceptions directly. They avoid over-explaining, instead letting students gather data and draw conclusions. Research shows that concrete experiences with visible outcomes—like paperclips clinging to a nail or iron filings forming loops—anchor understanding better than lectures alone.

What to Expect

Successful learning looks like students using evidence to explain why only certain materials respond to magnets, mapping magnetic fields accurately, and building a working electromagnet. They should compare forces, rank strengths, and clearly describe how permanent and temporary magnets differ.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During Station Rotation: Magnet Properties Stations, watch for students grouping all metals as magnetic.

What to Teach Instead

Have students test aluminum, copper, and plastic alongside iron, then create a class chart where they classify objects based on evidence and revise their initial claims.

Common Misconception

During Pairs: Iron Filings Field Mapper, watch for students assuming magnetic fields only exist at the poles.

What to Teach Instead

Ask students to trace the full curved lines with their fingers and label the north and south poles on their drawings to see that fields surround the entire magnet.

Common Misconception

During Small Groups: Temporary Magnet Maker, watch for students believing all magnets have equal strength.

What to Teach Instead

Provide multiple magnets and ask groups to rank them by counting how many paperclips each can hold, then discuss why size and material affect strength.

Assessment Ideas

Exit Ticket

After Station Rotation: Magnet Properties Stations, provide students with a bar magnet and objects to test. Ask them to list which objects are attracted, explain why, and draw the magnet’s poles and field direction on a sheet.

Quick Check

During Whole Class: Electromagnet Build, ask students to hold up one finger for ‘attract’ and two fingers for ‘repel’ as you describe pole interactions, then show materials and ask them to hold up ‘M’ for magnetic or ‘N’ for non-magnetic.

Discussion Prompt

After Pairs: Iron Filings Field Mapper, pose: ‘If a metal spoon and an iron nail are mixed, how would you use a permanent magnet to tell them apart, and how would you test if the spoon becomes a temporary magnet?’ Guide students to share their experimental plans.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge students who finish early to design a magnetic maze using their electromagnet to move a paperclip through a paper track.
• For students struggling during Temporary Magnet Maker, provide a pre-magnetized nail and ask them to test its strength compared to their new temporary magnet.
• Deeper exploration: Have students research how MRI machines use magnetic fields to create images, then compare the strength of classroom magnets to MRI field strengths using provided data cards.

Key Vocabulary

Magnetism	A physical phenomenon produced by moving electric charges and magnetic dipoles, which results in attractive and repulsive forces.
Magnetic Field	The area around a magnet where its magnetic force can be detected. It is often visualized using iron filings or compasses.
Poles (North and South)	The two ends of a magnet where the magnetic force is strongest. Like poles repel each other, and opposite poles attract.
Permanent Magnet	A material that retains its magnetism for a long time after being magnetized, such as a refrigerator magnet.
Temporary Magnet	A magnet that is only magnetic when it is in the presence of a magnetic field or electric current, losing its magnetism when the field is removed.