Science Year 3 Amazing Magnets

Provided Resources

• Printout of the (personalised) Letter to Class from Mr Newton
• Push/pull labels – to classify forces
• Investigation PowerPoint to introduce task
• Task sheets (1 each)

Additional Resources

• Selection of everyday items – see Furious Forces instructions for details
• A bag for each group of 4 - 5 children
• Marker pen
• 30 word display cards
• Sticky tack & masking tape
• Push/pull labels printed on card and trimmed
• A selection of toy vehicles (enough for 1 between 3)
• Thin rubber bands
• Balloons (ideally old flabby, flat ones – see Teachers’ Notes)
• Different testing surfaces (e.g. grass, tarmac, carpet, lino)

Weblinks
KS2 learner guides about forces from www.bbc.co.uk
A series of short films about magnets, gravity, friction and levers from www.bbc.co.uk

Teaching

• Understand that forces are pushes and pulls which can make things move, stop or change shape.
• Set up and conduct a comparative fair test, record measurements and discuss results.

Activities

1. Play a game in teams to explore all the different ways forces can act on a variety of everyday objects.
2. Classify each action as either a push, a pull or both.
3. Plan and conduct an investigation to compare the amount of force needed to move a toy vehicle on different surfaces making choices about whether to measure push or pull and how to keep it fair.
4. Evaluate, review and discuss findings (e.g. were predictions correct? Were tests fair?).

Investigation - exploring/classifying and identifying
Ask questions and then investigate how toy vehicles run on different surfaces. Begin to explain in terms of forces.

Vocabulary
Force, push, pull, theory, fair test, investigate, measure

Provided Resources

• Printouts of the Sporty Forces Team and Teacher’s Score sheets
• Sporty Forces PowerPoint
• How to play Sporty Forces
• Teaching PowerPoint
• A3 copies of the task sheet – 1 per group of 3 children
• A4 copies of results tables

Additional Resources

• A big box of paperclips
• A small piece of stiff card per child (12 x 8 cm approx.)
• Different types of magnets (e.g. horseshoe, bar, disk, wand)
• A4 sheets of coloured paper or card
• Marker pen
• Some metal bearings
• Clear storage boxes that can be filled with water

Teaching

• Ask questions and answer them by planning and carrying out a fair test.
• Explore forces and discover that gravity and magnetism can act without contact.

Activities

1. Play a game in teams to explore and show the different ways forces can act in different sports.
2. Actively investigate how some forces can act without contact (gravity and magnetism).
3. Explore magnetism, ask questions and attempt to answer them by planning and carrying out a fair test.
4. Tabulate results and use them to draw conclusions and raise further questions.

Investigation - exploring/classifying and identifying
Investigate how it is forces that make things move (pushes and pulls) and that magnetic forces can move things at a distance without forces touching.

Vocabulary
Forces, pushes, pulls, gravity, contact, magnet, magnetism, fair test, results, table

Provided Resources

• Printouts of 3 suggested questions for investigation
• Printouts of any questions tackled last session from the Teaching PowerPoint (see Session 3 resource)
• Copies of the Guessing Game Sheet (1 per child)
• Task sheets

Additional Resources

• Your A4 coloured cards of questions on magnetism (from last session)
• A tray containing the 12 items shown on the teaching PowerPoint
• Coloured sheets of A4 card or paper
• Marker pen
• Tray of items made from different materials including lots of metal
• A good selection of different types of magnet
• A strong magnet on a string
• Several bags of coins
• Camera/ cameras
• Access to computers for research
• Vinegar (if shininess is proposed as a reason to be magnetic)

Teaching

• Develop scientific method and thinking, using curiosity to generate questions.
• Answer questions by testing and sorting items using magnets.

Activities

1. Play a guessing game to encourage theories and predictions on which items will be magnetic.
2. Turn their theories into questions that can be answered through scientific enquiry.
3. Methodically test, classify and sort different items/materials and thus raise more questions to consider.
4. Record findings and report back on them to the class.

Investigation - exploring/predicting/classifying and identifying
Investigate how magnets attract some materials and not others. Compare and group materials.

Vocabulary
Magnetic, non-magnetic, attract, attraction, theory

Provided Resources

• Task PowerPoint
• 3 Strikes and You’re Out PowerPoint
• Copies of 6 different challenge sheets

Additional Resources

• Your A4 cards of unanswered questions from previous sessions
• A wide range of different magnets including: wand, bar, compass, ring and pole, horseshoe, super and marbles
• A plastic tub of water for each compass magnet

Weblinks
This short clip explains about magnetic force and demonstrates how magnets attract and repel one another from www.bbc.co.uk

Teaching

• Explore how magnets behave towards each other and form theories to explain it.
• Understand that magnets have 2 poles and that opposite poles attract and like poles repel.

Activities

1. Play a game to revise and reinforce prior learning on magnetic forces.
2. Explore how magnets behave towards one another in a wide variety of different situations.
3. Form theories and seek to explain findings.
4. Learn that magnets have 2 poles and that same poles repel whilst opposite poles attract.
5. Consider and explain their exploratory findings in terms of this scientific knowledge.

Investigation - exploring/predicting
Investigate the polarisation of magnets, making predictions and testing ideas.

Vocabulary
Magnetic, non-magnetic, attract, repel, attraction, repulsion, poles, north, south

Additional Resources

• 40 cardboard red/blue bar magnets with either Attract or Repel written on the reverse of each
• A large selection of different magnets
• A large selection of craft resources
• Magnetic items, e.g. metal bearings, paperclips, paper fasteners, bulldog clips, a selection of copper and silver coins
• Stop watches and sand timers of different time lengths (e.g. 1, 2 and 3 minute types)
• Garden canes and string – to make magnetic fishing rods
• Large tub/tank of water and items to put in it to create boat course

Teaching

• Revise and reinforce knowledge of attraction and repulsion between magnetic poles through participation in an active game.
• Devise and prepare activities (for visitors to a science fair, that use magnetic force.

Activities

1. Play a game to revise and reinforce knowledge of how magnets attract and repel depending on which poles are facing.
2. Work in a group to devise a magnetic game or challenge for visitors to a science fair.
3. Assemble and make resources to run activity including signs to introduce the challenge.
4. Consider what each activity will teach visitors about magnetism.

Investigation - exploring
Develop a game or activity that uses magnetic forces by trying out a variety of ideas.

Vocabulary
Magnetic, non-magnetic, attract, repel, attraction, repulsion, poles, time, record, force

Provided Resources

• Quiz PowerPoint and answers PowerPoint
• Quiz sheets and answer sheet
• Teaching PowerPoint
• Teachers’ Notes.

Additional Resources

• A large selection of different magnets (as used in previous sessions)
• The resources made by groups last session for the Science Fair
• Signs and notices made last session to attract people to their activity
• A large selection of craft resources
• Magnetic items
• Resources for group activities, e.g. coins, stop watches, sand timers, water tank – but these will vary according to your children’s ideas
• The plenary sheets (Group Activity Summary) completed last session
• Camera

Teaching

• Ask questions on magnetism to get people thinking.
• Answer questions and write explanations using knowledge and understanding of magnetism.

Activities

1. Take part in a quiz to assess knowledge and understanding of magnetism (learnt through this block).
2. Ask questions that encourage participants at the science fair to think about magnetism and its effects.
3. Write explanations to answer these questions.
4. Quality test each other’s exhibits and pass on advice and praise using 2 stars and a wish.

Investigation - analysing secondary sources
Test your knowledge of magnetic forces. Design a poster to explain the science behind your game or activity. Stage it in an attractive eye catching way.

Vocabulary
Magnetic, non-magnetic, attract, repel, attraction, repulsion, poles, force