Young Scientist Lab: Interaction at a Distance

Take students inside the science of magnetic attraction as they collect data about the magnets they commonly interact with.

GUIDING QUESTION
How strong are magnets and how can you increase the magnetic strength of a magnet?

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Students will be able to:
• manipulate magnets so they attract and repel each other.
• collect data regarding the strength of magnetic attraction.
• construct a graph that shows magnetic strength vs. number of magnets.
• propose a rule that describes the pattern exhibited in their graph.

OVERVIEW
Students come in contact with and use magnets every day. They often don’t consider that
there are different types of magnets and are made for different purposes. In this activity
students explore magnetic strength and how combining magnets can increase it. Students
measure this strength using a stack of index cards, graph the data, and look for a pattern in
their data.

Then, they will extend their learning at home to find out what types of magnets they have in
their house and test their strength and attraction at a distance.

 

Includes follow-up family activity

Grades 3 – 5


Science Topics
Force (Magnetic), Physics
K-6, Educator
3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade
Descriptions of PDFs

1. Interaction at a Distance classroom activity pdf
2. Interaction at a Distance family activity pdf

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