Teacher sheet · Ages 6–7 · about 45–50 minutes
Magnets: push and pull
Lesson page: echoesof.science/school/magnetism/ages-6-7/ · Pupil worksheet: echoesof.science/school/magnetism/ages-6-7/print/
Learning aims
- Magnets attract objects made of iron (and some other metals), not all materials.
- Magnets have a north and a south pole.
- Like poles repel; unlike poles attract.
- A compass uses Earth's magnetism.
Lesson plan
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 5 min | Show a magnet picking up paper clips: what is happening? |
| 10 min | Read the text together. |
| 15 min | Magnet hunt in pairs, guess first. |
| 10 min | Play Magnet or not? together, then try two magnets pushing and pulling. |
| 5 min | Quiz. |
Materials for the experiment
- A magnet (a bar magnet or a fridge magnet)
- Things to test: a paper clip, a pencil, a plastic spoon, a nail, a sheet of paper, a key, a rubber, foil
- A sheet with two columns: YES and NO
Safety: Keep magnets away from phones, tablets and bank cards. Small magnets are not toys for little brothers and sisters: they are dangerous to swallow.
Common misconceptions
| Pupils may think… | Actually… |
|---|---|
| Magnets attract all metals. | Aluminium, copper and most coins are not attracted; iron (steel) is. |
| Bigger magnets are always stronger. | Size is not the only thing that matters; test it! |
| Magnets only work when they touch. | They pull from a distance, even through paper. |
Worksheet answers
- For example: paper clip and nail (yes), pencil and paper (no).
- Push.
- Iron (steel).
Quiz answers
- Which of these will a magnet pull? An iron nail. Magnets pull on iron.[2]
- A magnet has two ends, called… north and south poles. Every magnet has a north and a south pole.[1]
- You hold two north poles together. What happens? They push apart. Like poles push each other away.[1]
- A north pole and a south pole… pull together. Different poles pull together.[1]
- Which way does a compass needle point? North. The Earth acts like a giant magnet.[1]
Going further
Can a magnet pull a paper clip through a sheet of paper? Through a book? How many sheets can it pull through?
Sources used in this lesson
- [1] College Physics 2e, 22.1 Magnets (OpenStax, Rice University): reliability High
- [2] College Physics 2e, 22.2 Ferromagnets and Electromagnets (OpenStax, Rice University): reliability High
Full list with links and a note on each source's reliability: echoesof.science/school/magnetism/sources/
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