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A Mysterious Attraction

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Lesson Plan

A Mysterious Attraction

Students will be able to use a model to demonstrate how magnetic forces cause attraction and repulsion between objects without touching.

Understanding magnetism helps us explain how many everyday technologies work, from compasses and credit cards to electric motors and MRI machines. It also introduces fundamental physics concepts about forces and fields.

Audience

7th Grade Students

Time

45 minutes

Approach

Hands-on exploration and direct instruction.

Materials

Whiteboard or projector, A Mysterious Attraction Slide Deck, Various magnets (bar magnets, horseshoe magnets, disc magnets), Non-magnetic objects (wood, plastic, paper, aluminum), Iron filings or small magnetic objects (paper clips, nails), Magnet Exploration Stations Activity, and Visualizing Magnetic Fields Worksheet

Prep

Teacher Preparation

15 minutes

Step 1

Introduction to Magnets

10 minutes

  1. Begin with the 'A Mysterious Attraction' Slide Deck (Slide 1-3).
    2. Pose the question: 'What comes to mind when you hear the word 'magnet'?'
    3. Facilitate a brief class discussion, noting student responses on the board.
    4. Introduce key vocabulary: magnetism, magnetic poles, attraction, repulsion.
    5. Demonstrate with two magnets how they can pull together (attraction) or push apart (repulsion). Ask students to describe what they observe.

Step 2

Exploring Poles and Fields

15 minutes

  1. Continue with the Slide Deck (Slide 4-6) to explain magnetic poles (North and South) and the concept of a magnetic field.
    2. Demonstrate a magnetic field using a bar magnet and iron filings on an overhead projector or a document camera. Guide students to observe the invisible lines of force.
    3. Distribute the Visualizing Magnetic Fields Worksheet. Have students draw what they observe and answer initial questions about magnetic fields.
    4. Circulate and check for understanding, providing assistance as needed.

Step 3

Attraction and Repulsion Lab

15 minutes

  1. Explain the instructions for the Magnet Exploration Stations Activity.
    2. Divide students into small groups and assign each group to an exploration station.
    3. Students will rotate through the stations, experimenting with different magnets and objects, and recording their observations on their activity sheet.
    4. Encourage students to predict outcomes before testing and to discuss their findings within their groups.

Step 4

Real-World Magnetism & Wrap-up

5 minutes

  1. Bring the class back together.
    2. Facilitate a brief discussion about their findings from the Magnet Exploration Stations Activity.
    3. Conclude with the Slide Deck (Slide 7-8), reviewing the main concepts and discussing real-world applications of magnetism.
    4. Assign the remaining questions on the Visualizing Magnetic Fields Worksheet as homework or an exit ticket.
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Slide Deck

A Mysterious Attraction!

What makes some things stick together and others push apart, without even touching?

Welcome students and introduce the topic of magnetism with an intriguing question to spark curiosity.

What is Magnetism?

  • Magnetism: A force that attracts or repels certain metallic objects.
  • It's an invisible force, but it's all around us!
  • Think about a refrigerator magnet – how does it stick?

Define magnetism and introduce the concept of magnetic poles.

Magnetic Poles: The Basics

  • Every magnet has two poles:
    • North Pole (N)
    • South Pole (S)
  • Opposites attract! (N + S = pull together)
  • Likes repel! (N + N or S + S = push apart)

Explain magnetic poles and demonstrate attraction and repulsion.

The Invisible Force Field

  • Magnets create an invisible area around them called a magnetic field.
  • This field is where the magnetic force is strongest.
  • It's like a superhero's invisible shield, but for magnets!

Introduce the concept of a magnetic field.

Visualizing the Field

Imagine tiny lines of force flowing from the North Pole to the South Pole.

We can actually 'see' these fields using iron filings! They line up along the invisible forces.

Demonstrate a magnetic field using iron filings.

Attraction & Repulsion Revisited

  • The magnetic field causes objects to attract or repel.
  • Attraction: When opposite poles are brought near each other.
  • Repulsion: When like poles are brought near each other.
  • This happens without the objects touching!

Reinforce the idea of attraction and repulsion within the magnetic field.

Magnets in the Real World!

  • Compasses: Guiding us by sensing Earth's magnetic field.
  • Refrigerator Magnets: Holding notes and pictures.
  • Credit Cards: Storing information on a magnetic strip.
  • Electric Motors: Making things spin (like in a fan or blender).
  • MRI Machines: Used in hospitals to see inside the human body.

Discuss real-world examples of magnetism.

Magnetic Power!

Today, we learned about:

  • What magnetism is
  • Magnetic poles (North & South)
  • How poles attract and repel
  • The invisible magnetic field
  • How magnetism affects our daily lives!

Quick recap and transition to the next activity/homework.

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Activity

Magnet Exploration Stations

Objective: To explore the properties of magnets and observe attraction and repulsion between various objects.

Instructions:

  1. Work with your group at each station.
  2. Carefully read the instructions at each station.
  3. Experiment with the magnets and objects provided.
  4. Record your observations and answers to the questions in the spaces below.
  5. Discuss your findings with your group.

Station 1: Bar Magnets and Paperclips

Materials: Bar magnets, a pile of paperclips

Activity: Bring the ends of a bar magnet near the paperclips. What happens? Try to pick up as many paperclips as you can with different parts of the magnet. What do you notice about where the paperclips stick most?

Observations:











Questions:

  1. Which parts of the bar magnet attracted the most paperclips?


  2. What does this tell you about the strength of the magnetic force at different parts of the magnet?





Station 2: Repulsion and Attraction with Two Magnets

Materials: Two bar magnets (labeled N and S poles)

Activity: Take two bar magnets. Try to bring the North pole of one magnet near the North pole of the other. What do you feel? Now try to bring the North pole of one near the South pole of the other. What happens? Repeat with the South poles.

Observations:











Questions:

  1. When did the magnets push each other away (repel)?


  2. When did the magnets pull each other together (attract)?


  3. What is the rule for magnetic attraction and repulsion?





Station 3: Magnetic vs. Non-Magnetic Objects

Materials: Disc magnet, various objects (paperclip, coin, rubber band, wooden block, plastic ruler, aluminum foil, iron nail)

Activity: Test each object with the disc magnet. Record whether the object is attracted to the magnet or not.

Observations:

ObjectAttracted (Yes/No)
Paperclip
Coin
Rubber Band
Wooden Block
Plastic Ruler
Aluminum Foil
Iron Nail

Questions:

  1. What types of materials were attracted to the magnet?


  2. What types of materials were not attracted to the magnet?


  3. Based on your observations, what kinds of objects do you think are magnetic?





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Worksheet

Visualizing Magnetic Fields

Name: ________________________

Date: ________________________

Part 1: Observing Magnetic Fields

During the demonstration with the bar magnet and iron filings:

  1. Draw what you observed. Use arrows to show the direction you think the magnetic force is flowing. Label the North (N) and South (S) poles of the magnet.



















  1. Describe in your own words what a magnetic field looks like.





  2. Where did the iron filings seem to cluster most strongly? Why do you think this happened?








Part 2: Understanding Attraction and Repulsion (Homework/Exit Ticket)

  1. If you have two magnets, how would you position them to make them attract each other? Draw a diagram and label the poles.











  2. If you have two magnets, how would you position them to make them repel each other? Draw a diagram and label the poles.











  3. Explain why magnets can attract or repel without touching. What is causing this interaction?











  4. Name two everyday objects that use magnets.


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Answer Key

Answer Key: A Mysterious Attraction

Magnet Exploration Stations Activity

Station 1: Bar Magnets and Paperclips

Observations: (Student observations will vary but should note)

  • Paperclips are attracted to the magnet.
  • More paperclips stick to the ends (poles) of the magnet than to the middle.

Questions:

  1. Which parts of the bar magnet attracted the most paperclips?
    The ends of the bar magnet attracted the most paperclips.

  2. What does this tell you about the strength of the magnetic force at different parts of the magnet?
    This tells us that the magnetic force is strongest at the poles (ends) of the magnet and weaker in the middle.

Station 2: Repulsion and Attraction with Two Magnets

Observations: (Student observations will vary but should note)

  • Bringing two North poles together results in a pushing force (repulsion).
  • Bringing two South poles together results in a pushing force (repulsion).
  • Bringing a North pole and a South pole together results in a pulling force (attraction).

Questions:

  1. When did the magnets push each other away (repel)?
    The magnets pushed each other away when two North poles were brought together, or when two South poles were brought together.

  2. When did the magnets pull each other together (attract)?
    The magnets pulled each other together when a North pole and a South pole were brought together.

  3. What is the rule for magnetic attraction and repulsion?
    Opposite poles attract, and like poles repel.

Station 3: Magnetic vs. Non-Magnetic Objects

Observations: (Expected answers)

ObjectAttracted (Yes/No)
PaperclipYes
CoinNo
Rubber BandNo
Wooden BlockNo
Plastic RulerNo
Aluminum FoilNo
Iron NailYes

Questions:

  1. What types of materials were attracted to the magnet?
    Paperclips and iron nails were attracted to the magnet.

  2. What types of materials were not attracted to the magnet?
    Coins, rubber bands, wooden blocks, plastic rulers, and aluminum foil were not attracted to the magnet.

  3. Based on your observations, what kinds of objects do you think are magnetic?
    Magnetic objects are typically made of certain metals, like iron. (Students might also mention steel, nickel, or cobalt if they have prior knowledge or observed other objects).

Visualizing Magnetic Fields Worksheet

  1. Draw what you observed. (Drawings should show lines of force emerging from one pole and entering the other, forming a field around the magnet, with lines denser at the poles. Arrows should indicate direction from North to South. N and S poles should be labeled.)

  2. Describe in your own words what a magnetic field looks like.
    A magnetic field is an invisible area around a magnet where its magnetic force can be felt. It looks like lines curving out from one pole and going into the other, showing the path of the force.

  3. Where did the iron filings seem to cluster most strongly? Why do you think this happened?
    The iron filings clustered most strongly at the ends (poles) of the magnet. This happened because the magnetic force is strongest at the poles.

  4. If you have two magnets, how would you position them to make them attract each other? Draw a diagram and label the poles.
    (Diagram should show a North pole facing a South pole.)

  5. If you have two magnets, how would you position them to make them repel each other? Draw a diagram and label the poles.
    (Diagram should show two North poles facing each other, or two South poles facing each other.)

  6. Explain why magnets can attract or repel without touching. What is causing this interaction?
    Magnets can attract or repel without touching because of their magnetic field. This invisible field extends around the magnet, and when another magnetic object or magnet enters this field, the forces within the field cause attraction or repulsion.

  7. Name two everyday objects that use magnets.
    (Possible answers: refrigerator, compass, credit card, electric motor, speakers, headphones, MRI machine, purse clasp, cabinet latch, maglev trains.)

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