Lesson 3: Magnets 3
Duration of Days: 1
Lesson Objective
1. Students will write hypotheses (scientific best guesses) to predict how magnets would behave if air were pushing them.
2. Experiment with magnets in a way that proves air is not the source of the energy transfer.
3. Conclude that the energy causing the move does not require air to travel from one part to another.
How does energy transfer between things that are not touching?
magnet
wire
speaker
energy
force
sound
cause
effect
attraction
repulsion
force
kinetic energy
electromagnet
independent variable
dependent variable
magnetic field
north and south poles of a magnet
compass
MS-PS2-5.
MS-PS3-2.
MS-PS2-3.
Description:
Students will investigate how energy moves between objects that don’t touch. They will specifically test the theory that energy travels "through the air" to make magnets move.
Purpose:
This lesson helps students rule out incorrect ideas. By proving that air isn't what carries the force between magnets, students begin to understand that a "magnetic field" is a unique way to transfer energy across empty space.
DOK Level 3 (Strategic Thinking)
For Visual Learners: Students will use sketches to show what they think the air is doing versus what the magnets are actually doing.
For Hands-On Learners: Students will perform the "Vacuum or Barrier Test" to see if blocking the air stops the magnets from reacting.
For Writing Support: We will provide scaffolded hypothesis templates: "If the energy travels through air, then we should see ______. But, when we did ______, we actually saw ______."
Probing questions, mechanic explanations and building hypothesis's.
Formative Assessment