Magnets & Electricity
Investigation 4: Current Attraction
Part 1
Building an Electromagnet
Students discover when a current flows through an insulated wire wound around a steel core, the steel core becomes a magnet.
3. Lesson set up and Management
1.1.4 Understand that energy keeps things running and comes in many forms.
1.2.2 Know that energy can be transferred from one object to another and can be transformed from one type of energy to another.
2.1.2 Plan and conduct simple investigations, using appropriate tools, measures and safety rules.
2.1.3 Use data to construct reasonable explanations.
2.1.5 Record and report observations, explanations and conclusions using visual, oral, written, and mathematical expression.
3.1.3 Evaluate how well a design or a product solves a problem.
1. Electromagnetism is magnetism created by current flowing through a conductor.
2. Electromagnets can be turned on and off.
3. The magnetic strength produced by an electromagnet can be varied.
3. Lesson set up and Management
Materials:
1. Keep your wire stripper handy. You and your students will use them for cutting more wire and stripping plastic when the wire breaks.
2. An electromagnet can drain the D-cell's power quickly. Students will realize this when the D-cell gets hot to the touch. Suggest that students keep the circuits open except when they are testing.
3. Test the D-cells and make sure they are working before beginning by using the steps on Page 10 of this investigation.
4. Read the equipment tip on Page 10 after testing the batteries.
5. Divide the washers into small cups and keep them in the cups because you will use the washers again in Parts 2 and 3 of this investigation.
6. When completing Step 2 on Page 11 be sure to set up in a place where the whole class can observe easily.
7. Be sure to read the notes on Page 12.
8. Pay attention to Step 9 on Page 12 so that your final results can be compared accurately.
9. If you have time, you may want to continue with Part 2 of this investigation. You could have the students collect all of the data needed for the different winds and complete graphs at a different time.
Student Management:
1. Keep all materials at the station at which they are working. Don't let them carry the materials around. Let the students wander and explore.
2. Keep Moving! If you are constantly moving, it will keep everyone on task.
3. When discussing questions, have students place their materials in the middle of their table or desks and have them place their hands in their lap.
4. Because, students will try to turn the switch off and on when others are trying to investigate, make sure that students keep the washers over their desks or trays. It creates a huge mess when washers are dropped onto the floor.
Students will use different ways of experimenting to see if they can hold more washers on their electromagnets. |
Students will try to pick up washers using different amounts of winds. Some may try to add washers to the top to see if they will stay. |
1. You can lengthen or shorten the time on any lesson.
2. Use Pages 2 & 3 to help guide further inquiry at the end of every part.
3. Give students time to discuss their observations with each other.
4. Give journal reflection time.
5. Keep word banks and content inquiry charts up so students can see and have more time to copy later, if needed. It's nice if you can keep them up all the time and just add to them as you go.
6. Keeping your materials organized and storing them in a safe spot will help you be ready for Part 2 and 3 of this investigation.
Writing Support:
1. Reflective journaling on the day's lesson.
2. Start and finish each lesson with a KWLQ chart. ("What do I know?", "What do I want to know?", "What have I learned?" and "Are there any more questions to investigate?")
3. Have students write all word banks and inquiries in their journals.
4. Tell students that the local junkyard is looking for a new junkyard crane. Have students write why the miniature junkyard crane they built should be chosen for the job.
Reading Support:
1. Read FOSS science Story "From Rags to Riches: A Story of Michael Faraday."
2. Check the Resource section of the teacher's guide for more reading suggestions or the literature link on this site.