CEP 452: Lesson Plan

Section 1: The Plan

LESSON OVERVIEW
Title: Testing Magnets
Author: Hannah Vanderhorst
Subject: Science
Grade Level: 3rd Grade
Duration: 1 hour
Unit Description: This lesson is part of a larger unit on magnets. Previously, students
experimented with properties of magnets. They tested magnets with various objects in
their classroom to determine what would stick. This lesson will be the second part of this
unit, in which students will test magnets to see if they attract through different objects in
various states of matter.
Lesson Goals: By the end of this lesson, students will be able to describe how magnets
work through different objects that are in different phases of matter.
Common Core Standards:
P.FM.03.36 Relate a change in motion of an object to the force that caused the change of
motion.
P.FM.03.37 Demonstrate how the change in motion of an object is related to the strength of
the force acting upon the object and to the mass of the object.
Big Ideas:
Magnets can still exert force through other matter (solids, liquids and gas)
While magnets can work through matter, the distance they work across is limited.
Barriers:
This lesson plan requires a lot of movement throughout the classroom. Students are
moving from station to station, and are required to use their hands for all of the activities.
This may be difficult for students who struggle with mobility.
Students that have magnetic implants due to hearing impairments or seizure disorders
may be affected by the magnetic fields used during this lesson.
This lesson plan requires students to write out predictions and the assessment is written.
Students that struggle with dexterity or simply struggle with writing may have difficulties
completing the lesson. It may be a barrier to a true demonstration of their knowledge.
METHOD

Adapted from CAST: UDL Lesson Plan Builder: http://lessonbuilder.cast.org/

Anticipatory Set:
To introduce the lesson, students will watch a Bill Nye video about magnets from YouTube.
This will catch their attention and initiate any background knowledge they have. Students
will show their engagement by writing 3 things they learned, 2 vocabulary words, and 1
question they have. Subtitles are available on this video for students that have hearing
impairments.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ak8Bh9Zka50
Introduce and Model New Knowledge
The teacher will remind students of the lesson they had the day prior. The teacher can ask
questions such as, What types of objects did the magnets attract to? The teacher will then
demonstrate how magnets can work through some objects, and how others they cant work
through. Using the classroom wall as an example, the magnets will not work through the
wall because the wall is too thick. However, if the magnet were strong enough, they would
attract through because their magnetic force reaches to the other side. Our question for this
lesson is, how close to touching do magnets need to be in order to attract? We are going to
work on answering that question today.
Provide Guided Practice
Students will fold a piece of paper in half, hamburger style. On one side, they will write
predictions for what will happen with each object. The teacher will hold up each object one
by one and have the students write down their prediction for that object. Their prediction
is as simple as Yes, the magnets will attract through the object, or No, the magnets will
not attract through the object.
Provide Independent Practice
While progressing through stations, each student will test whether the magnets attract
through different objects: water in a bowl, plastic Tupperware, air filled plastic packaging
(bubble wrap type material), aluminum foil, paper notebooks and cardboard. On the other
side, they will draw a grid, and within that, what happened when they tried to attract the
magnet through each object. Students will have the opportunity to test each object and
communicate what happened during their trials. The teacher could direct the lesson as
follows:
The next activity we are going to do is through stations. At each station, you are going to test if
the magnet works through the object at the station. This means putting one magnet on one
side of the object, and the other on the other side, and moving one around to see if it pulls the
other. See what happens! Do they stick through the object? Then, on the right hand side of the

Adapted from CAST: UDL Lesson Plan Builder: http://lessonbuilder.cast.org/

paper I handed to you, you are going to describe what happened for each object after you test
to see if the magnet works through it.
The question you are answering on the right hand side is: Did the magnets attract through the
object? Or did they not? Write what the object is.
Make sure everyone gets a turn to test the magnets with the object.
You will start at your own table group, and when I say, freeze, you will put down the magnets
and the object, and will move by walking in this direction to the next table. Keep the objects at
the table for the next group. When we walk we are quiet and walk straight to the next station.
Bring your pencil and your paper with you.
Check for understanding:
Group 2, what is the next table you go to?
What do you write after you have tested the magnets with the object?
Now, I will pass out the magnets (4 for each table group) and the objects (2 for each table)
WRAP UP
After materials have been cleaned up and the students have completed filling out their
papers, the teacher can pose the following questions:
-

Did any of the materials surprise you when you used the magnets with them?
- Did the magnets not work through any of the objects?
- For which objects did you make an incorrect prediction?
ASSESSMENT

Formative, Ongoing Assessment

The teacher will walk around the room monitoring the students progression through the
stations. A brief glance at a students recording sheet will quickly show the teacher how
well they are mastering the activity.
Summative Assessment
After the lab where students test whether magnets stick through various objects, they will
conduct an experiment individually to determine whether magnets will stick through the
wood of their desks. They should take one magnet on the inside, and see if it will move
another magnet on the top of their desk.
They will record their findings on the sheet of paper that I hand out, and write whether the
magnets attracted or didnt. They will also draw a picture of what happened during their
trial.
Their assessment sheet will read as follows:

Adapted from CAST: UDL Lesson Plan Builder: http://lessonbuilder.cast.org/

Put one magnet on top of your desk, and hold one under the lid of your desk.
Using your hand, move the magnet under the lid around. Does the magnet on top
move? Why or why not?
Draw what happened below. Label your drawing.
This assessment will show me how much students learned about the strength of a given
magnetic force field. During the lab experiments, students will see that magnets can work
through other objects, but if the objects are too thick, making the magnets too far apart, the
magnets will not attract to each other. I will know if students think that magnets cannot
work through wood, or if the wood of their desk is simply too thick for the magnet to
attract through. This assessment will show me what students know about the distance
forces can work across.

Scoring Guide for Analyzing Students Responses to the Post Assessment Task
Students written answer responds to the yes/no question of whether the magnet
moved or not. 1 pt.
Student accurately explains why the magnet on top moved or why it did not.
Answers should include information about the strength of the magnet, and the
magnets being attracted to each other. 2 pts possible.
All items within the drawing are labeled (Both magnets, desk, attraction between
magnets, their hand, motion of movement) 5 pts possible- 1 for each item.
All items are included within the drawing (Both magnets, desk, attraction between
magnets, their hand, motion of movement) 5 pts possible- 1 for each item.
Students clearly represent through their drawing whether the magnets attracted or
not. 1 pt.
Total: 14 points
MATERIALS
-

2 magnets for each student

2 bowls filled with water
Paper towel to clean up any spills
2 magnets on strings for the water station
2 pieces of aluminum foil
2 pieces of cardboard
2 pieces of bubble wrap
2 notebooks
2 plastic Tupperware bowls

Adapted from CAST: UDL Lesson Plan Builder: http://lessonbuilder.cast.org/

3-2-1 Engagement sheet for the Bill Nye video for each student
Summative Assessment sheet with blank backside for activity recording for
each student
Pencil for each student

Additional Set Up requires that the tables be far enough apart with appropriately
spaced walkways for students with mobility problems.

Adapted from CAST: UDL Lesson Plan Builder: http://lessonbuilder.cast.org/