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Science lesson plan · 3rd grade (Year 4 in England) · 30 minutes

Static electricity: charged objects attract and repel

Electricity and magnetism

CCSS NGSS.3-PS2-3England: KS3 Physics: Electricity and electromagnetism (static electricity)

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Static electricity: charged objects attract and repel.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Magnet poles: attract or repel?

Leads to: the next skill in this area.

Materials: Circuit kits (cells, wires, bulbs), Circuit symbol cards, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 4 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Magnet poles: attract or repel?). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. You hold two bar magnets so that the north pole of one faces the north pole of the other. What happens? (attract (pull together) / repel (push apart)) → repel (push apart)Prompt: Are the two poles the same or different?
  2. How can you find out which end of an unlabelled magnet is north? (Smell it. / Look at its colour. / Bring it near the north pole of a labelled magnet: the end that is pushed away is north. / Weigh it.) → Bring it near the north pole of a labelled magnet: the end that is pushed away is north.Prompt: Use the rule about like poles.
  3. True or false? Two north poles attract each other. (True / False) → FalsePrompt: Same poles: what happens? Different poles: what happens?

Hook · 3 min

  • Show a circuit with a gap and ask why the bulb doesn't light.
  • Share the objective: Static electricity: charged objects attract and repel. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 7 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: You rub a balloon on your hair and hold it near your head. Your hair lifts towards it. Why?
  • Step 1: The balloon gains negative charge, the hair is left positive, and opposite charges attract.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: Rubbing gave the balloon and hair opposite electric charges, which attract.
  • Answer: Rubbing gave the balloon and hair opposite electric charges, which attract.
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 6 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. You rub a balloon on your hair and hold it near your head. Your hair lifts towards it. Why? (Rubbing gave the balloon and hair opposite electric charges, which attract. / The balloon is a magnet. / The balloon is sticky. / Wind from the balloon pulls the hair.) → Rubbing gave the balloon and hair opposite electric charges, which attract.Prompt: Rubbing moves tiny charged particles (electrons) from one material to the other.
  2. Do these attract or repel: a charged comb and bits of paper? (attract / repel) → attractPrompt: Are the charges the same or opposite?

You do: independent practice · 7 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 3 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. You rub a balloon on your hair and hold it near your head. Your hair lifts towards it. Why? (Wind from the balloon pulls the hair. / The balloon is sticky. / The balloon is a magnet. / Rubbing gave the balloon and hair opposite electric charges, which attract.) → Rubbing gave the balloon and hair opposite electric charges, which attract.Prompt: Rubbing moves tiny charged particles (electrons) from one material to the other.
  2. Do these attract or repel: a positive charge and a negative charge? (attract / repel) → attractPrompt: Are the charges the same or opposite?

Watch out for

  • Everyday meanings of words getting in the way of the science meaning: define key words explicitly.
  • Remembering facts without the reason: ask "why?" and "what is the evidence?"

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Magnet poles: attract or repel?.
  • Use concrete materials: circuit kits (cells, wires, bulbs).
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/science/grade-3.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Static electricity: charged objects attract and repel

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    Do these attract or repel: a charged comb and bits of paper?

    • A. attract
    • B. repel

  2. Question 2

    A comb rubbed on dry hair can pick up small bits of paper. Why?

    • A. The paper is magnetic.
    • B. The paper is alive.
    • C. The comb is wet.
    • D. The charged comb attracts the paper.

  3. Question 3

    True or false? Static electricity and magnetism are exactly the same thing.

    • A. True
    • B. False

  4. Question 4

    Do these attract or repel: two positive charges?

    • A. attract
    • B. repel

  5. Question 5

    True or false? Lightning is a huge discharge of static electricity.

    • A. True
    • B. False

  6. Question 6

    Do these attract or repel: a charged balloon and your hair?

    • A. attract
    • B. repel

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Answer key: Static electricity: charged objects attract and repel

  1. 1. A. attract

  2. 2. D. The charged comb attracts the paper.

  3. 3. B. False

  4. 4. B. repel

  5. 5. A. True

  6. 6. A. attract