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Science lesson plan · 3rd grade (Year 4 in England) · 45 minutes

Magnet poles: attract or repel?

Electricity and magnetism

CCSS NGSS.3-PS2-3England: KS2 Y3 Forces and magnets

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Magnet poles: attract or 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: Magnets and magnetic materials

Leads to: Magnet strength and distance: read the data; Static electricity: charged objects attract and repel

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 · 5 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Magnets and magnetic materials). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. The south pole of one magnet is brought near the south pole of another. Do they attract or repel? (attract / repel) → repelPrompt: Like poles repel; unlike (opposite) poles attract.
  2. Is a steel paper clip attracted to a magnet? (magnetic / not magnetic) → magneticPrompt: Only a few metals are attracted to magnets.
  3. Which way does the north pole of a compass needle point? (towards the nearest wall / towards the Earth's magnetic north / always towards the Sun / downwards) → towards the Earth's magnetic northPrompt: The Earth behaves like a giant magnet.

Hook · 5 min

  • Show a circuit with a gap and ask why the bulb doesn't light.
  • Share the objective: Magnet poles: attract or repel?. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 10 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: You hold two bar magnets so that the south pole of one faces the south pole of the other. What happens?
  • Step 1: south and south are the same pole, so they repel.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: repel (push apart)
  • Answer: repel (push apart)
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 10 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 hold two horseshoe 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. A ring magnet floats above another on a pencil. Why doesn't it fall down? (The top magnet is very light air. / There is no gravity on a pencil. / The pencil is magnetic. / The facing poles are the same, so they push apart.) → The facing poles are the same, so they push apart.Prompt: Something is pushing it up, balancing gravity.

You do: independent practice · 10 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 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 5 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. You hold two bar magnets so that the north pole of one faces the south pole of the other. What happens? (attract (pull together) / repel (push apart)) → attract (pull together)Prompt: Are the two poles the same or different?
  2. True or false? Every magnet has a north pole and a south pole. (True / False) → TruePrompt: Same poles: what happens? Different poles: what happens?

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: Magnets and magnetic materials.
  • 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

  • Move on to: Magnet strength and distance: read the data; Static electricity: charged objects attract and repel.
  • 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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Magnet poles: attract or repel?

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    You hold two bar magnets so that the south pole of one faces the south pole of the other. What happens?

    • A. attract (pull together)
    • B. repel (push apart)

  2. Question 2

    How can you find out which end of an unlabelled magnet is north?

    • A. Smell it.
    • B. Bring it near the north pole of a labelled magnet: the end that is pushed away is north.
    • C. Weigh it.
    • D. Look at its colour.

  3. Question 3

    True or false? Two north poles attract each other.

    • A. True
    • B. False

  4. Question 4

    You hold two ring magnets so that the south pole of one faces the south pole of the other. What happens?

    • A. attract (pull together)
    • B. repel (push apart)

  5. Question 5

    A ring magnet floats above another on a pencil. Why doesn't it fall down?

    • A. There is no gravity on a pencil.
    • B. The pencil is magnetic.
    • C. The facing poles are the same, so they push apart.
    • D. The top magnet is very light air.

  6. Question 6

    True or false? Every magnet has a north pole and a south pole.

    • A. True
    • B. False

  7. Question 7

    You hold two horseshoe magnets so that the north pole of one faces the north pole of the other. What happens?

    • A. attract (pull together)
    • B. repel (push apart)

  8. Question 8

    Two magnets push each other away however you hold them closer. What can you say about the ends facing each other?

    • A. They are the same pole (both north or both south).
    • B. They are both made of wood.
    • C. They are opposite poles.
    • D. One is not a magnet.

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Answer key: Magnet poles: attract or repel?

  1. 1. B. repel (push apart)

  2. 2. B. Bring it near the north pole of a labelled magnet: the end that is pushed away is north.

  3. 3. B. False

  4. 4. B. repel (push apart)

  5. 5. C. The facing poles are the same, so they push apart.

  6. 6. A. True

  7. 7. B. repel (push apart)

  8. 8. A. They are the same pole (both north or both south).