A formative assessment is a great tool for planning further instruction. The fifth lesson of a 14-part series exploring magnetism and electricity provides questions to gauge current understanding of magnetic fields, compasses, and...

What better way to understand how an object works than to make one! Learners take what they learned in the previous lessons and construct their own compasses. Using a needle, water, and styrofoam, they build and test compasses and verify...

How much do your classes know about electricity and magnetism? A complete elementary unit on the topic begins with a pre-assessment to gauge their understanding prior to instruction. Items include questions about the properties of...

Time to know what they know! The final installment of a 14-lesson unit assesses the class's understanding of magnetism and electricity concepts. Items include both multiple-choice and open-ended questions on magnetic fields, electric...

Students use a variety of objects to test for ability to "stick" to a magnet. They perform an experiment to see that electricity in circuits can produce light, heat, sound, and magnetic effects. They discover magnets attract and repel...

Physicists of the future observe the behavior of current in relation to a magnet through several inquiry activities. They construct a generator and experiment with solenoid coils. They learn and apply electromagnetic laws, most often...

Have your class use compasses to try to find the magnetic field around an electric current. Groups use the same technique to visualize magnetic fields as they did in the second activity in the series, but this time, the field is...

 The class must determine the magnetic properties of different materials, including aluminum and steel by sorting through materials using a magnet. Groups make a prediction on whether a material is magnetic and then perform...

Magnetic fields might not be a field of dreams but they are useful. Class members observe the reactions of magnetic fields using a compass, iron filings in a paper container, and iron filings suspended in mineral oil. 

Teams work as material engineers to create ferrofluids, whose shape is influenced by magnetic fields. The activity, which is the fourth in the six-part series, has the teams create magnetic ink and use it to write, testing it with a...

It is just magnetic. This resource presents the concept of Earth's and another planet's magnetic field and how spacecrafts detect them. Learners study a problem using magnetometers and participate in three experiments to come up with a...

Attracted class members to an activity-packed journey through the science behind the invisible forces at work all around us. From jump rope generators to junkyard wars, there's never a dull moment when eighth grade physics scholars...

The earth has a giant magnetic field caused by the liquid iron that constantly moves in the outer core. Scholars explore the magnetic fields of four different planets. The strength and alignment of the poles relates to the implications...

Little learners experiment with sunlight and map out how light travels. Using a mirror and slotted card, they find out about items that can reflect or absorb the light. They experiment with a variety of materials to find out how light...

Second graders classify objects and create hypotheses regarding their magnetic properties. They watch a video about magnets and finally use a magnet to test their hypotheses created earlier.

The magnetic wire. Class members create a magnetic field by running electricity through a wire. The video included in the resource provides information on how this effect is used to make electrical motors.

Prepare young scientists for the ins and outs of lab safety with a thorough list of symbols, icons, and rules about staying safe during experiments. Additionally, the resource provides several assessment pages for kids to reflect on what...

Get the ball rolling with this upper-elementary science unit on forces and motion. Offering over three weeks of physical science lessons, this resource is a great way to engage the class in learning about simple machines, friction,...

Levitation tricks have been documented from the early 1900s, so how do they do it? Scholars learn about the force of magnetism in an attractive resource. They watch videos and design experiments to understand the strength and...

Drive an electric current through a coil of wire and show how it can pull a nail right into its core. This vivid demonstration exhibits the electromagnetic field. Consider also showing your class a few of the devices that make use of...

Students identify the properties of a magnet. In this physics instructional activity, students explore the strength of the magnet by testing out how a magnet reacts to various materials. The various objects the students test include...

Young scholars investigate the properties of magnets. In this physics activity, students view a Powerpoint presentation on magnets and list facts about magnets they learned. Young scholars use magnets in the classroom to identify what...

Students explain why compass angles need to be corrected for regional magnetic variation. They observe the difference between magnetic and true north. Each student measures the angle of variation for a town in a different state.

The standard basics of electricity are detailed in this clear-cut collection of slides. Straightforward explanations are offered for static electricity, series and parallel circuits, conductors, insulators, and resistance. Some animation...