Magnets are Magnificent

Paul and his Science Pals

After a musical opening with Paul and his friends, Tanika leads students in a simple a memorable active song connecting the terms used to describe the attraction of poles and the strength of magnetic fields to physical actions. Under the direction of their teachers, three students explore the amazing world of magnetism. Students learn about the poles of a magnet and discover different ways to "see" the invisible magnetic field using iron filings, and by studying how magnets attract or repel other magnets. In a second lab, the students use magnets to test various objects to see if they are magnetic or not. Using a T-chart, they record which objects are magnetic, and which are not. They construct rules to use in predicting the magnetic nature of objects.