Magnetism
Unit Plan
Teacher: John Lockyer
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YEAR
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LEVEL
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DURATION
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5-6
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3
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2 weeks
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Science Strand
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Achievement Objectives
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Making Sense of the Physical World
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The students will be able to:
- investigate and describe their ideas about commonly experienced physical phenomena to develop their understanding of those phenomena, (for example, magnetism);
- explore and identify trends and relationships associated with easily observable physical phenomena (for example, compass);
- investigate and describe how selected items of everyday technology work and affect our lives, (for example, magnets in the home).
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Making Sense of the Material World
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The students will be able to:
- investigate and describe ways of grouping a wide range of unfamiliar materials using readily observable properties (for example, temporary or permanent magnets).
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Scientific Skills and Attitudes
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Achievement Objectives
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Focusing and Planning
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The students will be able to:
- use their science ideas and personal observations to make predictions;
- identify questions suitable for scientific investigation;
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Information Gathering
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The students will be able to:
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Processing and Interpreting
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The students will be able to:
- present what they did and what they found out in their investigations in ways and forms appropriate to their peer groups.
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Reporting
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The students will be able to:
- present what they did and what they found out in their investigations in ways and forms appropriate to their peer groups.
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| Language Learning Focus
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Focus on building vocabulary and scientific literacy.
Specific Language Learning Outcomes
The students will:
How to achieve the language learning outcomes
- Each lesson will have a language focus.
- Focus on key words.
- Model the new vocabulary and language structures.
- Provide practice activities for students to check understanding.
- Discuss the differences between spoken and written English.
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Teacher Background Reading
Gibbons, P. (2003).Mediating Language Learning: Teacher Interactions with ESL Students in a Content-Based Classroom.TESOL Quarterly,37(2), pp. 247-273. This article is not online but it is so relevant (based on a lesson about magnets) that it is worth requesting from your library.
Resources
A selection of magnets, paper clips, pins, iron nails, sellotape, thread, iron filings, paper.
Key Vocabulary
TEACHING AND LEARNING ACTIVITIES
PREPARING FOR LEARNING
Other strategies useful for preparing for learning
- Vocabulary - Exploratory Activity
Give each pair or small group of students a magnet and a range of small objects such as paper clips, thread, paper, iron nails.
Teacher writes magnets on whiteboard.
Ask the students to think about magnets for a minute.
In pairs talk about magnets - think, pair, share.
Brainstorm the word 'magnets'.
Record students' responses on a large mind map. Add to the mind map
throughout the unit. Add words to the mind map that students may need from the
vocabulary list.
Other possible bridging activities
- Discussion
Draw and label as many different types of magnets as you can.
Explain how a magnet works.
List any objects a magnet can pick up.
Explain where magnets are used.
Explain how a compass uses magnets.
Students redo this activity at the end of the unit and complete 'What have I learned?'
Other possible bridging activities
- Exploration
Students, in pairs or small groups, rotate around teacher-organised activities.
Each activity has simple written instructions.
At the end of the rotation, students retell, with teacher prompting, what happened and how.
Other possible bridging activities
The students work in pairs, either same language pairs or native speaker of English with ESOL students. After each task the students rehearse what they will say to the teacher.
- The Internet
Go to a children's search engine e.g. Ask Jeeves for Kids
Search for and draw as many magnets from the List.
Label each drawing. Or find out what happens when magnets and black sand are put together.
Jigsaw Reading
LESSONS
- How do you make a magnet?
Other strategies useful for introducing new information
Content Learning Outcome
- Magnets come from the earth
- We can magnetise certain metals
Language Learning Outcome
- I can understand the language of instructions. (Put the paper clips on the magnet - action verbs with the actions stated as imperative verbs)
- I can explain how to magnetise certain metals (When I left the paper clip on the magnet it became like a magnet. Connective - when and simple past tense verb, one verb linked to the next verb so that a logical sequence is produced.)
Vocabulary: Lodestone, magnetite, metal, to magnetise, to demagnetise.
Discussion
- Where are magnets found? (Everywhere but all magnets come from the earth, from lodestone, known as magnetite).
- Can magnets be man-made? (Yes).
- How is a magnet made? (Leave a magnet on a pair of metal scissors. Replace the magnet with a pin. The pin will be magnetised.)
Other possible bridging activities
Other strategies useful for processing new information
Equipment
Magnets and paper clips.
Process
- Make a paper clip chain using a magnet. Do not link the clips.
- In pairs or small groups discuss and write answers to the questions. Share the answers. Or, the students could role play the process, each student discussing what is happening to them.
Other possible bridging activities
- Demonstrate how to make the paper clip a stronger magnet. Explain.
Concept check
Give the students the following word roses.
- Magnet, earth, lodestone, everywhere.
- Metal, magnet, touch, join.
In pairs or small groups make up a story about magnets.
Pairs share their stories with class.
Other possible bridging activities
Extended section for ESOL students
Make a nail magnet
Content Learning Outcome
- We can magnetise things made from iron (temporary magnets).
Language Learning Outcome
- When I stroke the nail it becomes magnetised. I can make temporary magnets.
Language Structure:
Scientific speech and simple scientific writing:
- In scientific explanations one verb is often linked to the next verb by
means of a connective so that a logical sequence is produced (When I
stroke... it becomes...). The simple present tense verb is used because the
explanation is timeless (stroke... becomes).
Academic scientific writing:
- The student voice is removed (I) and the verb is changed into a noun (or gerund). This condenses the statement. It is called nominalisation.
Stroking magnetises the nail.
Stroking backwards and forwards demagnetises the nail.
Vocabulary:
Iron, strong, weak, temporary, to stroke, to pick up, to magnetise, to demagnetise (role of the prefix de-)
Discussion
Before the activity
I have a magnet and an iron nail. How can I magnetise the nail? (Stroke the magnet with the nail.)
Does the magnet become stronger with more strokes? (Yes)
Other possible bridging activities
After the activity
What happens when the nail is stroked forwards and backwards? (The nail is demagnetised)
What other objects can be magnetised this way?
Equipment
Magnets, pins and iron nails.
Process
In pairs or small groups.
- Stroke a magnet with an iron nail, 10 times. (The magnet must be stroked one way.)
- How many pins does the magnet pick up?
- How many pins does the magnet pick up after 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 strokes?
Each pair/group then asks and records another pairs/groups results.
Each pair/group reports results for class graph. (Teacher records on whiteboard).
Concept check
Yes or No
- Does 60 strokes make the strongest magnet?
- Does 10 strokes make the weakest magnet?
- Does the nail become a magnet when it is stroked forwards and backwards?
- Does iron make a good magnet.
The Internet
Go to a children's search engine, eg. Ask Jeeves for Kids
Search for and record who or what uses magnets.
Where are magnets used the most?
Extended section for ESOL students
What are the poles on a magnet?
Content learning outcome
- I can explain how the poles are connected with magnetism
Language learning outcome
- Formulating accurate question structures
Language Structure: Where are the poles on a magnet?
Vocabulary: Poles, vice versa, hanging pin, to spin.
Dictogloss
Discussion
Introduce the key vocabulary - to attract and to repel - by writing the words on the whiteboard. Tell them you will illustrate the meanings.
Role play scenarios of attraction and repulsion with students to demonstrate the meanings.
Tell the students that magnets attract and repel too. Students orally complete the starter sentence.
- A magnet attracts....
- A magnet repels....
Equipment
A pin, a bar magnet, tape and thread.
Process
In pairs or small groups.
- Tape the pin horizontally to the thread.
- Place the magnet on the table. Ask the students what happens when the hanging pin is brought closer to the magnet. Demonstrate.
- Ask the students what happens when the hanging pin is dangled along different parts of the magnet. Demonstrate.
- What does the pin do when dangled above the middle of the magnet? Demonstrate. Why?
Concept check
Teacher draws a large rectangular magnet on whiteboard.
Divide magnet into five equal segments.
In pairs/ groups ask students to discuss and decide which letter - A (attract) or R (repel) - goes in each segment. Demonstrate.
Other possible bridging activities
Model the language. I think A goes in that segment because...
Extended section for ESOL students
Where are the poles on different magnets?
Content learning outcome
- I can explain what a magnetic field is.
Language learning outcome
- Accurate use of timeless present tense verb to describe common occurrences in the physical world.
Language Structure: The energy from a magnet creates a magnetic field.
Vocabulary: Energy, poles, force
Discussion
Ask the students if they know what the ends of a magnet are called. (Some magnets will be marked N and S). What do these mean?
Introduce new vocabulary - pole. Where else are there poles? (North and South).
Internet Search
Go to a children's search engine e.g. Ask Jeeves for Kids
Search for and record how the North and South Poles are connected with magnetism?
Students share their findings.
Or get the students to collectively generate focus questions for this search.
Other possible bridging activities
Equipment
A selection of different magnets, including a strip magnet, a hanging pin.
Process
In pairs or small groups.
- Use the hanging pin to find out where the poles are on each magnet. (The end pointing north is N.)
Draw the magnets and label the poles.
- Check where the poles are on the magnetic strip. Snap the strip. Ask the students where the poles are now. Check. Repeat the process. Check again. Students explain why this happened.
Concept check
These sentences are not in the correct order.
In pairs/groups order them correctly.
Extended section for ESOL students
What is a magnetic field?
Content learning outcome
- I can explain what a magnetic field is.
Language learning outcome
- Accurate use of timeless present tense verb to describe common occurrences in the physical world.
Language Structure: The energy from a magnet creates a magnetic field.
Vocabulary: Energy, poles, force
Discussion
- What do magnets do? (Work).
- What is another name for work? (Energy).
- Where is a magnet's energy? (Ends/ poles).
- What is a magnet's energy called? (Force).
Other possible bridging activities
Think/pair/share
Equipment
A selection of magnets, iron filings, paper.
Process
In pairs or small groups.
- Place a magnet on the table and cover with the paper. Ask the students what happens when the filings are sprinkled on the paper. Sprinkle the filings. What happened?
Students draw the pattern on separate paper.
- Ask the students what happens if the magnet is moved. Move the magnet slowly then fast. What happened? Why?
- Do the same activity with other magnets. Students draw the filings patterns on separate paper.
- Do the same activity with two bar magnets placed end to end. Draw the filings patterns. Turn one magnet 180 degrees. Does the pattern change? Why.
- Sprinkle the filings then draw the pattern for two magnets with the two N poles together. Sprinkle the filings then draw the pattern for two magnets with their N and S poles together.
Concept check
Teacher collects a sample of filings drawings.
Redraws a few on the whiteboard.
In pairs or small groups, students discuss then indicate to show N or S poles.
Other possible bridging activities
How does a compass work?
Content learning outcome
- The earth is a magnetic field.
Language learning outcome
- The language of instructions
Language Structure: Walk four paces east.
Vocabulary: magnetic field, molten iron layer, pace,
Discussion
Why is the earth magnetic? (It has a molten iron layer which produces a giant magnetic field.)
What can you use to find your way on land, sea and air? (A compass)
How is a compass connected to magnets?
Equipment
Bar magnet, thread, a circular piece of paper.
Process
- Tie the thread to a bar magnet. Tie the magnet where it can hang freely. Observe what happens.
(The N end of the magnet should point North.)
- Students identify where North, South, East and West are in the room.
- Use a bought compass to test the hanging compass's accuracy.
- Tell the students the paper circle is the world and the world is one giant magnet. What is the top of the world called? (North Pole). What is the bottom of the world called? (South Pole). Place a strip magnet beneath the paper circle. Ask the students what happens when the iron filings are sprinkled on the paper. Demonstrate
Concept check
Students plot a destination course in the classroom using compass points. Model this and focus again on the language of instructions.(e.g. Start at the door. Walk 3 paces North. Walk four paces East. Walk four paces North. Walk six paces West. What do you see? The teacher's desk.) Students give the directions to other groups to follow.
Say It!
Extended section for ESOL students
ASSESSMENT
Structured overview and scientific fact sheet
Self Assessment
Assess your speaking, listening, reading and writing on the following:
- I spoke clearly. 1 2 3
- I listened and understood. 1 2 3
- I read easily. 1 2 3
- I wrote fluently. 1 2 3
FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS
Interested students can investigate these questions.
- Does a magnet have the same strength all over?
- Does the magnetic field change according to the magnet's shape?
- How does an electromagnet work?
- How are magnets recycled?
NEXT STEPS
Future language and learning needs which have become apparent as a result of formative and summative assessments.
There is now a good deal of evidence to show that, in areas like science and technology...developing knowledge and understanding and learning to control the specialized language of such curriculum areas is one and the same thing (Unsworth 1997).
Unsworth,L. (1997). Some practicalities of a language-based theory of learning. The Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, 20(1), 37 -51.
RESOURCES
- Magnetic Forces by C Walker.Concept Science Series, Sunshine Books.
- Magnets by C Walker. Concept Science Series, Price Milburn.
- The Know How Book of Batteries and Magnets by H Amery, Usborne Publishing.
ICT
