1. The Scientific Method:
Science
The Scientific Method:
Lesson 6:
Magnets Experiment
Materials needed:
-magnets experiment sheet for each student
-bag of objects and magnet for each pair (half of class only)
-steel spoon -silver dollar (or one for demo)
-aluminum foil -soup can lid
-safety pin -paper fastener
-penny -brass screw
-nail -bobby pin
-piece of gold jewelry for demo.
-plastic lid -paper plate -popsicle stick
-steel spoon -plastic bag cardboard
-wool cloth -aluminum foil
-soup can lid -rubber balloon
-silver dollar, piece of glass, cup of water with paper clips
for demo
-paper clip with fishing line attached to chalk ledge for
each pair of students (half of class only)
-optional: nickel made of solid nickel

2. Let’s
Review!
Let’s start off today with a quick review. (review facts with koosh)
Today, we’ll think like scientists and use the steps of the Scientific Method to help explain some things that occur in our world.
Remember that scientists begin by observing the natural world.
Perhaps, you have observed something similar to this picture…

3. What do you see in this picture?
How many of you have observed something similar? What did you observe?
As a scientist, your observations may lead you to ask some questions.
Can anyone think of a question that you or another scientist might ask? (call on volunteers)
Today, we will experiment with two different questions related to magnets.
Because our experiments are on two sheets, we are going to put them right into our binders.
(pass out the magnets experiment sheets)
Let’s number our pages. You’ll need an 8 in the bottom right corner on the first page, a 9 on the second page, and a 10 on the last page.
Remember…in order to do experiments, there are…

4. Important Experiment Rules …4 important rules you must follow.
Can someone remind us of…

5. Follow directions carefully!
...our first rule?
Can someone remind us of…

6. Don't
waste
supplies!
...our second rule?
Can someone remind us of…

7. Clean up and return all supplies.
...our third rule?
Can someone remind us of…

8. Use
your BEST
behavior.
...our last rule?

9. Using the Scientific Method
Question: (What do you want to find out?)
Are all metal objects magnetic (able to be attracted by a magnet)?
Step 1 of the Scientific Method is to ask a question, so let’s check out our first question for today. *
You’ll find it on page 8.
Would someone like to read it?
What do we need to do next? *
Write your hypothesis * on the lines.
How many people think that magnets will attract all metals?
How many people think that magnets will only attract certain metals?
Hypothesis: (What do you think will happen?)
___________________________________________________
I think…

10. Procedure: 1. Test each object by holding one end of a
magnet close to the object. If the object is
pulled to the magnet, then it is magnetic. If
the object is not affected by the magnet,
then it is not magnetic.
Let’s take a look at how you will perform the experiment.
There is only one step for this experiment.
Is there someone who would like to read this step?

11. Results: (What happened during the experiment?)
Object
Magnetic
Not Magnetic
steel spoon
aluminum foil
iron safety pin
copper penny
iron nail
silver dollar
steel soup can lid
iron paper fastener
brass screw
iron bobby pin
gold jewelry
At the bottom of your sheet, you will see a place for you to record your data.
If the object attracts to the magnet, write an X under magnetic.
If the object does not attract to the magnet, write an X under not magnetic.
When you are finished, take a few minutes to analyze your data. Look for any patterns.
Then you’ll be ready for the last step.
What is step 5?

12. (What did you learn from this experiment?)
Conclusion:
(What did you learn from this experiment?)
All metal objects _______ magnetic.
are/are not
Magnets can attract _______________________
______________________________________.
Flip to the back of your sheet. After you analyze your data, you can fill in your conclusions.
That brings us to our second question…

13. Can a magnet attract through other objects?
Question:
Can a magnet attract through other objects?
Hypothesis: (Make your hypotheses in the table below.)
Object
Magnet CAN attract through it
Magnet CANNOT attract through it
Plastic lid
Steel spoon
Wool cloth
Steel soup can lid
Cardboard
Paper plate
Plastic bag
Aluminum foil
Rubber balloon
Wooden popsicle stick
Silver dollar
Water
Glass
Would someone like to read this question?
Think about your experiences with magnets and things you have observed.
Use what you know to make some * hypotheses.
I am going to show you each object. If you think a magnet can attract through it, write an X in the first column. If you think a magnet cannot attract through it, write an X in the second column.
(show each object – students record hypotheses)

14. Procedure: 1. Attach a paper clip to one end of a piece of
fishing line. Tape the other end of the fishing
line to the chalk/marker tray.
2. Attach a magnet to the board so that the paper
clip will attract to the magnet but not touch it.
(There will be space between the magnet and the
paper clip.)
Let’s take a look at how you will perform the experiment.
Can someone read * step 1? (demonstrate)
Can someone read * step 2? (demonstrate)
Can someone read * step 3? (demonstrate)
3. Place each object to be tested between the
magnet and the paper clip. If the paper clip is
not affected, the magnet can attract through
the object. If the paper clip falls, the magnet
cannot attract through the object.

15. Results: (What happened during the experiment?)
Object
Magnet CAN attract through it
Magnet CANNOT attract through it
Plastic lid
Steel spoon
Wool cloth
Steel soup can lid
Cardboard
Paper plate
Plastic bag
Aluminum foil
Rubber eraser
Wooden popsicle stick
Silver dollar
Water
Glass
In the middle of your sheet, you will see a place for you to record your data.
If the magnet still attracts the paper clip, write an X in the first column.
If the paper clip falls, write an X in the second column.
When you are finished, take a few minutes to analyze your data. Look for any patterns.
Then you’ll be ready for the last step, which is…

16. (What did you learn from this experiment?)
Conclusion:
(What did you learn from this experiment?)
Magnets __________ attract through things.
can/cannot
Magnets can attract through _________________
_______________________________________
…to draw a conclusion.
Half of the class will be working on experiment 1, while the rest of the class works on experiment 2. Then we will switch.
If you finish before it is time to switch, study your flash cards alone or quiz your partner.
(assign groups and do experiments)

17. Are all metal objects magnetic (able to be attracted by a magnet)?
Let’s see what you learned from your experiments.
We’ll start with experiment 1. You were trying to find out if all metal objects are magnetic.
Let’s take a look at your results on page 8…

18. Results: (What happened during the experiment?)
Object
Magnetic
Not Magnetic
steel spoon
aluminum foil
iron safety pin
copper penny
iron nail
silver dollar
steel soup can lid
iron paper fastener
brass screw
iron bobby pin
gold jewelry X X X X X X
Was the steel spoon magnetic or not? *
(do all objects in the same manner)
Let’s add a final object…*nickel. This nickel is made out of solid nickel.
(demonstrate with magnet)
Is it magnetic or not? * (magnetic)
When you analyzed your data, what patterns did you notice?
Let’s check out your… X X X X X X
nickel

19. are not iron, steel, and nickel. Conclusion:
(What did you learn from this experiment?)
are not
All metal objects _______ magnetic.
are/are not
Magnets can attract _______________________
______________________________________.
…conclusions.
Would anyone like to read the first sentence? *
How about the second sentence? *
Now let’s check out experiment 2…
iron, steel, and nickel.

20. Can a magnet attract through other objects?
In this experiment, you were trying to find out if magnets can attract through other objects.
Let’s take a look at your results on page 10…

21. Results: (What happened during the experiment?)
Object
Magnet CAN attract through it
Magnet CANNOT attract through it
Plastic lid
Steel spoon
Wool cloth
Steel soup can lid
Cardboard
Paper plate
Plastic bag
Aluminum foil
Rubber eraser
Wooden popsicle stick
Silver dollar
Water
Glass X X X X X X
Was the magnet able to attract through the plastic lid? *
(do all objects in the same manner)
When you analyzed your data, what patterns did you notice?
Let’s check out your… X X X X X X X

22. not magnetic (attracted to a magnet).
Conclusion:
(What did you learn from this experiment?)
can
Magnets __________ attract through things.
can/cannot
Magnets can attract through _________________
_______________________________________
anything that is
…conclusions.
Would anyone like to read the first sentence? *
How about the second sentence? *
What about your hand…is your hand magnetic?
Could a magnet attract through your hand?
not magnetic (attracted to a magnet).

23. If you had a very strong magnet like this one, it would be able to attract right through your hand, just like in this picture.
Let’s add an entry to our…

24. Word Splash 1 Making Observations 2 Balloon Experiment 3-4
…Table of Contents.
For the topic, we’ll write…*
The page numbers are…*
The Scientific Method 5- 7
Magnets Experiments
8-10