1. Forces and Magnets – Block 3FM
Science - Year 3
Forces and Magnets – Block 3FM
Amazing Magnets
Session 4
Session PowerPoints
© Original resource copyright Hamilton Trust, who give permission for it to be adapted as wished by individual users.
We refer you to our warning, at the foot of the block overview, about links to other websites.

2. 3 strikes and you’re out

3. This game is called “3 strikes and you’re out” because each time you make a mistake you lose a life.
Once you have lost all three of your lives, you are out.
Some questions are easy and some are hard. Just give each question your best guess.

4. Each question has 2 possible answers: one on the left and one on the right. You must choose which you think is correct and stand on that side of the line. If you are wrong, you lose a life!
Count the lives you have lost by holding up fingers in front of you. Hold up one finger for each life lost.
If the whole class is out, then everyone is back in again!

5. There are 15 questions altogether
Good Luck!

6. Whenever anything moves, changes direction, speeds up, slows down or stops, it is because a
has acted on it.
person
force

7. 2. Forces are
pushes and pulls
ups and downs

8. 3. A twist is
a push in one direction and a pull in another
pretty tricky when a lid gets stuck

9. sometimes work without any contact
4. A force can …
only work when something makes contact with an object
sometimes work without any contact

10. 5. One example of a force that can act without any contact is …
gravity
flying

11. 6. Another example of a force that can act at a distance (without contact) is …
rolling
magnetism

12. 7. Magnets …
come in many different shapes and sizes
are either bar or horseshoe shaped

13. 8. Big magnets are …
always more powerful than small ones
not always more powerful than small ones

14. 9. Magnetic force
can work through air and also through liquids like water
can only work through air

15. 10. Magnetic force … cannot work through solid objects
can work through solid objects like glass, card, wood and plastic

16. 11. Which group of items would be attracted to a magnet?

17. 12. Things that are attracted to magnets are called
attractive objects
magnetic objects

18. 13.
all coins are magnetic
some coins are magnetic

19. 14. Coins that are magnetic …
are shiny and clean. The dirty ones are not magnetic.
are mostly made of steel

20. 15.
Almost all metals are magnetic
Iron and steel are magnetic but most other metals are not

21. Congratulations to everyone who is still in!
But actually everyone has now become an expert on magnetism.
Well done all of you!

22. Task PowerPoint

23. To answer our questions we are going to carry out some exciting magnetic exploration and challenges!

24. Here are some tasks for you to try

25. Ring Magnet Challenge
Can you make all the ring magnets sit down together at the bottom of the pole like this?
Can you make all the rings float above one another like this?
What other arrangements of rings can you make?
How does it work?

26. Compass Magnet Challenge
Float the magnet in a tub of water. Where is the red end pointing?
Spin the magnet around a few times and wait for it to settle. Where is the red end pointing now?
Hold a bar magnet above it and move it around. What happens?
Try putting the bar magnet on the table and moving it around the outside.
What is happening? Why might this be?

27. Magnetic wand challenge
Experiment with 2 magnetic wands.
What happens when you lay them side by side, edge to edge or end to end?
Try it again after flipping them over.
What do you notice?
Try to describe what you have discovered

28. Two bar Magnet Challenge
Experiment with 2 bar magnets.
What happens when you push a blue section towards a red section?
What happens when you push a red section towards a red section or a blue towards a blue?
Try this end to end, side to side, and broadsides together. Try to describe what you have discovered.

29. Magnetic Caterpillar Challenge
Make a caterpillar with 3 marble magnets in a row. Then use a 4th marble magnet to try to make the caterpillar move without touching it. This works best on a smooth surface like a table top.
Can you make it spin round or roll along? How did you do it?
Try to describe what is happening.

30. Magnetic Marble Challenges
Twin Marble Challenge
Put 2 magnetic marbles down on a smooth surface so they are joined together. Hold a super magnet or horseshoe magnet a little way away. Try to make the marbles roll along. Is this easy or hard? Why?
Now try to make them spin around in a circle. How are you doing it? Why do you think it is happening?
Single Marble Challenge
Now try the same thing with a single magnetic marble. What is happening? Why might this be?

31. Explore the challenges together with a partner
Explore the challenges together with a partner. Take turns to try them out and discuss what you are discovering.
Together think about the questions on
The challenge sheet.
Note down your discoveries on a Challenge Sheet by making labelled drawings and notes to explain what you think is happening.

32. When you finish a task, move onto a different one if you have time.
Ring Magnet Challenge
Can you make all the ring magnets sit down together at the bottom of the pole?
Can you make all the rings float above one another?
What other arrangements of rings can you make?
How does it work?
Our Findings
Our names are
Here are some of the arrangements of floating rings we have made
(make drawings)
To make the rings float we needed to
We have discovered that
There is a different challenge sheet for each task. Fill in the white sections of the sheet but leave the green section at the bottom blank for now.
When you finish a task, move onto a different one if you have time.