1. 2nd Grade Amazing Earth November
magnets
Presentation should take about 15 minutes to allow ample time for the experiment.
Some information is noted as optional and helps as background info for potential questions or additional information to share as time allows.
Not everything needs to be reviewed so make it your own and have fun!
Just keep an eye on the clock as the kids love the hands-on activities.
Rotate stations about every 5-7 minutes.
Ask helpers to:
set up during the presentation
decide who is working which station
familiarize themselves with the activity and its goal
If not enough volunteers, station 5 can run independently.
Ask students to sit on the carpet so the activity can be set up at their desks.
You may have to limit questions or the number of students who can answer a question if time runs short.
Have fun & thank you for making Amazing Earth possible!
Presentation should take about 15 minutes to allow time to rotate through the 5 stations.
set up the stations during the presentation,
decide who is working which station, and
familiarize themselves with the goal.
2nd Grade Amazing Earth
November

2. What is a magnet?
A rock or piece of metal that can pull certain types of metal toward itself
The force of magnets is called magnetism
Magnetism works over a distance so a magnet does not have to be touching an object to pull it

3. How do magnets work?
Magnets have two poles: a south pole and north pole
Like poles repel
Unlike poles attract
A magnet creates an invisible area of magnetism all around it called a magnetic field
Click Here for Video
SAY:
Raise your hand if you’ve ever made two magnets stick together.
Raise your hand if you’ve ever tried to push two magnets together and you couldn’t. It’s like they were fighting back, right?
Let’s talk about why that happens and how magnets work.
REVIEW the SLIDE.
You may need to explain that two like poles (e.g. north pole from two magnets) will repel each other (push each other away). This is what happens if you hold magnets close and they push each other apart. Unlike poles (e.g., north and south) will be attracted and stick together.
Play the VIDEO (3 mins). If the video does not automatically project, select the FUNCTION and F8 keys TOGETHER and then select DUPLICATE.

4. earth Earth is magnetic
It’s filled with molten (melted) rocks rich in magnetic materials
The magnetic field stretches out into space (called the magnetosphere) and can affect things around it
REVIEW the three bullet points
SAY: One of the things the Earth’s magnetic field can create are Auroras (also called the Northern or Southern Lights depending on their location)
Review the Northern Lights point
ASK the kids if they’ve ever used a compass. What direction does the needle always point? North … because of the earth’s magnetism.
Northern Lights
Particles that zoom in from the sun smash against the Earth’s gases and magnetic field creating beautiful auroras

5. Which materials are magnetic?
Wood
Paper
Steel
Iron

6. electromagnets
Electromagnets create a magnetic field only when an electrical current runs through them
REVIEW the one bullet point
THEN SAY:
Some things always have a magnetic field around them, like a refrigerator magnet. These are called “permanent” magnets.
But any time you have a flow of electricity through a wire it creates a little magnetic field around the wire. So if you run electricity through a coil of wire you can create a strong electro-magnetic field.
This effect is used to turn electricity into motion (i.e. make electric motors, like the motors in cars, lawn mowers, electric toothbrushes).
REVIEW the pictures
Homemade Electromagnet
The wire coil creates a magnet field because of the flow of electricity from the battery
Giant Electromagnetic Crane
Used to pick up and move iron

7. Magnet Activities
Magnetic or Not? Guess if it’s magnetic and use the magnetic stick to find out!
Move the Metal! Move iron filings around with a hidden magnet; Use a compass
The Power of the Magnetic Field: A battle of forces!
Magnetism and Water: Do magnets still attract in water?
Magnets Magnets Everywhere: Can you repel, can you attract, can you build?
Optional Review of Stations depending on time