Magnets Unit Plan

Lesson 2
Elements of the Lesson
Standard
MDE grade level or CCSS

Evidence that Documents the Elements

P.PM.E.3 Magnets- Magnets can repel or attract other
magnets. Magnets can also attract magnetic objects.
Magnets can attract and repel at a distance.
P.PM.01.31 Identify materials that are attracted by
magnets.
W.GN.01.04 use a teacher-selected topic to write one
research question; locate and begin to gather information
from teacher-selected resources; organize the
information
and use the writing process to develop a project.

Objectives/Targets I can
statements
What am I going to teach?
What will the students be able to
do at the end of the lesson?
How will the objectives be
assessed? How will they use/apply
their new knowledge?
What formative assessments will
I use to inform instruction?

I can make predictions about magnets and

magnetic objects.
I can identify at least 5 objects that are magnetic
or non-magnetic.
The students will be able to identify objects that are
magnetic and non-magnetic while using the scientific
method (hypothesis/analysis).
The objectives will be assessed informally by listening to
student talk. Their thoughts of what they predict will be
magnetic or non-magnetic can and will drive the lesson.
They will be assessed on their ability to identify objects
by their journal/notebook they will use to keep notes on
items that are magnetic or non-magnetic.
Students will use/apply this knowledge when making
predictions on material makeup of objects and if those
objects are attracted by magnets or are not.
Formative Assessment:
Before students make predictions on their own, they will
be ask to move to one side of the classroom if they think
the object the teacher is holding is magnetic. If they do
not believe so, they will move to the other side of the
classroom. That specific object will be discussed. The
class will repeat this three times through so the teacher
can gauge where they are at and what they know about
certain objects.

Lesson Management: Focus

and Organization

Students will have the opportunity to learn from their

peers by choosing which side of the classroom to stand.

What positive strategies,

techniques and tools will I use?
What are my ideas for on task,
active and focused student
behavior?

Students will work on their prediction skills when

predicting what objects may be magnetic or nonmagnetic. Students will be working independently on
their predictions to confirm or deny and find their own
results. Students will also work on cooperation when
sharing out their findings.
Teacher will use callback phrase to get students back on
track. Students will also have the ability to clip up or clip
down. Focused behavior will earn a clip up.

Introduction: Creating
Excitement and Focus
What will I do to capture student
interest?
What prior knowledge needs to be
accessed?
In what practice/review will
students participate?

I will capture student interest by asking students to

predict objects around the room that will be magnetic or
non-magnetic. A few examples will be shared with the
class and that student who predicted it will have the
opportunity to try it in front of the class so students have
a general idea on what type of objects they are looking
for.
Students need knowledge on why magnetics are
attracted to objects and should know what type of
materials are attracted or not attracted to magnets.
The teacher will review with the students what type of
materials are attracted by magnets.

Input: Setting up the Lesson

Task analysis:

What information does the

learner need? If needed how will it
be provided?

How is the lesson scaffolded?

[step-by-step)
Thinking levels: questions to
engage students thinking

Remembering

Understanding

Applying

Analyzing

Evaluating

Creating
Accommodations: implementing
differentiation principles

Remediation/Intervention

Extension/Enrichment

Learning styles
Methods, Materials and Integrated
Technology

Instructional methods

Engagement strategies

Materials needed and prepared

The students should have a general idea of what type of

materials are attracted by magnets. We will review using
the book that was used yesterday.
Step by step: Teacher and students will collaborate and
review what was learned yesterday about magnets and
magnetic/non-magnetic objects.
Students will hypothesize what objects around the room
are magnetic. The teacher will provide the first example.
She will look throughout the classroom and think aloud
for students to hear. She will look for an item that looks
like metal. She will think about it and decide if she thinks
it is magnetic or not. She will document her decision on
her own worksheet. Once she has made her decision,
she will experiment. The class will talk through her
process. The teacher will then document this finding on
her worksheet using the document camera. The teacher
will then ask for volunteers to share their ideas. The
student who predicts an object will share their thinking
process to the class. They will then go get the object or
take a magnet with them to test their hypothesis. This will
continue with one more student.

Integrated technology list

The teacher will show an object and students who

believe the object will be magentic will move to one side
of the classroom and students who believe it is nonmagnetic will move to the other side of the classroom.
This will serve as the formative assessment.
Students will go back to their seats and begin to make
their own predictions about objects throughout the
classroom. Students will be provided with a paper divided
into four sections. The top two sections will be
predictions. Students will draw predictions on the
corresponding side (magnetic vs. non-magnetic).
After individual predictions have been made, they will
test their hypotheses. Students will go to the object and
test the object. If it is magnetic, they will draw or write the
name in that section. It the object is not magnetic, they
will write or draw that object in that section.
Students will report out their findings to the class.
Thinking Levels
Comprehension: Identify material makeup of
objects to determine if they are magnetic or nonmagnetic.
Application: Compare material makeup of
magnetic and non-magnetic objects.
Application: Hypothesize which objects around
the room are magnetic or non-magnetic.
Accommodations:
Students will be asked to make a prediction for at least 5
objects around the room.
Remediation: Students may draw pictures of objects after
they have attempted to write the word.
Extension: Students who have completed five objects
may continue and predict the action of more objects.
Learning Styles:
Visual: The teacher will show the students what it looks
like for an object to be attracted by a magnet (stick
together). Students will be looking around the classroom
for objects they think contain the material makeup for
that object to be magnet or non-magnetic.
Verbal: Along with visual, the teacher will state what is

happening between objects if they are or are not

attracted by magnets.
Physical: Students will be testing their hypothesis and will
be able to feel the connection between two objects if they
are magnetic or non-magnetic.
Logical: Students will be predicting and then reporting
out their thoughts on why they thought that object would
be magnetic or non-magnetic.
Social: Students will report out their findings to the class.
Solitary: Students will be individually predicting and
assessing their predictions.
Instructional method: The beginning of the lesson will be
whole group to share previously learned information.
Students will then predict and analyze individually.
Materials Needed:
Paper split in 4 sections for recording
o Prediction: Magnetic
o Prediction: Non-magnetic
o Experiment: Magnetic
o Experiment: Non-magnetic
Magnets (20)
Sticky notes
Technology:
Document camera
Modeling: I DO
Show/Tell: visual/verbal input (i.e.
demonstrate/tell)
How/What: questioning and
redirecting techniques

The teacher will predict an item she thinks will be

magnetic. She will demonstrate how to write/draw on the
provided worksheet. Then she will test her hypothesis by
going to the object and trying it. She will either confirm or
deny her hypothesis and document this on her
worksheet.
Questioning: Was my hypothesis correct?
Redirecting:
If it doesnt stick to the object then the object is not
magnetic.

Checking for Understanding

Teach some stop and check
resume teaching
Ways in which students will
respond and be engaged
Formative assessment strategies
to be implemented

What type of objects are attracted to magnets?

What are some type of objects that are not attracted to
magnets? (cardboard, plastic, cotton, etc.)
Students will be formatively assessed by moving to the
side of the classroom that best answers the questions.
For example: If you think a paper towel will be attracted

by a magnet, move your body to the left side of the

classroom. If you do not think it will be attracted by a
magnet, move your body to the right side of the
classroom (side of room will be pointed out to students).
Guided Practice: WE DO
What do the teacher and student
do together?
Modeling first then with a gradual
release of responsibility

Collaborative (YOU DO
TOGETHER) and/or
Independent Practice (YOU
DO)
What practice(s) will be
demonstrated/modeled?
How will connections be made?
How will students demonstrate
target?

The teacher will have students think of items they would

like to test. One student will announce their idea and the
teacher will have that student test it in front of the class.
This example may be added to the teachers worksheet
where items are being documented.
Students will make predictions using objects around the
room to test their knowledge of objects that are magnetic
or nonmagnetic. They will predict if an object will be
attracted by a magnet or if it will not be. They will record
their findings on their worksheet.
Students are using familiar objects that they see on a
daily basis.
Students will demonstrate target by predicting and then
being able to confirm or deny their hypothesis and then
reporting out their findings.

Closure
How will I review the I can
statements?
How will connections be made to
future learning?

Assessment

I can make predictions about magnets and

magnetic objects.
I can identify at least 5 objects that are magnetic
or non-magnetic.
Exit cards: The teacher will give the students two sticky
notes. The teacher will have the students write the words
yes or no depending on how they feel. The teacher will
read the first objective. The teacher will read the second
objective. Students will respond on the exit cards.

What evidence supports that the

objective(s) were met?
What do my students know,
understand and are able to do?
What formative assessments
informed your instruction?

If my students were able to predict if an object was

magnetic or non-magnetic and identify at least 5 items
that are magnetic or non-magnetic, they met the
objectives. Their worksheet will be turned into the
teacher and will serve as evidence that the objectives
were met.
Exit card on objectives.

Resources

Class set of magnets provided by Linda Tortorelli