Created by:
JoAnne Towles
Diocese of Orange
URL: http://www.can-do.com/uci/lessons99/electro.html
URL: http://www-sci.lib.uci.edu/SEP/CTS99/electro.html
Purpose: To increase understanding of relationship between electricity
and magnetism by creating
a magnetic field. To make an electromagnet and explain
how and why it works.
Resources Needed:
Warm-up activity Bar magnet Plastic bag (facilitates
clean-up), Lead filings. Paper (8x11)
Teacher Spool of wire,Scissors,Paper clips, Battery
(size may vary)
Student Length of wire (about 15 cm), D
cell battery,Nail (about 8 cm)
Your
Task
Warm-up Activity
Place bar magnet in plastic bag.
Put paper on top of paper so that magnet is approximately in the
middle of the paper. Shake lead filings onto paper where magnet is.
Be prepared to share your observations
and explain them.
Teacher Activity
Children must use eyes and ears only!
POSITIVELY NO MOUTH!
Children observe while teacher demonstrates that scissors
by
themselves are not magnets.
Teacher takes coil of wire,and attaches ends of wire to
battery.
Teacher inserts scissors in center of coil and attempts
to pick up paper clips. SUCCESS! Scissors
are now magnets. Tell why --- continue discussion until connection is made
to warm-up activity.
Student Activity
Student pick up nail and attempt to use it as a magnet.
Student wraps length of wire around nail leaving ends
of
wire and pointed end of nail exposed.
Attach these ends to D cell battery.
Use this end of nail to pick up paper clips. Why does
this
work? Continue discussion until connection is made
with both other activities.
Your
Task 
