Your Child Will Learn
The scientific process and an introductory understanding of magnets
Here’s What to Do
- Find a magnet (like one from the fridge). Gather a bunch of small objects made out of different materials (examples: stones, shells, coins, paper clips, aluminum foil, cotton, paper, plastic toys, other magnets).
- Ask your child to predict which objects will be magnetic. Have them sort the objects into two piles: things your child thinks will be magnetic, and things that won’t be. Ask them why they sorted things this way.
- Test your child’s hypotheses. Touch the magnet to each object and see if it’s attracted to the magnet. If any predictions were incorrect, move the object into the correct pile.
- Does your child notice anything about the two final piles?
Put PEER Into Action
PAUSE
- Set up your experiment in a space free of distractions. Is everything set? We’re ready to start!
ENGAGE
- “Can you put these things into two piles: one for objects you think the magnet will stick to, and one for objects you don’t think the magnet will stick to? Why did you sort the objects this way?”
- “Touch the magnet to the coin. Do they stick together?”
ENCOURAGE
- “It looks like your prediction was not correct. That’s great, that means you’re learning something from this experiment!”
- “What did you learn when you tried the paper clip? Does that make you want to change your guesses about any of the other objects?”
REFLECT
- “What do you notice about the pile of things that the magnet stuck to? Is there anything that all those objects have in common?”
Not Quite Ready
Before you test each object, ask your child to make a prediction about whether or not it will stick. Sort items into “magnetic” and “not magnetic” piles after you test each one.
Ready for More
Try the experiment with different magnets and observe if the results are different.
As Your Child Masters This Skill
They will understand how to make a hypothesis, do an experiment to test their guesses, and report the results of the experiment.
Time to Complete
15-20 minutes
Materials Needed
A magnet (like one from the fridge), a bunch of small objects made out of different materials (examples: stones, shells, coins, paper clips, aluminum foil, cotton, paper, plastic toy, other magnets)