Is this magnetic?!

For this activity, you will be given a bag of objects! One at a time, you will close your eyes, stick your hand in the bag, and pull out one single object. After you have your object, with your group, you will determine if the object is magnetic or not. Make sure you pay attention to each others objects!

Lets watch this short video first! http://www.teachertube.com/video/bill-nye-magnetism-edited-312554

What did we just learn about magnets?

How are magnets used in our everyday lives?

Are all things magnetic?

What are some materials that are magnetic?

What makes certain objects magnetic?

After your materials manager has picked up your groups bag of objects and worksheets, you will determine your roles and write them at the top of your worksheet. For this activity, you will work as a group to blindly pull objects out of the bag, determine whether they are magnetic or not, and record them on your t-chart worksheet. Make sure you are paying attention to the rest of your group, as you will need to know about each and every object in the bag. You will also need to write a reflection at the end of the activity, so pay close attention and ask a lot of questions! The roles are as followed:

1. Materials manager: in charge of retrieving all of the materials necessary for the activity. Materials manager is also in charge of running clean up to ensure the groups gets everything put away in the proper place.

2. Time keeper: ensures the group is staying on task and is doing so in a timely manner. The activity needs to be done by the end of the block, so this person is in charge of making sure the group works efficiently.

3. Recorder: writes down the objects that are magnetic and the objects that are not.

4. Team captain: this student will be in charge of regulating what part of the activity the group is on. The team captain will also inform the group of when it is time to move onto another part. The team captain must be responsible and encourage the group to work well.

1. After you have decided your roles, determine the order that you will choose items from the bag.
2. The first students will reach his or her hand in the bag, not looking, and pull out one object.
3. As a group, you will use your magnet to determine whether or not the object is magnetic.
4. After you make your decision, your recorder will write it down on the proper side of the t-chart (magnetic or not magnetic.)
5. It is then the next persons turn.
6. You will go through this process until all objects have been taken from the bag and recorded.
7. After all the objects are recorded by the recorder, the rest of the group will write them into their t-chart and draw a small corresponding picture.
8. Once your pictures are drawn and your t-chart is completed, the group work is done.
9. Individually, you will write a short reflection on two things that you learned from this activity and two things you are still confused about. You can answer the questions: Did any of the objects surprise you? What makes some objects magnetic and others not? Name a few other objects that you believe would be magnetic.

Rubric:

The final part of this activity is an individual reflection. Each person in the group will have their own reflection based on their own ideas and thoughts. The reflection must be thoroughly thought out and contain only your own ideas. I would also like each team member to rate their other team members on a scale of 1-3, 1 being the team member did not participate or contribute at all, 2 being the team member put in the bare minimum, and 3 being the team member was an active part of the group and contributed their thought. Please answer the questions:

Did any of the objects surprise you?

What makes some objects magnetic and others not?

Name a few other objects that you believe would be magnetic.

Name one thing you learned from another teammate.

List two things you learned today and two things that you are still confused about.

Here is the video you will watch:

http://www.teachertube.com/video/bill-nye-magnetism-edited-312554