Year 3 Science Forces and Magnets Block 3FM Amazing Magnets

Year 3 Science Forces and Magnets – Block 3FM – Amazing Magnets

Session 2: Acting Forces
Science curriculum area: Forces and Magnets / i. notice that some forces need contact between two objects, but magnetic forces can act at a distance
Working Scientifically (LKS2) / i. asking relevant questions and using different types of scientific enquiries to answer them
ii. setting up simple practical enquiries, comparative and fair tests
iii. using results to draw simple conclusions, make predictions for new values, suggest improvements and raise further questions
Teaching Objectives /

To ask questions and answer themby planning and carrying out afair test
To explore forces and discover that gravity and magnetism can act without contact

Other Curriculum areas / Maths - Statistics

interpret and present data using bar charts, pictograms and tables

Teaching Objectives /

To enter data into a table, compare values and interpret it

Key Vocabulary: forces, pushes, pulls, gravity, contact, magnet, magnetism, fair test, results, table
Resources
Printouts of the Sporty Forces resources – the Team Sheets and the Teacher’s Score sheet, Sporty Forces PowerPoint, how to play Sporty Forces, teaching PowerPoint, Teacher’s Notes, a big box of paperclips, a small piece of stiff card per ch (12 x 8 cm approx.), a class set of magnets – enough for 1 each if possible (you will need a number of different types, e.g. horseshoe, bar, disk, wand), A3 copies of the task sheet – 1 per group of 3 chn, A4 copies of results tables available for use by groups during investigation, pens, pencils, rulers, A4 sheets of coloured paper or card (to write down the chn’s questions), marker pen, some metal bearings, clear storage boxes that can be filled with water, other equipment may vary
Whole Class:Before the session read the Teachers’ Notes on how to play Sporty Forces, the general Teachers’ Notesfor the session and watch the 2 PowerPoint presentations they refer to.
Remember Mr Newton asked us last session to help him with activities for the British Scientific Society Science Fair? Well he was so grateful when I told him we have agreed to help and he sends you his thanks. Can you remember the theme for the fair this year? Yes: forces. Last session you all became experts at forces. Let’s recap on what we know by playing a game called Sporty Forces. Show the PowerPoint and play the game. Wow, I am so impressed by your knowledge of forces! Think about all the different ways that forces were at work in those sports. Did every force (push or pull) need touch (contact) between 2 objects? Encourage the chn to look back at their sheet – hopefully someone will mention that the pull of gravity does not need contact (touch). A ball is thrown or kicked into the air (a push through contact with a hand or foot) it will then be pulled back down to the ground by gravity (but nothing touched it). Are there any other ways that forces can act without contact? Give each ch a paperclipand a piece of stiff card to put it on. How can you make the paperclipmove without touching it? Allow the chn time to explore this. Yes, you could tilt the card it’s sitting on – gravity will make it slide downhill but is there any other way it could move without contact? Some chn will probably suggest blowing it along. If you can blow the paperclip along, is it a contact or non-contact force? Yes it is a contact force because although you can’t see it, the moving air has to touch (make contact with) the paperclip. A ch may suggest using a magnet but if not ask – What would happen if I used a magnet? Take suggestions. Let’s investigate. Give every ch a magnet. Try to make your paperclip move without contact. Allow the chn time to explore for a few minutes before sharing their findings. What have we learnt? That magnets (like gravity) can act without contact.Do you remember Mr Newton wanted us to focus on magnetic forces for our activities for the science fair? So let’s find out a bit more about magnets. Show the teaching PowerPoint.
Activities: Divide the class into mixed ability groups of 3. Share out the questions generated by the class and those on the PowerPoint if they are different (remember to put to one side questions on which materials are attracted to magnets and questions about polarisation or attraction/ repulsion between different magnets – these will be tackled inanother session – see Teachers’ Notes). Some groups will take the same question.Give each group an A3 copy of the task sheet and ask them to plan their own scientific investigation/test that will answer their question. They should fill in the green section on the task sheet. Once a group has a plan in place, check it through with them. Ask questions to help adjust the plan where necessary, e.g. Will it be fair if …?Once a feasible plan is in place the group should gather their resources and carry out their test. There are 2 different results tables provided to help record findings. Teacher to support as needed.
Plenary / Gather the chn together with their task and results tables. Can you use your results to help you answer your question? What have you discovered? Were your predictions correct? Encourage the groups to discuss their findings and fill out the yellow section on the task sheet. Has your investigation made you think of more questions? Share these and discuss them with the class. Congratulate the chn on their scientific thinking and skills.
Outcomes / Children will

Play a game in teams to explore and show the different ways forces can act in different sports
Actively investigate how some forces can act without contact (gravity and magnetism)
Explore magnetism, ask questions and attempt to answer them by planning and carrying out a fair test
Tabulate results and use them to draw conclusions and raise further questions

We refer you to our warning, at the foot of the block overview, about links to other websites.