Technology Integrated Lesson Plans


Lesson Plan Title		 Electromagnets
Developed by Kimberly Schaunaman  (Cooperating Teacher) and Korrie Face (Student Teacher)
Subject Area Science
Topic Electromagnetism
Grade Level 3-5
Lesson Summary      In this lesson, the students will tie together what they have learned about electricity and magnetism.  They will be able to see how the two are related and that one can make the other.  The students will learn about electromagnetism and the many uses for it in our daily lives.
Standards National Content Standards
Science Standards (K-4)
Content Standard B: Physical Science
B3: Light, heat, electricity, and magnetism
National Educational Technology Standards
5. Use technology tools (e.g., multimedia authoring, presentation, Web tools, digital cameras, scanners) for individual and collaborative writing, communication, and publishing activities to create knowledge products for audiences inside and outside the classroom.
Lesson Objectives Upon completion of instruction, the students will have:
  1. Defined what an electromagnet is and how it is used. 
  2. Observed the effect of electricity on a magnetic material. 
  3. Realized that a generator is produced from magnets and an energy source. 
  4. Created a bar graph using the computer. 
Assessment Students should show understanding of electromagnets and generators and how they are used.  Students will label materials that can be used to create magnets with electricity.  The bar graphs should be made correctly according to the information that the students recorded.
Technology to be Used Computer with spreadsheet and graphing software
Other Materials 6 volt battery, nail, wooden pencil, a long spool of electrical wire (so students have plenty), paper clips
Procedural Activities
  1. Have all materials placed on a table when class starts.  Ask students to explain how each of these objects relate to the topic of electricity and magnetism.  Explain that electricity can be used to create magnetism and magnets can be used to create electricity. 
  2. Connect the wire to the 6 volt battery and wind the wire around a nail several times. 
  3. Attempt to pick up paper clips with the tip of the nail.  Record the results. 
  4. Wind the wire around the nail more times and try again.  The nail should be able to pick up more nails with more wraps of wire.  Do this approximately 5 more times, increasing the number of winds around the nail 20 times each trial.  Record the results. 
  5. Repeat steps 2-4 with the wooden pencil. 
  6. Ask students why the nail would pick up paper clips and the pencil would not.  (The pencil is not attracted to the magnet and cannot take on magnetic qualities.) 
  7. Ask students to list materials that can be made into magnets. 
  8. Discuss with students that magnets can make electricity.  A generator used magnets with an energy source to create electricity. 
  9. Ask the students for uses of an electromagnet and a generator. 
  10. Students will diagram a unique example for the use on an electromagnet in their everyday lives.  They must state why it is useful to have the electromagnet for this use. 
  11. Students use information they recorded to create a bar graph showing how many paper clips the nail picked up each time. 


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