Text Type:
Fact / Informational Text
Reading Level:
P
Word Count:
836
Pages:
15
Text Summary
Magnetism introduces the reader to the basic principles of the magnetic force field. The text, photos, and illustrations explain how a magnetic field is created, what it looks like, and how it works. Examples are provided to illustrate the many uses of magnets in the modern world. In addition, the text includes hands-on experiments that children can try themselves to experience this invisible force.
Lesson Objectives
Reading Strategies
Children should use a variety of strategies to determine word meaning and comprehend text. The targeted strategy for this lesson is: Look for keywords that help establish meaning.
Children will encounter new words and abstract ideas in this book. Several key words, magnet, attract, and lines of force will appear repeatedly throughout the text. Mastery of these three will allow children to grasp the main idea of the text, providing a sense of accomplishment in learning. At the same time, mastery of these three terms teaches them that the identification of key words is a learning tool.
Word and Print Skills
Phonics
digraph -or
Word Work
Verb tenses
Root words
Comprehension
You will likely address a number of comprehension skills as children work to understand the text. The targeted comprehension strategy for this lesson is: Cause and effect.
Using questions, experimental observation, and critical thinking skills, children will examine magnetic principles and application. Use of a KWL chart gives children a framework for approaching scientific phenomena.
Visual Learning
The pictures should be used be used to reinforce what children read by asking them to summarize the content of pictures. During the hands on experiments, children will see the text come to life.
Targeted Vocabulary Words
Content words
electromagnet, generator, lodestone, magnetism, magnet, magnetic field, pole, core, force, north
Before Reading
Introducing the Book
Review the idea of cause and effect. Say: We are going to be reading a book about a scientific principle called Magnetism. Scientists discover things. They want to know "if we do this what happens and why does it happen." This is called cause and effect. We already know something about this idea. For example: What happens if I put my hand on a hot pan? What happens if forget to water my plant? What happens if I drop my pencil? Today we are going to learn about what would happen if there were no magnetism.
Bring (or have children bring) a variety of refrigerator magnets from home. Explain to children that they will be reading a book about magnetism. But before the reading begins, the class will talk about what they already know and conduct a short experiment.
Hold up several of the magnets so that they can see the magnet side. Ask: What is this called? What does it do? Have children wander around the classroom (outside if weather permits) trying to stick the magnets on various surfaces or to pick up small objects. Have children compare the strengths of different magnets by seeing how many paper clips a magnet will hold. Allow them to feel the force required to remove a weak magnet versus a strong magnet from a position. Once they have finished, make a list on the blackboard with two headings: Will stick to/ Will not stick to. Ask children to give suggestions for the list based on what they discovered.
Ask: What other uses do magnets have besides sticking things to the refrigerator? What happened when you put the magnet against wood?
Initiate a KWL chart. In the K section of the chart, entitled What We Know, write down all the uses for magnets that children know about and what they discovered during the experiment with refrigerator magnets. Include any incidental and correct information that children know about the topic.
In the W section of the chart, entitled What We Would Like to Know, list several questions that came up during the discover session. For example: Why does the magnet stick to some kinds of metal surfaces and not to others? What causes some magnets to be stronger than others? Why won’t the magnet stick to wood or glass? How are magnets made? What are they made of? What uses do they have besides sticking things to refrigerators? What can we do with magnets? What would happen if there were no magnetism? Encourage children to generate their own questions.
Before handing out the book, show the front and back covers, and the title page. Ask: What do you see on the front and back covers? What do you think the book will be about? What do you think we will learn?
Book Walk
Handout the book and let children follow along.
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Reading Strategies
There are some new words in this text. Pronounce them and write them on the board before children begin reading. Instruct children to watch for key words as they read—magnet, attract, and lines of force—and instruct children that they will see variations such as magnetism or magnetic. If you are not reusing the books for other classes, have children underline these keywords with a highlighter.
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Think Aloud
Sometimes we see new words when we read. Today we will try one method, which is to write down the unfamiliar word and check the dictionary or ask someone later.
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During Reading
Student Reading
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Have children read page 4.
Ask: What are the items included in the picture? Why did the author include these pictures in the book?
Have children read pages 5–8.
Ask: What is magnetism? What metal is used to make magnets? What is in the picture on page 6?
Have someone draw a picture of a bar magnet on the blackboard, marked with north and south poles.
Ask: Where is the force the strongest? The weakest? What does the word attract mean? What does the word repel mean? What happens if the north pole of one magnet is placed by the north pole of another magnet? What happens if you put the north pole of one magnet by the south pole of another magnet?
Have children read page 9.
Try the experiment according to the text directions.
Ask: Were you surprised at what happened? Do you think if we tried it with two different magnets the same thing would happen?
If possible repeat the experiment with other sets of magnets
Have children read pages 10-11
Have someone draw a bar magnet with the lines of force and the north and south pole.
Ask: Where is the strongest force? The weakest?
Have someone draw a second bar magnet on the board with more lines of force that are farther spread out to represent a stronger magnet.
Ask: What causes the magnet to be stronger?
Have someone add additional lines of force to the drawing.
Ask: According to the book, how could we see the invisible magnetic field?
If possible, obtain iron fillings and a magnet to replicate the illustration shown on page 11.
Ask: What is causing the iron bits to form this pattern? Do you think this pattern happens with every magnet?
If possible, repeat the experiment with a different magnet.
Have children read page 12.
Try the experiment according to the text directions.
Ask: What do you think we could do with a very, very strong magnetic force? Why would it be useful to pick up large things like a car?
Have children read pages 13–14.
Ask: What happens when a wire is passed though a magnet’s lines of force? What is an electromagnet?
Have children read page 16.
Try the experiment according to the text directions.
Ask: What happens if we disconnect the wire from the battery?
What is the advantage of an electromagnet?
Have children read pages 17–21.
Ask: How does a compass work?
If possible, bring a functional compass and have children walk to various places in the classroom or
playground. Have them report on what they discovered.
Ask: What causes the needle of the compass to move? What direction does the needle move?
If we wanted more information about compasses where could we find it?
After Reading
Comprehending the Text
Ask: Did anyone find an example of cause and effect in the book?
Ask: What would happen if there were no magnetism? Have children review page 4 if they have trouble with the answer. Write No Magnetism on the board with an arrow that points to no television, no tape recorders, no computers, no electricity, etc. This will help them complete the cause and effect worksheet.
Check children’s understanding and recall of the text by using a few questions. (These questions could also be given as a homework assignment.)
Ask: What are some everyday objects that depend on magnetism? What are magnets made out of? What happens if two magnets are put together? What causes a magnet to become a stronger magnet? How could we show the invisible lines of force around a small magnet? What does a generator do? If children have trouble remembering the answers, Ask: What can we do if we don’t remember what we have read?
Think Aloud
Sometimes new information is difficult to remember, so we have to go back and reread the text.
Complete the KWL. Address the questions that were generated in the Before Reading period.
Ask: What can we do if we have a question, but our book does not contain the answers to our question? Have children brainstorm for places and methods to find the information not included in the book.
Have them complete Worksheet 1.
Visual Learning
Have children summarize several of the pictures in the text. This can be done either immediately after children read the section or after they have completed the text.
Pictures on pages 4, 6, 8, 10, 18, 19 contain content that is specific to the text. Ask: What do you see in the picture on page_____? What did we learn about these items?
The pictures on pages 5, 13, 14, 15, 20, and the back cover will be more difficult because the text does not provide a direct comment about the content of these pictures. Ask broad questions to allow children some leeway in interpreting these pictures. For example: Say: Tell us something about the picture on page_____. Ask: What do you think about the picture on page_____?
Building Skills
Phonics
digraph or
There are words in the text that provide the opportunity to review the digraph or:
refrigerator, for, force, horseshoe, core, north, or, generator, important, explorers, doors, information, doctors
Review these words and repeat them out loud several times. Review sentences that use these words in the book and have children read them out loud: refrigerator (page 4), for (pages 4, 17), force (pages 5, 8, 10, 11, 13, 20, 21, 22) horseshoe (page 6), core (page 7), north (pages 7, 8, 9), or (pages 4, 9, 12), generator (pages 14, 22), explorers (page 17), doors, (page 18), information, (page 18), doctors (page 20),
Sing this silly song using digraph or words to the tune of Jingle Bells.
Let’s explore, let’s explore,
Words that rhyme with door.
Core and wore and chore and bore, we know words galore. Heh!
Let’s get more, let’s get more
Words that rhyme with horn.
Thorn and worn and morn and born, now let’s go eat corn! Heh!
Word Work
Verb tenses
attract, repel
Use common verbs from the text such as pull, push, and lift on page 5.
Review the forms of verb tenses, pull(s) (present), pulled (past), pulled (past participle), pulling (present participle). The teacher emphasizes the -ed and -ing endings as each word is pronounced. Ask children to pronounce the three forms of the verbs (i.e., pull, pulled, pulling) Write several simple sentences on the board and ask children to identify if the action is happening in the present or the past.
For example:
Please push that chair next to the table.
Jane pulled out the lamp plug.
He is lifting weights for exercise.
Introduce the new verbs attract, and repel.
Ask: What does attract mean? What does repel mean? Review the definitions of the words. Ask children to pronounce the three forms of the verbs.
Give an example of the use of each form and have children identify past and present action.
My lunch attracts flies.
My lunch attracted many flies.
Many flies were attracted to my lunch.
Your lunch is attracting a lot of flies right now!
Review sentences in the text that use attract and repel. Read several of these sentences in class (pages 8, 9). Ask children to identify whether the verb tense is past or present. Have them write a few sentences using the verb attract.
Root words
magnet,
Ask: What is a magnet? Review the idea of root word and have children identify some sentences in the text that include the root. (The root word magnet occurs 90 times in the book, including cover, table of contents, headings, text, and glossary). Have children identify all the prefixes and suffixes that are attached to magnet: ism, ic, s, electro Ask: What other suffixes could we add to magnet? Remind them of verb tenses (above) if they are unable to spontaneously identify the -ed and -ing forms (magnetizing, magnetized).
Worksheet 2 can be completed quietly as an individual work exercise, or as a competition for speed and accuracy according to the teacher’s time frame. (There are 17 versions of magnet embedded in the worksheet.)
Expand the Reading
Writing Connection
Children can write a short story about an imaginary superhero called Magnet Man, a superhero with magnetic abilities who fights for truth, justice, and the other superhero causes. Their stories and ideas can be used later in Art Connection.
Art Connection
Have children draw a cartoon panel or create a picture book to accompany their story about Magnet Man.
Reading Independently
Have children read the book with a partner. Each partner should share his orher list of new and unfamiliar words. Partners can help each other with the definitions and meaning by talking or using the dictionary.
Home Connection
Send the book home to be read to or with family members. Adults can also consult this Web site for additional information http://www.execpc.com/~rhoadley/magindex.htm
Families can visit local science museums and exhibits to view magnets and magnetism displays.
Assessment
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