Generating Questions about Magnetism

After completing a diagnostic, Emily asked each group to come up with questions related to magnetism that they could answer by using materials in the classroom. Group #1 decided to test the question: how strong are different shaped magnets? They tested this by holding various magnets at the end of a ruler and seeing how close a paperclip needed to be before it reached the magnet’s force field. They found that the square magnet they were testing was stronger than the circle. Group #2 came up with the question: what’s the deal with different shaped magnets? They wanted to test the difference between a U-shaped magnet versus a circular magnet. They found out that the U-shaped magnet was strongest at its tips and weakest in the curve.