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You are here: Home / Education / Magnet activities for STEM kids – and compasses

Magnet activities for STEM kids – and compasses

March 3, 2017 by Lisa Grable 2 Comments

People have been fascinated by magnetism since early times and kids enjoy magnet activities. This STEM activity uses a variety of magnets to show the force around the magnet and compasses to help show direction of the force.Magnet activities use compasses, iron filings, and other metal items for STEM experiments. Kids learn magnetism and forces and interactions.

Safety note: Be sure to explain safety precautions to children. The magnet activities use magnets and iron filings. Never let any child under 6 play with magnetic toys unsupervised. Never put a magnet in your mouth. If powerful magnets are swallowed, they attract each other internally and cause extremely serious injury. Disclaimer: All information provided on this site is for entertainment and education purposes only. Using any information from thecasabouquet.com is at your own risk.

Instructions for magnet activities and compasses

  • Put your compasses on a flat surface, away from magnets. Observe how the needles lines up. (Usually red points North).magnet-compasses
  • Using one magnet at a time, place the magnet in with the compasses. Move the magnet around. Try it upright from the surface. Try both sides of round or refrigerator magnets. Observe the compass needles. Can you identify the N and S on all your magnets?magnet-compass-field-lines
  • Put iron filings in a well-sealed plastic bag. Move the magnet around the bag. Observe the iron filings. Do not allow the iron filings near the magnets, they are almost impossible to remove!
  • Try other metal objects with the magnets. Metal paper clips and cut up pipe cleaners are fun to try. Cut the pipe cleaner into 2-inch sections with wire cutters or scissors.
    magnet-compass-pipecleaner
    magnet-compass-cutpieces

    Magnet activities use compasses, iron filings, and other metal items for STEM experiments. Kids learn magnetism and forces and interactions.
    magnet-compass-sticky

What questions can you answer with the magnets and compasses? Is the North pole on a magnet the same as the North pole of the Earth? Where are the poles on a round magnet? A flat refrigerator magnet?

Supplies

Affiliate links: if you make a purchase using these links, I’ll receive a small compensation towards maintaining this blog, at no extra cost to you.

  • Magnet wand, bar magnet, ceramic bar magnet , or round ceramic magnetmagnet-compass-magnets
  • Refrigerator magnets, salt and pepper kissing
  • Compass 0.6 inch diameter
  • Iron filings or hand warmer
  • Pipe cleaners
  • Metal paper clips
  • Optional: Magnetic field demonstration plate
  • Or Magnetic field demonstrator

What is the science?

https://casabouquet.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/magnet-compass-titled.mp4

Content: structure and properties of matter, forces and interactions, magnetic field, magnetic force

Magnets are metals that have a magnetic field and can attract other metals. They are usually made from iron or iron alloys, but cobalt and neodymium are also used.

Earth’s core has a lot of iron and the Earth’s magnetic field goes through the core, out through the poles and through space. The field lines are a way to represent the directions of the force the magnet can exert. The picture of the field lines is similar to the field lines around a bar magnet. (You can see these lines by carefully putting iron filings in a well-sealed resealable plastic bag. Spread the filings out inside the bag. Lay the bar magnet on top of the bag and observe the pattern the filings make.) A compass needle lines itself up with the Earth’s magnetic field.

Resource links for STEM magnet activities

  • http://www.parents.com/blogs/toddlers-kids/2015/03/05/fun/irresistible-activities-to-do-with-magnets/
    • 8 magnet activities from Parents magazine
  • https://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/News%20Features/SwallowingDangers2012_1.pdf
    • Swallowing dangers from the American Academy of Pediatrics
  • http://www.coolmagnetman.com/magindex.htm
    • Facts and experiments from the Magnet Man
  • http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_ideas/BioChem_p027.shtml#procedure
    • Testing breakfast cereal for iron from Science Buddies
  • https://www.khanacademy.org/science/physics/magnetic-forces-and-magnetic-fields/magnetic-field-current-carrying-wire/a/what-are-magnetic-fields
    • Magnetic fields from Khan Academy
  • http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/magnetic/magearth.html
    • Magnetic field of the earth from Georgia State University
  • http://www.usgs.gov/faq/node/2735
    • How a compass works from the US Geological Survey

magnet-compass-testingI’ll be looking for comments below, or contact me at lisa [at] thecasabouquet[dot]com.horizontal bar with plumeria

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Filed Under: Education, Science Tagged With: compass science project, magnetism, magnets and compass, science experiment, STEM, STEM activity

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Comments

  1. Marilyn Lesniak

    March 13, 2017 at 12:02 pm

    Thank you for sharing your wonderful post at #OverTheMoon. I look forward to what you will share next week! Like someone in person today! We hope you’ll come back again next Sunday when we open our doors at 6:00 PM EST. Pinned and tweeted!

    Reply
    • Lisa Grable

      March 13, 2017 at 2:49 pm

      Hey Marilyn, I enjoy the #OverTheMoon party and try not to miss it! I find so many great posts for my Pinterest boards!

      Reply

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Lisa Grable, Casa BouquetI’m an educator, grandmother, classic movie fan, sewer and crafter, and I love Hawaii. Read more about me …

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