Attraction and resistance

In Years 3 and 4, children should be introduced to the concepts of magnetism, air resistance and friction. Experimental and investigative work should involve activities such as sorting magnetic and non-magnetic materials and exploring the factors that affect friction and air resistance. Children should also learn how to take measurements with a forcemeter in order to collect evidence during their investigations. Use the activity suggestions below and the ‘Forces in action’ poster to develop and extend some of the tasks suggested in the QCA Schemes of Work.

Activity: Pulling power! Y3-4

1. Explain to the children that some metals can be made into magnets. Demonstrate this by making your own magnets:
   • Place a safety pin and a steel paper clip next to each other and observe what happens. Ask the children to guess what will happen if the objects are rubbed with a bar magnet.
   • Stroke the bar magnet along both objects several times and put them next to each other again. They should now be magnetised and should react as magnets, although they may attract better than they repel. Did anyone predict this?