magnet experiments

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magnet experiments
By Jenn

I teach grade three in Ontario, Canada and we studied magnets earlier in the year. An experiment I did with my students was present them with a problem. (This is done once students have been introduced to the idea of north
and south poles). I first gave them two toy cars, two elastics and two bar magnets. The problem they needed to work through is...How can you make one of the cars move without touching it. You must use all of the materials given to you. For that age you may need to prompt or give more direction. Students should be able to fasten the magnets on each of the cars with the elastic bands.

Once they have done this, they can use the one car to push the other car away because of the like poles repelling one another. Students responded that their cars were dancing! Very effective to demonstrate repelling.
Hope it works