ACTIVITIES
Make a Simple Circuit:
Provide students with a battery, a small lightbulb, and a piece of wire with alligator clips.
Instruct them to connect the battery, lightbulb, and wire to create a basic circuit.
Discuss how the flow of electrons creates electricity and makes the lightbulb glow.
Exploring Magnets:
Provide magnets of various shapes and sizes to the students.
Let them experiment with the magnets by attracting or repelling objects made of metal (paperclips, small coins).
Discuss how magnets have north and south poles and how they interact with each other and with magnetic materials.
Paperclip Chain Challenge:
Give each student a paperclip and a small magnet.
Challenge them to see how many paperclips they can pick up with their magnet within a set time limit.
Discuss the magnetic force and how it attracts the paperclips.
Static Electricity with Balloons:
Inflate a balloon and rub it against your hair or a piece of fabric to create static electricity.
Show how the balloon can attract small pieces of paper or make someone's hair stand up when brought close.
Explain the concept of static electricity and how it works.
Magnet vs. Non-Magnetic Objects:
Provide a collection of objects, some magnetic (e.g., paperclips, iron nails) and some non-magnetic (e.g., plastic, wood).
Have students test each object with a magnet and sort them into two groups based on whether they are attracted to the magnet or not.
Discuss the difference between magnetic and non-magnetic materials.
Build a Mini Compass:
Provide a small bowl of water, a sewing needle, and a small piece of cork.
Instruct students to magnetize the needle by rubbing it against a magnet.
Place the magnetized needle on the cork and float it in the bowl of water.
Observe how the needle aligns itself with the Earth's magnetic field, acting like a simple compass.