Unit 7.- Activities

ACTIVITIES

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.