Magnet Lapbook/Unit Study

We learned all about magnets!

This unit study was Levi's request, I had all the supplies, so we went for it.   It was mostly based on the Magic School Bus book "Amazing Magnetism".   Lapbook materials can be found from Ye Shall Know here. 

We did magnet painting.  Piece of paper in a box, and a magnet underneath.  We dipped paperclips, ball shaped magnets and other small magnets in paint and put them on the paper, then used the magnet underneath to move them around spreading the paint.  

This is an electromagnet we made.  We have made these before several times with Mr. Science.   They were also discussed in the Magic School Bus book.   Its a wire, wrapped around and around a large nail.  The ends of the wite have the casing removed (a challenging task for Levi with pliers! Hold the wire on each end of the battery, and the exposed nail head becomes a magnet!   Levi observed that the wires quickly get hot, so be careful with that!  

We made our own compass, also discussed in the book.  

Here is how to do it:

In addition to the lapbook and reading the Magic School Bus book, we also did a lot of just playing around with magnets of all shapes and sizes.  Comparing strength, lifting power, attracting and repelling, arranging the magnets close together but not sticking, etc.    We used ring shaped magnets and a pencil to make magnets float, and tried to make magnets flip over using their ability to repel.  

This is Levi's finished lapbook:
 All of these are from the Ye Shall Know lapbook except "Magnet Riddles" which I got directly from the Magic School Bus book (I typed them up with a space for him to fill in answers)

On the other side of the blue flap is his magnet painting. 

This is Levi's presentation of his lapbook:  

This was a quick one, but fun!   Now we are studying Explorers!