Read this to the class:
A magician at a birthday party put a paper clip on top of a table. She held her hand underneath, and the paper clip slid across the table all by itself. The kids gasped. One of them whispered, "There's a magnet in her hand. But magnets can't work through a table... can they?" Your team's job: find out what a magnet's pull can pass through, and what stops it.
Teams of three, with three jobs that rotate after each material: Holder (holds the magnet), Tester (places the paper clip and materials), Recorder (writes yes or no and counts cards).
In the full lesson PDF
- Bet (5–10 min)
- Hunt (20 min)
- Reveal (10–15 min)
- Act (10 min)
- Background for the teacher
- Assessment
- Student sheet
US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white. The student sheet is on its own page, ready to photocopy.