Curated OER
Paper Clip Walk
Fifth graders investigate the behavior of magnetism using magnets. They discuss magnetic force, and conduct an experiment, testing how many paper plates can be stacked together before the force of the magnetic field no longer affects a...
Curated OER
Teaching About Magnets in Kindergarten
Students explore magnets through the five lessons of this unit. The everyday uses of magnets and an awareness of magnetic attraction form the basis of the skills presented in these lessons.
Curated OER
Magnetism and the Magnetic Force
Fourth graders investigate magnetism and the magnetic force.
Curated OER
Magnetism in Action
Third graders experiment with magnetic force and magnetic fields. They examine how magnetic forces can act through a distance.
University of Colorado
University of Colorado: Ph Et Interactive Simulations: Faraday's Electromagnetic Lab
This interactive lab in electromagnetics effectively illustrates how Faraday's law works.
University of Florida
University of Florida: Episodes in Romantic Science
One of the "Episodes in Romantic Science," this is as complete as a biography gets without being a book. Includes great information about Oersted and his electromagnetic work, The definitive source. Heavily footnoted with many additional...
American Association of Physics Teachers
Com Padre Digital Library: Open Source Physics: Magnetic Bar Field Model
A bar magnet model built by placing a group of magnetic dipoles along the magnet. This simulation shows the magnetic field of a bar magnet, and has a movable compass which shows the magnetic field values.
![Federal Aviation Administration: How to Make a Compass [Pdf] Activity](https://d15y2dacu3jp90.cloudfront.net/images/attachment_defaults/resource/large/FPO-knovation.png "Federal Aviation Administration: How to Make a Compass [Pdf] Activity")
Other
Federal Aviation Administration: How to Make a Compass [Pdf]
Learn what a compass is, how it works, and how you can create a simple one using a sewing needle, magnet, bowl of water, and a piece of paper.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Force on a Current Carrying Wire
Students use a simple set up consisting of a current carrying wire and a magnet to explore the forces which enable biomedical imaging. In doing so, students run a current through a wire and then hold magnets in various positions to...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: May the Magnetic Force Be With You
This lesson begins with a demonstration of the deflection of an electron beam. Learners then review their knowledge of the cross product and the right hand rule with sample problems. After which, students study the magnetic force on a...
Utah State Office of Education
Utah Science: Magnetized
A unit all about magnets! Explore magnetic forces, types of magnets, and more through these informative activities.
Georgia State University
Georgia State University: Hyper Physics: Electricity and Magnetism
Georgia State University provides an indexing page for several other pages at the same site which contain information on electricity and magnetism concepts. Pages linked from this page contain many informative graphics, equations,...
NASA
Nasa: Oersted and Ampere Link Electricity
NASA provides a nice blending of the achievements of three scientists, Oersted, Ampere, and Maxwell. This done by NASA-sponsored International Solar-Terrestrial Physics group. Lots of pictures, diagrams, and scientific explanation. Good...
Wolfram Research
Wolfram Science World: Maxwell, James
This ScienceWorld site describes the Scottish mathematician and physicist James Maxwell (1831-1879) who published physical and mathematical theories of the electromagnetic field.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating Motors and Magnetism
Young scholars will build a simple DC motor out of metal coat hangers, a 24-guage wire armature and field magnet, 14-guage wire brushes, and build the motor so that it rotates when connected to a 10-volt DC power supply. Students will...
American Association of Physics Teachers
Com Padre Digital Library: Open Source Physics: Magnetic Force Three Wires Model
Investigate the idea of the force between straight current-carrying wires in this magnetic force simulation. See if you can rank the wires from largest to smallest based on the magnitude of their currents.
American Association of Physics Teachers
Com Padre Digital Library: Open Source Physics: Magnetic Multipole Field Model
A simulation which shows the field of a magnetic dipole or quadrupole using compass needles indicating direction and relative field strength. Change the angular orientation of the dipole, and a movable compass shows the magnetic field...
American Association of Physics Teachers
Com Padre Digital Library: Open Source Physics: E X B Trajectory Model
Simulate the motion of a charged particle in electric and magnetic fields, and then complete the equations of motion using the Lorentz force law.
American Association of Physics Teachers
Com Padre Digital Library: Open Source Physics: Charge in Magnetic Field Model
An electromagnetic simulation which replicates moving charged particles in two identical magnetic fields separated by a zero magnetic field gap.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Curie Temperature
In this experiment, students experience the Curie point--and what happens when a piece of iron gets too hot to attract a magnet.
Other
The James Clerk Maxwell Foundation
The home page of the The James Clerk Maxwell Foundation, a charitable foundation to commemorate the life and work of James Clerk Maxwell. View Maxwell's house and read about the personal life of this notable scientist.
Canada Science and Technology Museum
Canada Science and Technology Museum: Background Information for Magnets
What makes a magnet? Learn all about magnets in this Q&A section. Educator resource materials are linked to this site.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Science Snacks: Strange Attractor
Explore the chaotic motion of a pendulum that is swinging above several magnets that are fixed in place and see what patterns you can find.
E-learning for Kids
E Learning for Kids: Science: Pirates: What Are Some Forces Around Us?
Covers the meanings of force, friction, and gravity, and the differences between magnetic and elastic spring force, and between weight and mass. The effect of air resistance on an object's motion is also touched upon.