Understanding Magnetism: May the Forces be Within You

Reference to URL of online resources:

Foresman, S. (2007). Magnets: Grade 2. Retrieved September 27, 2007 from, Elementary Science Website: http://www.hssd.k12.wi.us/forestglen/dign/esci2m.htm

Junior electrician: Magnetism. United Learning (2002). [Video clip]. Retrieved September 29, 2007, from http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/search/assetDetail.cfm?guidAssetID=CD98BCE9-269E-4E88-9BCC-3111A0178509

New Mexico State University Board of Regents. (2005). Magnetic materials. Retrieved September 27, 2007, from NMSU Website: http://magnet.nmsu.edu/magnetexpone.html

The Royal Conservatory of Music Community School. (n.d). Get howie home: Magnetism game. Retrieved September 28, 2007, from Learning through the Arts Website: http://images.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://www.ltta.ca/images/games/thumb-magnetlarge.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.ltta.ca/student_zone_games.html&h=99&w=189&sz=5&hl=en&start=4&um=1&tbnid=2zsVBEhiV7_S4M:&tbnh=54&tbnw=103&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmagnetism%2Bgames%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN

Zephyrus Education. (n.d). Magnetic materials. Retrieved September 27, 2007, from Website: http://www.zephyrus.co.uk/magneticmaterials.html

Grade level: Grade Two

Brief description of activity: To integrate technology in this lesson, introduce magnetism to students by first having students watch the Junior Electrician: Magnetism online introduction to magnetism video clip listed above. This will actively engage studies to start thinking about what is magnetism, the properties of magnets, and what do magnets attract. Then have students think about and recall from the video clip what materials were attracted to the magnet and which of those materials were not. Ask students to think about the properties and characteristics of materials that are attracted to magnets, for example, what do these materials have in common? Have students recognize that magnets attract materials with iron or steel in them through a class demonstration and then by having students access some of the online resources provided above. Students may finish up this lesson by accessing the magnetism game, Get howie home in the computer lab which is a fun review on what materials are attracted to magnets.

General learner outcomes (GLOs): Students will describe the interaction of magnets with other magnets and with common materials.

Specific learner outcomes (SLOs): Distinguish materials that are attracted by a magnet from those that are not.

Most relevant ICT outcomes: Students will access, use and communicate information from a variety of technologies.
Students will use electronic research techniques to construct personal knowledge and meaning.
Students will use technology to investigate and/or solve problems.

Brief rationale for computer integration (why use technology? how does it improve the lesson):
I think the incorporation of technology in the classroom can be very beneficial in helping improve a lesson by producing visual and interactive components to a lesson, which is important at the grade two level where the young students are very active and need ways to entertain their curiosity. In my lesson, students will watch an online video-clip on Magnetism, which can be used effectively both as an instructional tool as well as a means for students to represent learning. The information provided in the video is an interesting way to introduce the topic of Magnetism to the students and also get them thinking about the concepts and material presented (in relation to the SLO) in the video clip, which can be discussed as a class afterwards. I then have students access some of the online resources provided above, so that they are able to become more familiar with accessing and using the technology to attain information, as well as further construct personal knowledge and meaning based on the information provided within the sites. I have also included an online magnetism game, Get Howie Home for students, which is a fun interactive review on materials that are attracted to magnets. It is from these examples that I see how the integration of computer technology into lessons can be used as a new creative approach to learning, allowing different educational experiences for students to thrive and grow from in the classroom.