FIND THE WINNERS AT:

http://ftp.milwaukee.k12.wi.us/schools/garfield/magwin.htm

See where our participants are from

Bernadette Halloran
Garfield Avenue School
1996-97 Project

Abstract
How Strong is your Magnet?

Purpose:

1. To encourage children to design their own Electro Magnet
   
2. To introduce students to the variables that effect electromagnetism
   
3. To teach data collection, organization and analysis
   
   

Description of the project:
The project will begin with students at Garfield Avenue School being introduced to the power of magnets. After initial "play time" with magnets and a basic, but important lesson on magnet safety (keep them away from computers!), simple electromagnets will be made with wire around a nail attached to a battery. Students will then be invited to participate in the "How Strong is your Magnet" project I intend to place on the internet (if it works with my kids).
Participants will be sent a list of the project parameters, the timeline, required elements and official entry form. The basic instructions are to make an electromagnet that will hold the most paper clips in a row. The winner will be posted on the internet along with the description of their magnet . Students at Garfield will track the location of participants, monitor the winning length of paper clips, brand-size of batteries, number of turns of the wire and post the results on the internet.

Timeline:
September: Garfield Students are introduced to magnetism. The project will be explained to the students and they will be divided into work groups to make their electromagnets. They will collect the class data and subject it to the same criteria as the web advertised project. If all goes well then....
October: The Web site will be revised by students if needed and then posted for all to join. Students will monitor participants responded and graph results as they come in.
November: The project ends with the students declaring the winning entry and posting results on the web.

Links:
At this time I have not been able to find links on the web. There is a lesson plan at http://cyclops.pei.edi.edu:8002/usr/local/www/lessons/s604b113 but it is very simple. I have also found other lesson plans at gopher sites and will keep looking for web links.

Extensions:
*Find applications for electromagnets (televisions, electronic can openers, etc). The student that finds the most uses wins.

*Use your magnet to pick up nails, pins or other things and compare and contrast variances. Students can also compare variances when paper clips are picked up en mass rather than in a chain.

*Use an electromagnet to make an Electric Motor.