3rd Grade Magnetism and Electricity Unit

3^rd Grade Magnetism & Electricity Unit

Activity 4: How Strong Is the Force?

DSM Magnets

Pacing Suggestions:
1—2 Days

Teacher Resources:
Tips		How Strong Is the Force? (Adobe^® Reader^® PDF) How Strong Is the Force? (Microsoft^® Word^®)

Essential & Unit Questions ¹

Benchmarks ²

Assessments ³

Using Assessments to Monitor Student Learning

12D(3-5)#3: Use numerical data in describing and comparing objects and events.

Teacher-generated lab sheet: Students collect quantitative data and use it to answer lab questions 1-4. (Use teacher-generated lab sheets in place of publisher's sheets. Sheets are available under "Teacher Resources" on electronic curriculum.)

Are students proficient at collecting numerical data?
Are they using the data to accurately draw conclusions?

12A(3-5)#1: Keep records of their investigations and observations and not change the records later.

Observe students conducting experiments. Look for changes made to predictions during or after the experiment is completed.

Students should not be changing their predictions after conducting their experiments.

What is a "fair" experiment? Why should experiments be "fair?"

12E(3-5)#2: Recognize when comparisons might not be fair because some conditions are not kept the same.

Pre-experiment class discussion about the importance of running the experiment the exact same way each time (Example: The paper clips should be the same size and not hooked together.)

Do students understand what constitutes a "fair" experiment?

Why is it important to keep records or notes about experiments?

1B(3-5)#2: The results of scientific investigations are seldom exactly the same, but if the differences are large, it is important to try to figure out why. One reason for following directions carefully and for keeping records of one's work is to provide information on what might have caused the differences.

Class discussion of class data table (See Teacher Tips.)

If there are large differences in results, can the students figure out why? (Examples: Did students follow directions? Did they accurately record results?)

1. For conceptual benchmarks.
2. Bolded sections indicate portion of benchmark addressed
3. Unless noted as a Summative Assessment, the assessments are formative and should be used to guide teaching and learning.

3rd Grade Magnetism & Electricity Unit

3^rd Grade Magnetism & Electricity Unit