Objective

By the end of this lesson, the student will understand the basic principles of magnetism, including what magnets are, how they work, and how to use them to build a simple magnetic robot.

Materials and Prep

• Magnets (any size or type)
• Small metal objects (like paper clips or screws)
• Cardboard or thick paper for building the robot body
• Scissors (with adult supervision)
• Markers or crayons for decorating

Before the lesson, make sure to gather all the materials and create a safe space for the activities. Familiarize yourself with how magnets attract and repel each other.

Activities

• Magnet Exploration: Start by letting the student explore the magnets. Ask them to find out which objects stick to the magnet and which ones don’t. This will help them understand what materials are magnetic.

• Magnetic Robot Building: Using the cardboard, help the student design and cut out a simple robot shape. Then, attach magnets to the robot and see how they can use other magnets to make it move or stick to surfaces.

• Magnet Dance: Play a game where the student pretends to be a magnet. When you say "attract," they should walk toward you, and when you say "repel," they should walk away. This helps them understand how magnets work!

Talking Points

• "Do you see how this magnet sticks to the paper clip? That means it's a magnetic object!"
• "Magnets can pull things toward them. This is called 'attraction.' Can you show me what happens when I bring two magnets close together?"
• "Sometimes, magnets push each other away. This is called 'repelling.' Can you feel how that works?"
• "We can use magnets to make our robot move! What do you think will happen if we put a magnet on our robot?"
• "Isn’t it cool how magnets can stick to metal? What other things can we find that are magnetic?"