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4th grade · Science · Unit 3 of 7

Magnet Inventions

Use magnets to solve problems, then test your design.

What your child practices

Practices using what magnets do to solve simple design problems, such as a latch or a sorter, by setting criteria and constraints and running fair tests that change one thing at a time.

Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards benchmark: 4P.1.1.2.1 · solving a simple design problem with magnets

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. Magnets stick to iron and steel.
  2. Criteria are what a design must do. Constraints are limits, like materials.
  3. A fair test changes only one thing at a time.
  4. Test your design, then improve it.

Example: A magnet latch must keep a cabinet door shut. Is that a criterion or a constraint? It says what the latch must do to succeed. Answer: a criterion

Magnet Inventions in Minnesota

In the Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards, this is unit 3 of 7 in 4th grade Science, after Pushes, Pulls & Forces and before Traits & Variation.

Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.

Source: Minnesota Department of Education (MDE)

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    Magnets can push or pull without…

    • being near
    • touching
    • a pole
    • moving

  2. Question 2

    A magnet sticks to…

    • wood
    • iron and steel
    • glass
    • plastic

  3. Question 3

    You test how many clips each magnet lifts. What must stay the same?

    • The winner
    • The number you guess
    • The magnet you test
    • The kind of paper clips

  4. Question 4

    A fair test changes…

    • the answer
    • nothing
    • only one thing at a time
    • everything at once

  5. Question 5

    Two north poles brought together will…

    • turn into one magnet
    • push apart
    • pull together
    • melt

  6. Question 6

    Magnet A lifts 12 clips. Magnet B lifts 5 clips. For a strong latch, choose…

    • Either one
    • Neither
    • Magnet A
    • Magnet B

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