Indiana Wesleyan University

Elementary Education Lesson Plan Template

CAEP 2018 K-6 Elementary Teacher Preparation Standards

LESSON RATIONALE
The unit is titled captain your own experiences. In this lesson students will be having an investigative lesson about
magnets. Students will be encouraged to play at each station and explore if items are magnetic or not. In kindergarten it is
important to allow students to discover and be introduced to many different science topics so that they can develop an
interest in science. (CAEP K-6 1.a)

READINESS
I. Goals/Objectives/Standard(s)
A. Goal(s)— Students will explore and discuss magnets to build background knowledge.
B. Objective(s)— Students will discuss their experiences after exploring with magnets.
C. Standard(s): K.PS.2 identify and explain possible uses for an object based on its properties and compare these
uses with other students’ ideas.
II. Management Plan
• Time Per Element
o Anticipatory set (5 minutes)
o Lesson Presentation (8 minutes per station)
o Closure (5 minutes)
• Space
o Anticipatory Set (Carpet)
o Lesson Presentation (Stations)
o Closure (Carpet)
• Materials
o Magnet rice box
▪ A large bin filled with random (Make sure they are safe) items that are both magnetic
and not magnetic
o Magnet sticks
o Magnet box
▪ A box filled with (safe) items that are both magnetic and not magnetic
o Six clear cup
o Six different liquids (water, juice, corn syrup, tea, pancake syrup, broth)
o Magnet build kit
III. Anticipatory Set
• “I want you all to help me solve a problem. I have this poster that I want to put on the board, but I don’t have any sticky
tack or tape. What else could I use to help me put this poster up on the board? Call on students to answer. “A
magnet! I’m so glad that you thought of that.”
Purpose: “Today we are going to talk about magnets and explore what they do so we can learn more about how they
affect the world around us.”

PLAN FOR INSTRUCTION

IV. Adaptation to Individual Differences and Diverse Learners—The hands-on nature of this lesson allows students to
explore magnets at their own pace. Students in this class love to explore and discover new things. These activities
will help students be able to explore magnets without having the typical ‘academic’ pressure of reading or writing.

V. Lesson Presentation (Input/Output)

• “Does anyone know what a magnet is?” Call on a few students to answer, “A magnet is a rock or a piece of metal
that can pull certain types of metal toward itself.” Write the definition of magnet on the board. “In your stations
today, you are going to explore with magnets. All the stations are a little different and you will get the chance to
make hypothesis and test them in some of the stations, while in the other stations you will just be exploring with
magnets.”
• Station 1- Is it magnetic?
“In the first station you will be sorting through the box and you will each pick five items you think are magnetic and
five you think are not magnetic. You will then test your hypothesis by swiping your magnet over your ten items to
see what attaches to the magnet and what says on your paper.” Show the students how to do this as you explain
the station.
• Station 2- Magnet exploring rice box

1
 “In the second station you will be digging through the rice box and trying to find what is magnetic by digging with
your magnet instead of your hands. This is a station where you will just be exploring and talking to your classmates
about what you observe about the magnets.” Model this station while explaining it to the students
• Station 3- Does liquid effect magnetic effect?
“For the third station you will be making another hypothesis about if you think different liquids effects a magnets
ability to attract something. There are six different clear glasses that all have a different liquid in them. The glasses
also have five paper clips. You will take your magnets and hold them against the outside of the glass to see if the
liquid will stop the magnet from attracting the paper clips. You will talk to the other students in your group and
make a hypothesis choosing one liquid that will stop the paper clips from reaching the magnet and one liquid that
will allow the paper clip to reach the magnet” Model what to do while you are explaining the station
• Station 4- Magnet build
“For the last station you will explore with magnets by building with the magnets builders. I want you to try and
create something, but I also want you to think about how the magnets are working. Do they attach all the time? Do
all the magnets work with each other? Just think about those questions and explore.”
(CAEP K-6 3.d)

VI. Check for understanding.

• I will listen and talk to students about the observations that they are making while in the stations. I will ask them
questions about what they have noticed and what they like about the stations to gage their understanding so I
can move on in the next lesson to learning about magnets and why they do the things they do.

VIII. Review learning outcomes / Closure

“Did you all enjoy exploring with magnets today?” allow time for student response “What was your favorite station
today?” Allow time for student response “Is there something you thought was cool?” Allow time for student
response. “I’m glad you enjoyed today’s activity. Next week we are going to talk about why magnets do the cools
things that they do.”

PLAN FOR ASSESSMENT

Since this is an explorative lesson the only assessment will be conversations with the students during and after the lesson.
The conversations I have with the students will help me know what they are curious about so that I can build a lesson for
the next week that focuses on the students’ interests.

REFLECTION AND POST-LESSON ANALYSIS (CAEP K-6 3.b)

1. How many students achieved the lesson objective(s)? For those who did not, why not?
2. What were my strengths and weaknesses?
3. How should I alter this lesson?
4. How would I pace it differently?
5. Were all students actively participating? If not, why not?
6. What adjustments did I make to reach varied learning styles and ability levels?