Lesson 4 of 5 · Magnets
Experiment⭐ 30 XP⚡ Spark LabWhat Magnets Do and Do Not Attract
What Magnets Do and Do Not Attract.
🎯 Your mission
Set it up. Test it. Be amazed.
⚡ The twist
Energy never disappears — it just hides somewhere else.
Mind = Blown
🎢 You feel weightless on a roller coaster because you and the seat are falling at the same speed.
Make a hypothesis first
Before you start: which will move faster, and why?
What You'll Learn
Magnets attract iron, steel, nickel and cobalt. They do not attract aluminium, copper, gold, plastic or wood — so most coins, drinks cans and kitchen foil are not magnetic, even though they look metallic.
Key Words
Tap a word to see its definition.
Materials Needed
- bar magnet
- assorted metal and non-metal objects
- notebook
Safety First
- Keep strong magnets away from phones, bank cards and anyone with a pacemaker.
Steps
Read the explanation above and note the two key terms before you start.
Test twenty objects with a magnet and sort them into magnetic and non-magnetic. Note which metals surprised you and check what each is actually made of.
Record what actually happened, including anything that did not match what you expected.
Write a conclusion that answers the question this lesson opened with, and state your uncertainty.
Check Your Understanding
Question 1
1 of 2Which metal is NOT attracted by a magnet?
Where you see this in real life
This is why airplanes can fly and why rockets reach space.
Stretch Challenge
Try this in real life this week.
This week, find one thing in your house that turns one kind of energy into another.
For the dinner table
“Show me something at home that uses this kind of energy.”
Next Smart Experiment
We'll pick an experiment that matches exactly how you're thinking right now.
Share this experiment
Send it to a parent who's looking for a 10-minute kitchen science win.
Ready?
What Magnets Do and Do Not Attract
Set it up. Test it. Be amazed.
Full screen — no distractions
Checkout complete lesson on Magnets for 3rd Grade
Get the full Magnets track as a printable PDF — all lessons, worksheets, and answer keys.