What do Magnets Attract to?
In this lab I had students collect data on materials that would attract to a magnet. I had students scour the building and test to see if materials they chose would in fact stick to a magnet. On a data table the recorded what the object was, what it was made of (we researched in the room if necessary) as well as whether or not the material attracted to the magnet. Our young scientists tested all sorts of materials from door handles, to chair legs, notebooks to tile floors.
After sharing their data on the rug, they soon determined that magnets attract metal objects and had no connection to fabric, wood, plastic, plaster (concrete) or glass. They also determined that if a magnet did stick to those materials it was likely that a piece of metal was underneath or on the other side of that material.
Under careful viewing the students also determined that not all metals attract to magnets. For example only some door knobs in our classroom stuck to magnets, but not all. Here are some samples of their data sheets:
