Canyon Crest’s “Magnetizing” Studies

Can you tell which of these items uses magnets to function?

• credit card
• audio speakers
• MRI machine

Mrs. Child’s fifth grade Spanish immersion students will tell you the answer is…“¡todos ellos!” (all of them!) 

To deepen their knowledge and understanding of how magnets work in the world around us, these students use a series of smaller scale experiments to test magnetic strength.

In conjunction to their hands-on experiments, these kids infused their learning with Google Chromebooks. Using this resource, they watch videos about magnetism and were able to form persuasive hypotheses before experimentation. 

“We are focusing on being in the moment of learning,” said Mrs. Child. “I want them to be fully present and engaged so they can understand why this is important.”

For them, the “why” is learning how magnetism is used in everyday life. 

For example, the magnetic strip on a card is encoded with information formed from tiny iron-based particles that allow for everyday transactions. Audio speakers use an iron coil (that sits just in front of a magnet) that moves back and forth that pumps sound in the air for enjoyment. MRIs use powerful magnetic fields to generate a signal from inside the body that create a clear, detailed picture of bones, organs and other tissue to treat and diagnose patients. 

For these students, being present in their learning experience and using technology-rich methods allows them to expand their skills to solve high quality solutions.