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Magnetic Fields

CONCEPTUAL
Science›Forces & Motion|Ages 11—12|ID: mt_56aspHjU19

Describe magnetic poles (north and south), explain attraction and repulsion between poles, describe magnetic field lines plotted using a compass, and explain the Earth's magnetic field and its practical uses

Mastery Evidence

  • States the rule for attraction and repulsion of magnetic poles
  • Draws the magnetic field pattern around a bar magnet from memory or compass readings
  • Explains why a compass needle points north
  • Explains that the Earth has a magnetic field and describes how it is used for navigation

Assessment Prompt

“If [child] used a compass and iron filings to map the magnetic field around a bar magnet, could they describe what pattern the field lines make and explain why a compass needle always points roughly north?”

Curriculum Standards2 alignments

MS-PS2-5Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) Middle Schoolcodes only
Standard code — full text not included in this dataset.
KS3.Sci.Phys.MotionAndForces.8The national curriculum in England
Magnetic Poles and Fields

magnetic poles, attraction and repulsion; magnetic fields by plotting with compass; the Earth's magnetic field

Science · KS3

Prerequisites1

Show full prerequisite tree
  • Magnetic Poles hard

    KS3 magnetic field lines and Earth's magnetism extends KS2 magnetic poles, attraction and repulsion

    • Magnetic Materials hard

      Must observe magnets attract/repel before formalising pole rules

      • Contact & Non-Contact Forces hard

        Must know about non-contact forces before investigating magnetic attraction/repulsion

        • Forces Vocabulary hard

          Distinguishing contact from non-contact forces requires these exact terms

        • Drawing Force Diagrams soft

          Distinguishing contact and non-contact forces is clarified by drawing force diagrams showing where arrows originate

        • Friction & Surfaces hard

          Must experience contact forces like friction before distinguishing contact vs non-contact forces

          • Pushes & Pulls hard

            Must understand forces change motion before comparing movement on different surfaces

            • Drawing Force Diagrams soft

              Understanding pushes and pulls as forces is supported by the arrow representation of magnitude and direction

          • Forces Vocabulary hard

            Comparing how things move on different surfaces requires friction vocabulary

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