Magnets Help Attract Elementary School 1st Graders To Science

IRVINGTON, NY — First-grade students at Dows Lane Elementary School welcomed Christopher Green to their classrooms for a few days earlier in January to experience a science enrichment program on magnets. As a culminating activity to their unit on the properties of matter, the students — who have been discovering specific properties of magnets throughout their studies — participated in a variety of science demonstrations and hands-on activities.

Thanks to a grant from the Irvington Education Foundation that sponsored Green’s visit, the scientist presented the students with engaging examples of real-life magnets, their powers and uses, and taught them new vocabulary words, such as “pole,” “attract,” “repel,” “horseshoe magnet” and “electromagnet.” Throughout the lessons, the students were challenged to make their own magnets and discover the attractive and repelling properties of magnets. In other experiments, they had to remove a paper clip from a cup of water without placing a magnet in the water and manipulating a compass’ arrow with a magnet.

“The students are thrilled to have Mr. Green visit and lead them in engaging explorations and activities, which are key to the learning process,” first-grade teacher Corinne Daniels said. “Mr. Green’s Hands-on Science programs are an exciting way for the children to have the experience of a field trip right in their classroom.”

In addition, Green will return to Dows Lane Elementary School for an air and weather science enrichment program in March and a life cycle of plants program in May.

Photo credit: Irvington Union Free School District.