I wanted to share a more formal overview of our current unit: Electricity & Magnetism, which will last for about three weeks.
This unit is designed to be hands-on, inquiry-based, and aligned with both Arizona Science Standards and the NGSS. Students will be building and testing real circuits, experimenting with magnets, and learning how electricity and magnetism power the world around them.
We are going to tie in what we learned about the basics of atomic structure and the concept of Earth as a magnet. We have been using Snap Circuits to see how electricity moves through metal.
This is a highly engaging unit, and one that brings out a lot of curiosity and excitement—as well as various types of thinking.
Here’s a quick look at what we’ll be doing:
Exploring static electricity and the behavior of electric charges.
Constructing and analyzing simple series and parallel circuits.
Mapping magnetic fields and understanding how magnets interact.
Building functional electromagnets and applying them to real-world problems.
If your child comes home talking about iron filings, sparking wires, or how many times they got a light bulb to turn on—don’t worry, it’s all part of the process. Safety is emphasized throughout, and all equipment is appropriate for middle school learners.
As always, if you have any questions about what we’re doing or how your child is engaging with the material, feel free to reach out.