Topic
Magnetic force
Materials
Per center or group: (see Management)
8 ring magnets
masking tape
hole punch, optional
two colors of permanent marker, optional
two copies of the shuffleboard game sheet
one sheet of copy paper
clear tape
Key Questions
1. What types of forces are used in a game of magnetic shuffleboard?
2. How can the magnets’ positions on the game
board be described?
Learning Goals
Students will:
1. identify the magnetic force as a non-contact force
that affects the motion of an object, and
2. identify the magnets colliding with each other as a
contact force, and
3. describe an object’s position relative to another
object or the background.
Background Information
The magnetic force is able to act at a distance and
make things move, without coming in direct contact
with those objects. In addition, when in the presence
of another magnetic field, this force both attracts and
repels; depending, respectively, on whether unlike
or like poles are next to each other. In these two
important ways this force is very different from the
normal pushing and pulling forces we encounter in
our everyday experience.
Even when magnets are oriented so they repel
each other, they can come into contact with each
other if a great enough force is applied. For example,
two repelling ring magnets can be held together by
applying a greater force with your fingers. Likewise,
in this game, the magnets can be made to hit each
other when they are slid across the shuffleboard
surface with enough force. When one magnet hits
another directly, it is applying a contact force.
Guiding Documents
Project 2061 Benchmark
• Without touching them, a magnet pulls on all
things made of iron and either pushes or pulls on
other magnets.
NRC Standard
• The position and motion of objects can be changed
by pushing or pulling. The size of the change is
related to the strength of the push or pull.
NCTM Standard 2000*
• Develop fluency with basic number combinations
for addition and subtraction
Management
1. This activity should not be students’ first experience with magnets.
2. The activity is designed to be done at a center or
in groups of twos.
3. The magnetic shuffleboard disks and game board
for each group or center should be prepared
ahead of time.
4. The disks can be prepared by marking the magnets’ like poles. To do this, stack the magnets
and then take one off at a time being careful to
maintain the same orientation. Place a small piece
of masking tape on the top of each ring magnet
making sure not to cover the hole. A quarterinch hole punch can be used to make small dots
Science
Physical science
force
magnetism
Math
Computation
addition, subtraction
Integrated Processes
Observing
Comparing and contrasting
Applying
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of masking tape. After masking tape has been
placed on all of the magnets, use two colors of
permanent markers; coloring four magnets with
one marker and four with the other.
5. To make the game board, place two copies of the
shuffleboard sheet on a flat surface facing each
other and then put a blank piece of copy paper
between them. Arrange the three sheets so that
they are end to end lengthwise with no overlap.
Carefully tape the seams using clear tape. Try to
make the seam as smooth as possible.
Connecting Learning
1. How many rounds did it take for you to reach 50
points? Is this the same for everyone? Explain.
2. Did you find any strategies that helped you to
score points? Explain.
3. What did you observe in the game that shows a
non-contact force?
4. What contact forces did you observe while playing
the game?
5. Is a collision a contact force or a non-contact
force? Explain.
6. At the end of each round, how could the disks’
positions? (Lead students to describe the magnets’ positions relative to other magnets and relative to the game board.)
7. What are you wondering now?
*
Reprinted with permission from Principles and Standards for
School Mathematics, 2000 by the National Council of Teachers
of Mathematics. All rights reserved.
6. The shuffleboard game board needs to be placed
on a flat surface that is at least a foot longer than
the game board. The floor works best for this, but
tables will also work, if they are long enough.
Procedure
1. Explain the rules of the game and let students
play the game. Tell students that they will need to
keep running totals of the scores for all the rounds
so they will know when they reach 50 points.
2. After all students have played the game, ask the
Key Question and state the Learning Goals.
3. Have students discuss the activity as a whole
class using the Connecting Learning questions.
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Key Questions
1. What types of forces are used in a
game of magnetic shuffleboard?
2. How can the magnets’ positions
on the game board be described?
Learning Goals
1. identify the magnetic force as a non-contact
force that affects the motion of an object, and
2. identify the magnets colliding with each other as
a contact force, and
3. describe an object’s position relative to another
object or the background.
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43
Number of Players:
Two
Equipment:
Four ring magnets per player
Rules:
1. All magnets start at the same end of the shuffleboard
court.
2. Players take turns pushing their magnets across
the court to the opposite scoring triangle.
3. Players should try to get their magnets into
high-scoring spots, as well as knock the other player’s
magnets out of high-scoring spots.
4. After all eight magnets have been played, scores for the
round are totaled.
5. The first player to reach 50 points is the winner.
Scoring:
1. To receive points, the inner circle of a magnet must
be completely within a scoring area. If the magnet
rests on any lines, no points are awarded.
Penalties:
1. A player’s finger may not cross the foul line while
he/she is pushing a magnet. If it does, that player
must subtract five points.
2. If a magnet does not cross the second foul line by
the end of a round, five points must be subtracted
from the player’s score.
3. If a magnet lands in the 10-off area, 10 points
must be subtracted from the player’s score.
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Foul Line
Foul Line
10
8
8
7
7
10
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Off
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My Score Round
My Score Round
Magnet 1
Magnet 1
Magnet 2
Magnet 2
Magnet 3
Magnet 3
Magnet 4
Magnet 4
Penalties
Penalties
Total
Total
My Score Round
My Score Round
Magnet 1
Magnet 1
Magnet 2
Magnet 2
Magnet 3
Magnet 3
Magnet 4
Magnet 4
Penalties
Penalties
Total
Total
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Connecting Learning
1. How many rounds did it take for you
to reach 50 points? Is this the same for
everyone? Explain.
2.
Did you find any strategies that helped you to
score points? Explain.
3.
What did you observe in the game that shows
a non-contact force?
4.
What contact forces did you observe while
playing the game?
5.
Is a collision a contact force or a non-contact
force? Explain.
6.
At the end of each round, how could the disks’
positions?
7.
What are you wondering now?
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© 2005 AIMS Education Foundation