KS2 Science textbook

Chapter 10: Magnets

Strand Forces and magnets
Level Year 3
Practice 99 questions with step-by-step solutions

National Curriculum for England, Key Stage 2 science, Year 3. Content: F3 observe how magnets attract or repel each other and attract some materials and not others, F4 compare and group together a variety of everyday materials on the basis of whether they are attracted to a magnet, and identify some magnetic materials, F5 describe magnets as having 2 poles, F6 predict whether 2 magnets will attract or repel each other, depending on which poles are facing.

Open Year 3 chapter

By the end of this chapter you will be able to

Say that magnets can attract or repel each other, and that a magnet attracts some materials
Sort everyday objects into magnetic and non-magnetic materials, using a magnet
Explain that a magnet attracts some metals but not all metals
Say that a bar magnet has two poles, one at each end
Predict whether two magnets will attract or repel, by looking at the poles that face each other
Plan and read a fair test that compares two magnets, and find the average

You should already know

Forces, including magnetic forces that act at a distance (Year 3 Science, Chapter 9)
Fair tests, and changing only one thing at a time (Year 3 Science, Chapter 1)

Where this leads

Forces in more detail, including gravity and resistance (Year 5 Science)

Lessons in this chapter

Read the whole chapter on one page (good for printing).