This is an activity about the basic properties of magnets and magnetism. Learners explore concepts such as magnetic fields and polarity, which form the basic ingredients of a study of Earth's magnetic field and the technology of magnetometers.... (View More) Materials needed include bar magnets and paper clips. This is Activity 1 of Exploring Magnetism: A Teacher's Magnetism Activity Guide. (View Less)

This lesson is an introduction to the use of a magnetic compass. At a specific location, learners will locate an object using a compass, identify its bearing, and others will attempt to locate the object by only knowing the bearing reading and the... (View More) corresponding location where the bearing was obtained. Next, learners will develop a method for determining if a magnetic storm is occurring, and they will test this method using online information and a compass. This activity requires compasses and access to the Internet. This is Activity 5 in the Exploring Magnetism on Earth teachers guide. (View Less)

This is an activity about measuring the interplanetary magnetic field, or IMF. Learners will utilize cardboard boxes with a magnet inside to design a spacecraft, and experiment with ways to attach a magnetometer that will measure the IMF rather than... (View More) the magnetic field of the spacecraft. This is Activity 2 in Session 3 of the Exploring Magnetism in the Solar Wind teachers guide. (View Less)