Magnetic forces STEM activity

This is one of a set of resources developed to support the teaching of the primary national curriculum. They are designed to support the delivery of key topics within science and design and technology. This resource focusses on identifying and sketching design ideas for innovative products that make use of magnets.

Magnets can be used to attract or repel each other, which makes them incredibly useful for use in products. Examples include fridge magnets, door locks and even hoverboards. Can you design a new product that uses magnets in an interesting way?

In this activity learners will learn about how magnets can be used to attract or repel each other. They will use their knowledge of how they work to identify and sketch design ideas for two novel products that make use of magnets and magnetism.

This could be used as a one-off activity or as part of a wider unit of work focussing on magnets and magnetism. It can also be used in conjunction with the IET Faraday ‘Magnet Madness’ resource, developed alongside the School of Engineering at Cardiff University.