Magnetic Forces at Work: Hands-On STEM Exploration

Tuesday’s Girls in STEM Club session at the Discovery Science and Technology Centre offered an engaging and interactive exploration of magnetism.  The session began with the girls sharing their understanding of how magnets work.  Some believed that magnets interacted with all types of metals, while others thought they only attracted specific objects, such as iron nails or paper clips.  These initial assumptions set the stage for a session of investigation, experimentation, and discovery as the group worked to uncover the true properties of magnets.

Their first activity involved sorting a collection of everyday items into four categories: “magnetic,” “attracted,” “repelled,” and “not affected.”  The girls were tasked to make these decisions without using magnets, encouraging them to rely on prior knowledge and logical reasoning.  Once the sorting was complete, the girls tested each item to see whether their predictions were correct.  Many were surprised to learn that not all metals respond to magnets, with metals like aluminium and copper showing no reaction at all.  This discovery led the girls to investigate further, helping them understand the different magnetic properties of various materials.

With this new knowledge, the group moved on to a creative challenge: designing a game that incorporated magnetic attraction, repulsion, or neutrality.  Using both scientific concepts and imagination, they developed inventive games that demonstrated practical, real-world uses of magnetic forces.

Overall, it was a session filled with curiosity, problem-solving, and hands-on learning.  The girls left with a stronger appreciation of the science behind magnets.  Special thanks to Alissa for providing valuable information for this week’s Girls in STEM Club session.