Magnets Attract and Repel

Start with something students can look at or think about: a photo, a short video, a jar on the windowsill, or a question like "what do you already know about magnets and magnetism?" Then let them work through it independently after a quick group example, checking in with a partner if they get stuck, keeping a word bank or anchor chart in view so the vocabulary stays available. When you review, ask students how they knew, and let them point to the part of the diagram or reading that told them. These magnets and magnetism worksheets work well as a lead in before an investigation, as a way to capture what students noticed afterward, or as review before an assessment.

Use pole rules to circle attract or repel for six magnet pairs, then sort six objects. To attract means to pull together. To repel means to push apart. The directions on the page read: Read the magnet rules. Then, do Part A and Part B. The answer key shows every answer.

Yes, both. We made it for 2nd Grade forces and machines, and the page works the same whether it lands on a kitchen table or a center rotation. At home, most families go through it together and talk the answers out loud, and that talking is where most of the learning happens with magnets and magnetism. In class it runs well as independent work while you pull a small group. Print one copy or thirty, whichever the day needs.

Students learn that magnets have poles that attract or repel each other, that only certain materials (mostly iron and steel) are attracted to magnets, and that magnetic force can act through air, water, and thin materials. For 7-8 year olds, the invisible-yet-powerful nature of magnetism makes it one of the most captivating physical science topics.

Magnets and magnetism are a classic Grade 2 physical science topic, included in most state and national standards at this level. The topic requires minimal equipment (a few magnets and everyday objects) but delivers rich hands-on learning that children find genuinely exciting.

Give your child a refrigerator magnet and challenge them to test every surface and object in the kitchen to predict and record which ones are magnetic. Use the worksheets to create a predict-then-test table, marking each item before testing it. The surprise of some predictions being wrong is the best science lesson of all.

1 printable worksheet, free to preview. Downloads are included with a ClassWeekly free trial, and every page prints on standard 8.5 x 11 paper.

These are written for 2nd Grade students, roughly ages 7-8. Many teachers also use them a grade up for review or a grade down as an extension, so use the preview to judge the fit for a particular child.

Yes. Each one shows the NGSS code it covers on its own page, so you can check the alignment yourself rather than taking our word for it.