Bar Magnets and Horseshoe Magnets, Read and Compare

Hunt for magnets at home, on the fridge, in cabinet doors or in a bag clasp, and ask your child what each one holds. Test how many paper clips a magnet lifts up close and a little farther away.

Compare the shape, poles and uses of a bar magnet and a horseshoe magnet on a chart. A workshop is a room where people build and fix things. The directions on the page read: Read the passage. Then, turn the page and fill in the compare chart. On page 2: Fill in boxes 1 to 6 of the compare chart with words from the passage. Then, circle the letter of the best answer for question 7 and write the answers to questions 8 and 9 on the lines. The answer key covers the questions on page 2.

Yes, both. We made it for 3rd Grade electricity and magnetism, 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. In class it runs well as independent work while you pull a small group. Print one copy or thirty, whichever the day needs.

Magnets teaches students that certain materials are attracted to magnets, that magnets have north and south poles, and that like poles repel while opposite poles attract. Third graders learn to test materials for magnetic properties, predict the behavior of magnets in different orientations, and identify real-world uses of magnets in technology and tools. It builds early understanding of force fields and non-contact forces.

Magnets are typically introduced in Grade 3 physical science as part of the electricity and magnetism unit. At ages 8-9, students are ready for hands-on investigations that let them test predictions and record results, and magnets are ideal for this because the forces are strong enough to feel physically. The topic connects to earlier learning about contact and non-contact forces and lays groundwork for later electricity content.

Gather a handful of small objects from around the house and ask your child to predict which ones a fridge magnet will pick up before testing, then connect their findings to the worksheet activity. The prediction and sorting activities are perfect for independent practice once the magnet concept is introduced. Kids who experiment with real magnets while doing worksheet activities retain the vocabulary far better than those who only read about it.

9 printable worksheets, all 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 3rd Grade students, roughly ages 8-9. 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.