Magnetic Fields Phenomena Poster Set

Help students investigate magnetic interactions and invisible magnetic fields with this engaging Magnetic Fields phenomena resource.

This six-poster collection uses visually rich science phenomena to encourage students to observe patterns, analyze interactions, ask questions, and develop explanations about attraction, repulsion, magnetic field strength, and how magnetic forces can act without objects touching.

Students move beyond simply identifying magnets and begin thinking about how magnetic forces can be modeled, measured, and used to explain motion.

What’s Included

This resource includes six individual full-color portrait phenomena posters.

Each poster includes:

A high-interest phenomenon question

A detailed science visual, model, or real-world scenario

“What do you notice?” observation prompts

“What do you wonder?” discussion questions

Key science vocabulary

A “Try This Thinking” activity or challenge

A CER Starter for Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning practice

A concise science statement reinforcing the main concept

Explore Magnetic Forces

Students investigate how magnets can attract or repel one another and how those interactions depend on the orientation and distance between magnets.

The phenomena provide opportunities to observe changes in motion and use those observations as evidence of magnetic forces.

Students can consider why some objects move together while others move apart even though they never touch.

Investigate Magnetic Fields

Magnetic fields cannot be seen directly, making them an ideal topic for modeling and evidence-based reasoning.

Students can investigate questions such as:

How can we tell that a magnetic field is present?

Why can magnets affect one another without touching?

How does distance affect magnetic force?

Why do some magnetic poles attract while others repel?

How can a model represent an invisible magnetic field?

What evidence can be used to compare field strength?

These questions help students move from observable effects to explanations involving fields.

Explore Attraction and Repulsion

Students can compare interactions between different magnetic poles and identify patterns.

The posters encourage students to use those patterns to explain why opposite poles attract and like poles repel.

Students can also analyze how changing the orientation of a magnet changes the direction of the force.

Investigate Force at a Distance

Magnetism provides students with a clear example of a force that acts without direct contact.

The phenomena help students distinguish between contact forces and forces that can act across a distance.

Students can use evidence from motion and changes in position to infer that a force is acting even when two objects are separated.

Use Models to Represent Invisible Interactions

Because magnetic fields cannot be directly observed, scientists use models to represent their direction and relative strength.

Students can analyze visual field models, compare patterns, and connect those representations to what they observe during magnetic interactions.

This gives students valuable practice using models to explain processes that cannot be seen directly.

Build Observation and Questioning Skills

Each poster includes structured Notice and Wonder prompts that encourage students to examine the phenomenon carefully before forming an explanation.

Students can:

Identify patterns in magnetic interactions

Compare attraction and repulsion

Observe changes in motion

Analyze field models

Generate scientific questions

Make predictions

Develop and revise explanations

These routines support inquiry-based instruction and meaningful classroom discussion.

Strengthen Science Vocabulary

Important science vocabulary is embedded directly within meaningful phenomena.

Students encounter concepts related to magnetism, magnetic field, attraction, repulsion, force, pole, field strength, distance, interaction, and model while actively using those terms to explain what they observe.

Displaying the posters throughout the unit provides students with an ongoing visual reference for science vocabulary.

Support CER Practice

Each poster includes a student-friendly CER Starter.

Students practice making a Claim, identifying Evidence from the phenomenon or model, and using Reasoning to explain how that evidence supports their scientific explanation.

Repeated CER opportunities help students develop stronger explanations for magnetic interactions and invisible forces.

Analyze Patterns and Make Predictions

Magnetic interactions follow predictable patterns.

Students can use what they observe about poles, distance, and field strength to make predictions about what will happen when magnets are moved or reoriented.

They can then compare those predictions with evidence and revise their explanations as needed.

Great for Classroom Use

Use these posters for:

Whole-group science instruction

Phenomenon launches

Science focus walls

Notice and Wonder routines

Small-group instruction

Science centers

Science notebook responses

Vocabulary development

CER practice

Magnetic field modeling

Force investigations

Partner discussions

Prediction activities

Unit introductions

Review and reinforcement

Classroom displays

Revisit the Phenomena Throughout the Unit

Introduce each phenomenon before students have developed a complete explanation and collect their initial ideas.

As students investigate magnetic fields and gather additional evidence, return to the posters and ask them to revise their thinking.

Students can incorporate field models, use more precise vocabulary, and strengthen their explanations with evidence from magnetic interactions.

Make Invisible Forces Easier to Understand

Students can observe the effects of magnets, but they cannot directly see the field causing those effects.

These posters help bridge that gap by combining observable magnetic phenomena with visual models and structured reasoning.

By bringing together engaging phenomena, questioning, modeling, vocabulary development, and CER practice, this resource provides meaningful support throughout a Magnetic Fields unit.

Important Disclaimer

This resource is independently created and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or produced by Amplify Education. The use of “Amplify” in the product title is intended only to help educators identify the curriculum topic with which this supplemental resource may be used. Amplify Education owns its respective trademarks and curriculum materials.