How to Make a Compass

As part of our Paths of Exploration curriculum for the Christopher Columbus unit, we decided to research how to make a compass. We found an easy 20 minute project and decided to make it!!  The boys completed a Scientific Speculation Sheet from our Apologia Curriculum and added this to their Paths of Exploration Student Notebook.  Below are the details for how to make a compass! 

Materials List:

• A Small Piece of Cork
• A Sharpie
• A Plastic Lid
• A Needle
• A Magnet

Directions:

1.    Write the initial for the cardinal directions on the inside of the plastic lid (see picture at the top of the post).  

2.    Place the lid on the table with the “N” pointing North.  

3.    Once the ink dries, fill the lid with water.  

4.    Take the magnet and brush the needle over it moving your hand in the same direction several times (do not go back and forth, just one direction).

5.    Push the needle through the small piece of cork.  Be sure the cork will be able to float freely in the water in the plastic lid before you push the needle through.  

6.    Place the needle and cork in the water.  One end of the needle should be pointing North.  

7.    Turn the lid now to see what happens.  Document the results.

So What Is happening?  

Magnetic fields contain a force that is created by moving electrical charges. The Earth produces a magnetic field  and this field is quite weak. It is sufficiently strong enough to align magnetized objects, such as the needle in our compass. By floating the needle on the cork, you allowed it to rotate freely. So the needle became lined up with Earth’s magnetic field and points toward the north or south pole of the planet.  

For a very detailed middle / high school level explanation of what is happening with the magnetism, see this GREAT article on Magnetism by Dr. Lensyl Urbano (PhD Geology and Geophysics) from Montessori Muddle.  I’ve been following this blog for a while and it is one of my favorites for upper level science with a hands-on perspective.  

As we work through the Paths of Exploration curriculum this summer, there will be lots more hands-on posts, so stay tuned!  

Until next time…. 

The following two tabs change content below.

• Bio
• Latest Posts

Trish Corlew

Founder and Author at Live and Learn Farm

Trish has been married to her best friend, David, for 16 years and they have three sons (aged 13, 12 and 9). Trish is from the coast of North Carolina, but they now live in rural West Tennessee on a 40+ acre farm. She has been homeschooling since 2009 and her homeschool style leans towards a Montessori approach with a heavy emphasis on hands-on learning. They also own a small business that Trish runs from home. Trish’s family is Messianic and they love studying the Scriptures, learning Hebrew and growing in their faith and walk daily. In her spare time, Trish loves to write, work in their garden and can regularly be found trying to learn something new, modeling that learning is indeed a life-long endeavor!

Latest posts by Trish Corlew (see all)

• 10 Fun and Educational Preschool Board Games - April 25, 2015
• March Menu Plan for Busy Homeschool Moms - March 10, 2015
• Middle and High School August LinkUp #24 - August 5, 2014
• Modeling Life-Long Learning - June 23, 2014
• The New Chapter – Day 1 with Free Printable - June 20, 2014