Students examine compasses and how they work. As part of the discussion, students learn that a compass contains a magnet (the needle) that responds to Earth's magnetic field. Students then build and use their own compasses.

Student Resources

• 6.1 Vocabulary
• 6.2 Earth as a Giant Magnet
• 6.3 Magnets and Compasses
• 6.4 Section 6 Assessment

Learn by Reading

For additional content-area reading, check out the Houghton Mifflin Science eBook: Grade 4, Unit F, page 64.