Curated OER
Harvest the Wind
Wind is a natural resource available around the world. Help your pupils appreciate the power and importance of wind by researching wind farms, making pinwheels, and designing windmills.
Teach Engineering
The Grid
Upper graders form a "Presidential Task Force," and attempt to make recommendations concerning the future of the national power grid. After a teacher-led discussion which proves that our nation's energy consumption will soon outpace our...
NASA
Launch Altitude Tracker
Using PVC pipe and aquarium tubing, build an altitude tracker. Pupils then use the altitude tracker, along with a tangent table, to calculate the altitude of a launched rocket using the included data collection sheet.
Curated OER
Wind Turbines
Students build their own wind turbine. For this physics lesson, students calculate the power output of their wind turbines. They evaluate their design and make the necessary modifications.
Curated OER
Capturing Wind Energy
Students investigate technology and make a correlation between technology and the weather. In this science lesson, students experiment with the weather and climate using technology to help them understand forces and motion. They identify...
Curated OER
Science Nascar Race
Students build wind driven model cars which they will race while working in racing teams. They write a newsletter about their pit crew, describing the construction of their car, and how their car is most beneficial to the environment....
Curated OER
Building Patterns
Fifth graders examine a variety of different patterns. After reading a book, they are introduced to a growing pattern and have them predict the next sequence of blocks. In groups, they are given a set of tiles in which they create a...
WindWise Education
How Can I Design Better Blades?
Small groups use information they have learned about blade construction to design, build, and test their own concepts. The teams compete in order to determine which design has the best average power output.
Pace University
Grades 9-10 Energy Sources
Alternative energy sources are becoming increasingly important. Learners have the opportunity to explore alternative energy sources using a differentiated instruction unit. They group together based on ability levels, assign roles to...
Curated OER
Wind Tunnel
Students examine how wind tunnels are used for research and development. In this aerodynamics lesson students are given instructions on how to develop different types of wind tunnel.
PBS
The Air in There
Feeling is believing! Youth discuss how they know air exists using evidence-based logic. They then create air cannons from cardboard, cling wrap, and rubber bands to demonstrate air is real—and powerful.
Curated OER
Building New Landforms
For this landform worksheet, students read 6 paragraphs about the process the Dutch used to build new landforms and threats they face today. After reading the background information, students complete 3 short answer questions regarding...
NASA
Roving on the Moon
Take a rover out for a test drive. The challenge is to build a rubber-band-powered rover out of cardboard. Individuals or groups work at making modifications to a prototype rover to increase its efficiency.
NOAA
The Great, Glowing Orb What You Will Do: Make a Solar Heat Engine
How is solar energy able to move wind and water to control the climate? Scholars explore the concept of solar energy in the first of 10 activities in the Discover Your Changing World series. They follow instructions to build homemade...
Curated OER
Making An Anemometer
Learners discover how to capture the speed of wind. In this science activity lesson, students gather materials and follow procedures to create an anemometer to measure wind speed.
CK-12 Foundation
AC Transformer
High voltage power lines deliver electricity to homes, but each home requires low voltage. How does the energy get converted so it can be used safely? Pupils explore alternating current and transformers through a simulation. They control...
Curated OER
Electricity Generation
Students study the history of electricity and the different ways we generate electricity. In this electricity lesson plan students complete several experiments on generating power.
Curated OER
Energy All Around: Energy in Our Lives
Learners identify the different sources of energy. In this energy lesson plan, students list different machines and identify the type of energy used to operate them. They create a diagram of a wind turbine and label its parts.
WindWise Education
How Does a Generator Work?
I get a charge out of this. In order to learn how a generator works, groups build and test one in this ninth lesson of the series. The generators are tested at low speed and high speed to determine the watt output and whether they have...
PBS
Reading Adventure Pack: Heroes
Three creative activities follow reading a fiction and nonfiction book about heroes. Scholars build hero action figures out of clay for make-believe play, explain in written form how they show bravery, kindness, patience, thoughtfulness,...
Curated OER
A Tall Ship and a Star to Steer Her By
Students create a water transportation device powered by wind. For this wind power lesson, students research transportation concepts after reading the poem "Sea Fever" by John Masefield. Students design the fastest sailboat they can...
PBS
Kinetic Sculpture
Build a sculpture that moves on its own; no power source required! The second installment of a five-part series has individuals create a sculpture that moves with the wind. It can't topple over though, so some type of support is necessary.
Columbus City Schools
It’s Electric!
Shocking! Who knew so many great ideas existed for teaching middle schoolers about electricity? Find them all within this energetic framework. You'll light up at the variety of printable and web-based resources within! After building...
Curated OER
Climate Chaos Week
Pupils research the pros and cons of wind farm technology as an alternative source of energy. The class is divided into two groups that should formulate a debate on each side of the argument. Groups use a debate guide to help develop...