Students will use a limited amount of materials to design and build functioning windmill models. They will use these models to convert wind into mechanical energy in order to lift weights. Using the scientific method, they will conduct trials, change variables, and work to improve the performance of their windmills. Get materials to complete MacGyver Windmills with your class using KidWind’s MacGyver Wind Classpack.
The Details
Grades
3rd - 5th Grade
6th - 8th Grade
Time Required
45 minutes - 1 hour
Materials
Classroom materials for each group:
- Â Blades
- Index cards
- Hubs
- Foam cylinder
- Cork
- Driveshafts
- Skewers
- Straws
- Cardboard tubes
- Dowels
- Attachments
- T-pins
- Weightlifting
- String
- Cup
- Washer
- Spool
Classroom materials to share:
- 20″x20″ standard box fans
- Ruler
- Tape
- Scissors
- Alternative blade material such as paper plates, scrap cardboard, lawn signs, pie pans, etc. Anything that catches the wind will work!
Next Generation Science Standards
Cross-Cutting Concepts
- Cause & Effect
- Energy & Matter
- Patterns
Disciplinary Core Ideas
- ETS1.A Defining & Delimiting Engineering Problems
- ETS1.B Developing Possible Solutions
- ETS1.C Optimizing the Design Solution
- PS2.A Forces & Motion
- PS2.B Types of Interactions
- PS3.A Definitions of Energy
- PS3.B Conservation of Energy & Energy Transfer
- PS3.C Relationship Between Energy & Forces
Learning Objectives
- Know the fundamental parts of a wind turbine
- Be able to use the engineering design process and the scientific method to isolate and adjust variables while designing and testing wind wheel
- Understand energy conversions and transfers, and how a wind turbine converts moving air into electrical energy
- Design a Wind Wheel for the Firefly wind turbine that can light up an LED