Harness the Wind

What is wind?

Wind is air in motion. Wind is produced by the uneven heating of the Earth’s surface by the sun. As the sun warms the Earth’s surface the atmosphere warms too. Some parts of the Earth receive direct rays of sun and others do not. This creates a difference in air pressure. Warm air weighs less than cold air and rises; cold air moves in and replaces the warm air. This movement of cold and warm air, or the change in air pressure, creates wind. Wind is affected by local and global conditions.

Design a Wind Experiment

As a class design an experiment to study or test some aspect of the wind. Let the students design and lead the study. Be a guide and resource for the students as they discuss, design and carry out their experiment/study. Some ideas: wind energy, wind speed, air pressure, how wind shapes the land, benefits of wind, wind damage.

Presentation

Once students have designed and/or carried out their experiment or study have them create a multimedia presentation of their findings.

Links

Kid Wind Project - Learn About Wind: Wind Power Basics

http://learn.kidwind.org/learn

Earth Science for Kids - Wind

http://www.ducksters.com/science/earth_science/wind.php

EPA: Students

http://www.epa.gov/students/index.html

Book List

Grades 3-5

Bauer, M. D., and J. Wallace. 2003. Wind. Simon Spotlight.

Capeci, A., and C. Bracken. 2007. The Magic School Bus Rides the Wind. Scholastic, Inc.

Drummond, A. 2011. Energy Island: How one community harnassed the wind and changed their world. Farrar, Straus, and Giroux.

Friend, S. 2002. Earth’s Wild Winds. 21^st Century.

Frost, H. 2004. Weather: Wind. Coughlan Publishing.

Kamkwamba, W., B. Mealer, and E. Zunon. 2012. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind. Penguin Group (USA).

Woelfle, G. 2013. The Wind at Work: An Activity Guide to Windmills. Chicago Review Press, Inc.

Grades 6-8

Caduto, M. J., J. H. Mitchell, and D. Bonta. 2011. Catch the Wind, Harness the Sun: 22 Super-Charged Projects for Kids. Storey Publishing, LLC.

Dobson, C. 2010. Wind Power: 20 Projects to Make with Paper. Firefly Books, Limited.

Fitzgerald, S., D. Voege, and Science Applications, Inc. Staff. 2010. Wind Power. Chelsea House Publishers.

Ganeri, A. 2004. Wind. Gareth Stevens Publishing.

Walker, N. 2006. Generating Wind Power. Crabtree Publishing Company.

Grades 9-12

Kamkwamba, W., and B. Mealer. 2010. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope. William Morrow.

Rodgers, A., and A. Streluk. 2008. Wind and Air Pressure (Measuring the Weather). Heinemann Library.

Walker, N. 2006. Generating Wind Power. Crabtree Publishing Company.