Electronics and Windmills
Part 2: Harnessing the Wind
Objective(s):
1. Students should describe the factors that cause the wind to blow.
2. Students should identify and describe the differences between renewable and
nonrenewable natural resources.
3. Students should describe a relationship between electromagnets and electric motors.
4. Students should describe how a turbine (as in a wind turbine) can generate electricity.
Standard(s):
National Science Standards: Grades 5-8
 INT-A: 2.a. Different kinds of questions require different kinds of scientific
investigations, including observing and describing, collecting, experimentation,
research, discovery, and making models.
 INT-E: 1.a. Identify appropriate problems for technological design.
 INT-E: 1.b. Design a solution or product.
 INT-E: 1.c. Implement a proposed design.
 INT-E: 1.d. Evaluate completed technological designs or products.
 INT-E: 1.e. Communicate the process of technological design.
Illinois State Learning Standards – Science
11.A.2a Formulate questions on a specific science topic and choose the steps needed to
answer the questions.
11.A.3b Conduct scientific experiments that control all but one variable.
11.A.4b Conduct controlled experiments or simulations to test hypotheses.
11.A.3c Collect and record data accurately using consistent measuring and recording
techniques and media.
11.A.4c Collect, organize and analyze data accurately and precisely.
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11.B.2a Identify a design problem and propose possible solutions.
11.B.3a Identify an actual design problem and establish criteria for determining the
success of a solution.
12.C.1a Identify and compare sources of energy (e.g., batteries, the sun).
12.C.2a Describe and compare types of energy including light, heat, sound, electrical
and mechanical.
12.E.2a Identify and explain natural cycles of the Earth’s land, water and atmospheric
systems (e.g., rock cycle, water cycle, weather patterns).
13.A.3c Explain what is similar and different about observational and experimental
investigations.
13.A.4c Describe how scientific knowledge, explanations and technological designs may
change with new information over time (e.g., the understanding of DNA, the design of
computers).
13.A.4d Explain how peer review helps to assure the accurate use of data and improves
the scientific process.
13.B.3e Identify advantages and disadvantages of natural resource conservation and
management programs.
Anticipatory Set:
In Electronics and Windmills Part 1, students created electrical circuits. They discussed
the differences between series and parallel circuits and saw the use of resistors. Students
should be able to explain that electricity is a flow of electrons but that flow needs a power
source to push that flow.
Instructional Strategies, Methods, Activities:
1. Begin session with a review of circuits. Draw 4 sample
circuits on the board with only one that is correct. Have
students volunteer to describe why each one is either
correct or incorrect. Include in this discussion a sample
light bulb circuit and have a student draw lines to
represent wires to complete the circuit correctly.
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2. Students should be directed to
create an electromagnet. Students
will place a D cell battery in the
battery holder. Then, a wire should
be connected to one terminal of the
battery holder. The rest of the wire
should be wrapped around a nail 20
times and the end of the wire should
be connected to the other terminal
of the battery holder. Students
should test the strength of their
electromagnet by counting the
number of washers or paper clips
the electromagnet will pick up.
The students should test the strength
of the electromagnets by increasing
the number of times the wire is
wrapped around the nail. Students
should compare the original 20
wraps with 30 and 40 wraps of the
wire around the nail and report their
results of the number of objects held
by the electromagnet.
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3. Review with the students that a coiled wire spinning around a magnet or a magnet
spinning around a coiled wire generates electricity which generates a movement of
electrons. This is how electric motors work and how electricity can be generated.
4. Electricity needs a power source. A review of energy sources is conducted. The list
generated should include renewable resources such as wood, solar (sun), wind and
moving water and nonrenewable resources such as coal, oil, and natural gas (fossil fuels).
Students should be able to explain the reasons and caveats of why each source is
renewable or nonrenewable.
5. The discussion turns to wind power and what causes the wind to blow. A diagram on
the board shows how the sun heats the earth unevenly creating areas that are warm
creating warm air currents that rise and areas that are cooler where the cool air sinks. The
warm air rises because it is less dense and the cool air sinks because it is more dense.
The movement of air parallel to the ground is the resulting wind.
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This can be demonstrated with a convection chamber.
It should be reminded that the main source of this movement of air is the Sun.
6. A demonstration of a wind turbine is conducted. First, the formula for power
generated by the turbine is explained. The formula is:
Power = ½ ρ π r2 v3
where
ρ = density of the air (rho)
r = radius of the blade area
v = wind velocity
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A multimeter is then connected to the wires from the turbine and a box fan is started to
move the blades. The experimentation that follows adjusts the variables of speed of fan,
pitch of turbine blades, number of blades, and the size of blades. The result should show
that there is an optimal amount of blades and pitch of blades to generate the highest
voltage.
A small Christmas tree light bulb is then attached to the turbine clips to demonstrate that
the current is strong enough to light the light bulb.
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Assessment:
Students should be able to diagram the workings of a complete light bulb circuit, an
electromagnet, and the flow of air to create wind. Students should be able to recognize
how energy sources are either renewable or nonrenewable.
Vocabulary Terms:
battery, filament, tungsten, electricity, magnetism, conductor, insulator, renewable
resource, nonrenewable resource, electromagnet, parallel circuit, series circuit, turbine
Resources:
KidWind Project (source to purchase wind turbine kit and more).
http://www.kidwind.org/
Building the Basic PVC Wind Turbine – site includes a pdf file for basics on the pvc
wind turbine
http://www.eere.energy.gov/education/lessonplans/plan.cfm/lpid=291
Electronic Snap Kits (we used the Electronics 202 Snap-Kit Model: 28-287, Catalog #:
28-287) http://www.radioshack.com/sm-electronics-202-snap-kit--pi-2102915.html
Convection of Gas Apparatus
http://www.fishersci.com/ Catalog number: S41795
Wind Power Project Curriculum from the Mathematics, Science and Technology
Education (MSTE), University of Illinois. http://www.mste.uiuc.edu/projects/wind/
Wind – a kid friendly site that illustrates the basics of winds.
http://www.weatherwizkids.com/wind1.htm
Wind – Dan’s Wild Weather. http://www.wildwildweather.com/wind.htm
Wind Power. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_power
How a Wind Turbine Works.
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/windandhydro/wind_how.html
Modern Marvels: Magnets (DVD)
From everyday products to cutting-edge laboratories, see how magnetic attraction shapes
the world. http://store.aetv.com
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Pod’s Mission – Circuit Breaker A fun interactive assessment tool for circuits
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/podsmission/electricity/annie03.shtml#
Wind Power – good graphic for the pieces and parts inside a turbine
http://www.powerhousekids.com/stellent2/groups/public/documents/pub/phk_ee_re_001
502.hcsp
Wind Power Online Wind Quiz
http://www.powerhousekids.com/stellent2/groups/public/documents/pub/phk_fg_og_002
656.hcsp#P-4_0
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