This resource provides instructions for building and testing a Savonius wind turbine.
During the lesson, students will view videos about air pollution and clean energy sources, design and build their own small wind turbine, experiment with small adjustments to improve its efficiency, and reflect on the implications of their experiment.
Teaching Tips
Positives
This resource includes a student worksheet and teacher guide that are available as a PDF and a Google Document.
The lesson includes hands-on components and provides for small group work and engineering design opportunities.
Additional Prerequisites
Teachers must create an account and sign in to access this lesson.
To simplify the materials required, you could substitute paperboard or construction paper for the cardboard and pencils for the dowels.
Differentiation
Students can work in small groups to draft different wind turbine designs and choose one to build.
The questions on the Google Doc can be adjusted to ensure all students are challenged to work at their level.
Students could research wind farms in their area and/or research different designs of wind turbines prior to completing this activity.
The resource offered insights on the workability of wind turbines and how it can be designed by students using clear illustrations. This is recommended for teaching.
Standards
Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
ESS3: Earth and Human Activity
HS-ESS3-4 Evaluate or refine a technological solution that reduces impacts of human activities on natural systems.
ETS1: Engineering Design
MS-ETS1-3 Analyze data from tests to determine similarities and differences among several design solutions to identify the best characteristics of each that can be combined into a new solution to better meet the criteria for success.
PS3: Energy
HS-PS3-3 Design, build, and refine a device that works within given constraints to convert one form of energy into another form of energy.
