©2014 National Geographic Society. All rights reserved.
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Level
Middle
Grades 5-8
Wind Energy Lab
Educator Guide
ACTIVITY: WIND ENERGY LAB
Big Idea
Wind is a form of renewable energy that can be used to turn a turbine to generate electricity. The size, material, and
shape of the blades on the turbine can affect their efficiency and the amount of electricity that can be generated with
a given amount of wind.
Guiding Question
How do the size, shape, materials, and other characteristics of wind turbine blades affect their efficiency?
Note To Classroom Educator
We are so glad you have chosen to welcome a content expert into your teaching environment to share excitement of
engineering and STEM careers with your students. Use the resources provided in this guide to prepare your students
before the visit, assist the content expert during the visit, and for follow-up with your students after the visit to make
this experience as impactful and productive as possible.
Be sure to have a conversation with your classroom visitor at least one week in advance of the scheduled visit to
discuss the timing for arrival, including security and general visitor protocol for your school or teaching environment.
Let the visitor know how much time will be available (if any) in your educational environment to set up before the
instructional period begins. Let the content expert know how many students are in your class and inform him or
her about the technology availability and capabilities in your classroom. For example: Do you have a way to show a
streaming video? Do you have a projector or a smart board? Is your classroom set up for Mac or PC use?
Share any classroom management techniques you use during instruction so your classroom visitor can communicate
effectively with your students. Example: “I clap three times to refocus my students’ attention when they get off task.”
“I whisper directions as a signal for my students to quiet down.” The content expert will be interacting with the whole
group of students at times and will also want them to work in small groups during his or her visit. Please divide the
classroom into well-thought-out working groups of three to four students each before the classroom visit. Let the
classroom visitor know how many small groups there will be so enough supplies are brought for each group.
Prepare Your Students For The Classroom Visit
Visit www.classroomengineers.org and open the Wind Energy Lab activity, to see the classroom visitor’s detailed
instructions for using this activity with your students.
Use all or some of the following pre-visit resources to engage your students with wind energy and wind turbines.
Background Information For The Classroom Educator
Wind is a renewable energy resource. Wind turbines are used to convert wind energy into electricity. A turbine consists
of blades attached to a central hub. The blades on the turbines are designed to be easily turned by the wind. The
turbine is connected to a generator. As wind turns the blades on the turbine, the turbine turns the generator. The
generator converts the mechanical energy of the moving turbine into electrical energy. The design of the blades is very
important in making the turbine efficient. Efficient turbines mean that more electricity can be produced from the same
amount of wind.
For the complete activity and
media resources, please visit:
www.classroomengineers.org
Page 1 of 2
©2014 National Geographic Society. All rights reserved.
Level
Middle
+
Grades 5-8
Educator Guide
Wind Energy Lab
Pre-Visit Resources and Activities
• Use these resources to give students an idea of how a wind turbine works prior to the activity.
• Article: How a Wind Turbine Works
http://energy.gov/articles/how-wind-turbine-works
• Interactive: Harness the Power of Wind
http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/wind-power-interactive/
• Pre-teach relevant vocabulary: renewable energy, turbine, generator
Post-Visit Resources and Activities
• Have students read this article to see how engineers continue to identify areas for improvement in wind turbines.
• Article: National Geographic News–Watching Wind Turbines in Snow Sheds Light on Inefficiencies
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2014/06/140624-wind-turbine-turbulence-snow-study/
• Have students read this encyclopedia entry from National Geographic Education for more details about wind turbines.
• Article: National Geographic–Wind Energy
http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/encyclopedia/wind-energy/?ar_a=1
• Review relevant vocabulary/concepts: renewable energy, turbine, generator
For Further Exploration
• Article: National Geographic Environment–Wind Power
http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/wind-power-profile/
• Website: U.S. Department of Energy: Energy.gov–Wind
http://energy.gov/science-innovation/energy-sources/renewable-energy/wind
• Website: U.S. Department of the Interior–Wind Energy Development
http://windeis.anl.gov/index.cfm
• Map: USGS–Wind Farms
http://eerscmap.usgs.gov/windfarm/
National Standards Alignment
• (5–8) Standard A-1: Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
• (5–8) Standard B-3: Transfer of energy
Next Generation Science Standards Alignment
• PS2-3: Ask questions about data to determine the factors that affect the strength of electrical and magnetic forces.
• ETS1-4: Develop a model to generate data for iterative testing and modification of a proposed object, tool, or
process such that an optimal design can be achieved.
• Science and Engineering Practices: Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions
• Science and Engineering Practices: Developing and Using Models
For the complete activity and
media resources, please visit:
www.classroomengineers.org
Page 2 of 2