Capture the Wind
Grade Levels: 6-8
Time Required: 1-2 class periods
Learner Objec ve: Students will learn the importance of stewardship,
understand the finite nature of non-renewable energy sources, and
recognize the need for energy conserva on and renewable energy
explora on. They will also demonstrate the principles of wind turbine technology.
PA State Academic Standards and Anchors in Science Technology & Engineering Educa on:
S6.C.2.1.3: Compare various energy sources (i.e., oil, coal, natural gas, solar, wind, and moving water) and
describe how these energy sources are transformed into useful forms of energy.
3.2.6.B2: Describe energy as a property of objects associated with heat, light, electricity, magne sm,
mechanical mo on, and sound. Differen ate between poten al and kine c energy.
3.4.7.C1: Describe how design, as a crea ve planning process, leads to useful products and systems.
3.4.7.C2: Explain how modeling, tes ng, evalua ng, and modifying are used to transform ideas into
prac cal solu ons.
3.4.7.C3: Describe how troubleshoo ng as a problem-solving method may iden fy the cause of a
malfunc on in a technological system.
S8.C.2.2: Compare the environmental impact of different energy sources chosen to support human
endeavors.
S7.B.3.3: Explain how renewable and nonrenewable resources provide for human needs and how these
needs impact the environment.
PA StateAcademic Standards in Other Content Areas:
4.5.7.A: Describe how the development of civiliza on affects the use of natural resources. Compare
and contrast how people use natural resources in sustainable and non-sustainable ways throughout the
world.
11.2.6.A: Contrast the solu ons reached through the use of a simple decision making process that
includes analyzing consequences of alterna ve solu ons against snap decision making methods.
11.2.6.C: Classify the components of effec ve teamwork and leadership.
11.2.6.E: Describe the role of technology within a community in maintaining a safe and healthy living
environment (e.g., safety, hospitals, waste treatment, water quality, schools).
2.2.6.B: Add, subtract, mul ply, and divide whole numbers, decimals, frac ons, and mixed numbers.
2.2.7.C: Use the order of opera ons to evaluate numerical expressions.
2.3.6.D: Perform basic conversions within the metric and within the customary systems.
Key Terms:
Renewable Energy Resources– sources of energy that will be replenished through natural ecological
cycles or sound management prac ces
Nonrenewable Energy Resources – energy sources that, once used, cannot be replaced in this geological
age
Coal – a combus ble sedimentary rock containing energy captured by plants through photosynthesis
millions of years ago
Fossil Fuels – the mineralized remains of prehistoric living things
Methane (CH4) – a flammable greenhouse gas that emanates from a variety of
natural and human-related sources that can be captured and turned into energy
Energy Vampire – anything that is plugged in and s ll using energy even when it is turned off
Energy – the capacity to do work
Natural Resources – living organisms or non-living elements that can be used, consumed, or extracted by
humans and other organisms
Electricity – a widely used secondary energy source generated by other sources of energy (e.g. coal,
nuclear, wind, or solar). This means electricity can be renewable or nonrenewable
Turbine – mechanical device which is turned by forces, such as wind, water, or steam, in order to generate
electricity
Kine c Energy – energy of a body, which results from its mo on
Joule – a metric unit for measuring energy and work
Introduc on: Students will split into groups to discover the finite nature of nonrenewable energy
resources, represented by popcorn, and the importance of good stewardship. Students will then explore
renewable energy solu ons by construc ng a mini wind turbine using a plas c bo le and measuring the
kine c energy generated by either a windy day or an indoor fan.
Materials Required:
Part 1
Student worksheet
Internet access (for class)
Napkins or paper plates
Part 2 (per group)
Lab Ac vity Instruc ons
Scissors
X-acto knife
Masking tape, 2 pieces
Rubber band
Stopwatch
Cardstock
Hand sani zer (a few per class)
2 large bowls of popcorn (per group)
Pushpin
Round pencil with eraser
One-liter plas c bo le with a sipper top
1.1 meter length of sewing thread
10 gm mass (a fishing sinker works well)
Meter s ck
Sand
Overview:
The United States consumes A LOT. According the U.S. Energy Informa on Administra on and the Central
Intelligence Agency’s World Factbook, we consume more oil, more natural gas, more electricity, and have
more miles of roadways than any other na on in the world. All this consump on puts a strain on our
natural resources. The term natural resources refers to any material produced by nature that can be
used to produce goods or provide services. Natural resources are either nonrenewable or renewable.
Nonrenewable energy resources are substances that cannot be replaced in this geologic age. Essen ally,
once they are gone, they are gone for good. Fossil fuels such as oil, gas, and coal are just a few examples
of nonrenewable resources. On the other hand, a renewable energy resource is a naturally occurring
raw material or form of energy that can be replenished through natural ecological cycles or sound
management prac ces. This includes resources such as the sun, wind, water, and plants. It is important
to note that even if a resource is renewable, there are environmental costs to extract and u lize it.
Therefore, it is s ll important to conserve all natural resources whenever possible.
2
Nearly all of Earth’s energy originates from the sun, including fossil fuels, which are our primary source of
energy. According to the U.S. Energy Informa on Administra on, Pennsylvania ranks sixth in the na on in
energy produc on. However, only 4% of Pennsylvania’s total energy produc on comes from renewable
resources. This translates into resource deple on, pollu on, and increased emissions. In fact, in 2010,
the electric power industry in Pennsylvania emi ed 122,829,611,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide,
making the state the third highest carbon emi er in the country.
Alterna ve energy sources are non-fossil fuel means of producing energy, some of which use renewable
resources. Some of these more sustainable solu ons include: biomass, hydro, geothermal, solar, wind,
ocean thermal, wave ac on and dal ac on. Pennsylvania has poten al for wind energy, a growing
renewable energy industry, along mountaintops and ridges and the Lake Erie coast.
Ac vity Instruc ons:
Part 1: Demonstra ng Need versus Greed
1. This ac vity will demonstrate to students that being a good steward means thinking about how
the decisions we make today impact the quality and availability of our natural resources for future
genera ons.
2. Show the Cosmo’s World II Energy webisode as an introduc on to the topic.
3. Divide students into groups of seven or more.
4. In each group, designate 1 student as the parent, 2 as children, and 4 as grandchildren. Extra group
members can be great-grandchildren.
5. Give each group a bag or large bowl of popped popcorn to represent a non-renewable resource
such as coal. If you do not want students snacking, consider using dried rice or beans.
6. Provide each student with a paper plate or napkin. Have students wash or sani ze their hands
before touching the popcorn. Tell the “parent” that they may put as much popcorn as they want on their
plate.
7. Now, allow the “children” to take as much as they want.
8. Do the same with the “grandchildren” and then the “great-grandchildren” if applicable.
9. Have each student complete the accompanying worksheet based on the group exercise.
10. Use this exercise to start a class discussion about nonrenewable resources.
11. Have each group give a summary of the exercise to the class addressing the following ques ons:
a. Did each student get an equal share of the popcorn?
b. Did older genera ons take without thinking about younger genera ons?
c. Did any group run out before the grandchildren had a turn?
d. Was there enough le for grandchildren and great-grandchildren to take their desired amount?
e. What do you think will happen if this trend con nues through successive genera ons? The
Iroquois o en made decisions on the basis of how the decision might affect the next seven genera ons.
Did any group consider a similar principle?
12. Help students to make the connec on that what we do today affects future genera ons. As good
stewards, we should conserve energy and inves gate renewable sources of energy. Segue into the next
ac vity by explaining to students that they will work in groups to explore the principles of wind energy, a
growing technology in Pennsylvania.
Part 2: “Tes ng a Pinwheel Turbine” lab procedure adapted from “Roping the Texas Breezes”
(Lab by Texas State Energy Conserva on Office)
3
1. Distribute lab materials to each group. Provide one copy of the student worksheet to each student.
2. Guide groups through the construc on of the pinwheel wind turbine using the accompanying
“Tes ng a Pinwheel Turbine” lab procedure courtesy of the Texas Energy Conserva on Office.
3. Explain to the class that they will be measuring the kine c energy produced by their pinwheel
turbines. Kine c energy is energy from mo on. Wind turbines convert the kine c energy of the wind into
electricity. If possible, show students an anima on of how a wind turbine works. The U.S. Department of
Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy houses an informa ve anima on. h p://www1.
eere.energy.gov/wind/wind_anima on.html
4. Set up a large floor fan at one sta on and allow lab groups, one at a me, to perform five trials of
their pinwheel. Have each student record the group’s data on their individual student worksheets. Send
students back to their desk or lab table to perform the necessary calcula ons and answer the worksheet
ques ons independently while the next group takes their turn at the fan sta on.
5. Begin a class discussion by asking a member of each group to share the results. Then discuss the
ques ons on the student worksheet.
a. What would be needed to generate more kine c energy?
Because kine c energy is the energy resul ng from mo on, increased wind speed provides increased
energy. There are a variety of factors that affect the site suitability of commercial wind farms, but
generally wind speeds of at least 14.3 mph at 50 meters above the ground are required according to the
Na onal Renewable Energy Laboratory. Students may also argue that the design of the pinwheel turbine
could be modified to capture more of the wind’s kine c energy.
b. Which areas of Pennsylvania have the greatest poten al for wind turbines? Allow the class to
view a topographic map if possible.
As seen below, the highest wind speeds are typically located along mountaintops and ridges, especially
those of the Alleghenies and the Poconos as well as coastal areas. This map can be found at www.
windpoweringamerica.gov under the Pennsylvania sec on on the homepage.
Accommoda ons for Guided Prac ce for Students with Different Abili es:
Na onal Wildlife Federa on Access Nature, an inclusive outdoor educa on curriculum focused on
experien al outdoor ac vi es for people of all abili es:
h p://www.shopnwf.org/catalog/search.cmd?keyword=Access+Nature&x=22&y=15
Learning/Cogni ve – Provide cue cards to clearly illustrate the steps needed to construct the pinwheel.
Provide a wri en list of the key terms. Allow par cipants to complete the student worksheet ques ons
and calcula ons in groups if appropriate.
Hearing – Provide transcripts of the Cosmo’s World II video and printouts of key words. Write key
discussion topics on the board.
Visual – Provide large print versions of all handouts and materials. Allow fellow group members to read
the pinwheel turbine instruc ons aloud.
Motor–If dexterity is a challenge, construct the pinwheel ahead of me and allow students to
par cipate by performing the ac vity and calcula ons.
4
Assessment: Evaluate the part 1 and part 2 student handouts for completeness, accuracy, and
meaningful conclusions; monitor students’ par cipa on, group work and in class discussion.
Resources:
Video Ac vity – Electric Dracula: Finding Energy Vampires. Join Cosmo and his friends in elimina ng
energy vampires. Use this ac vity as a homework assignment or be energy vampire hunters in your
school as you seek out and destroy energy sucking machines. See video ac vity instruc ons a er the
worksheet in this lesson plan packet.
Energy Resources (Kids):
The U.S. Energy Informa on Administra on has kid-focused, fun games and ac vi es as well as a great
overview and glossary covering energy topics.
h p://www.eia.gov/kids/
The state of California has created an interac ve energy website for kids, called Kid Quest, which also
houses teacher resources.
h p://www.energyquest.ca.gov/
Energy Resources (Teachers):
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy provides tutorials on
renewable energy sources like wind and even includes an anima on of a working wind turbine.
h p://www.eere.energy.gov/
Wind Powering America is a na onal ini a ve of the U.S. Department of Energy aimed at educa ng the
public.
h p://www.windpoweringamerica.gov/
The Kid Wind Project provides kid-friendly informa on on wind energy. They also offer workshops and
events across the country and clean energy kits for students.
h p://learn.kidwind.org/
Standards and some defini ons were provided via the Pennsylvania Department of Educa on
Standards Aligned System.
h p://www.pdesas.org/
The Central Intelligence Agency’s World Factbook allows users to access informa on on the
government, geography, economy, transporta on, communica ons, military, history, and demographics
of 267 world en es.
h ps://www.cia.gov
The U.S. Energy Informa on Administra on provides energy and electricity profiles for each state as
well as general informa on and na onal sta s cs.
Pennsylvania Profile: h p://www.eia.gov/state/state-energy-profiles.cfm?sid=PA
The Na onal Energy Educa on Development Project provides informa
forma on, lessons, and ac vi es to
educators and students.
h p://www.need.org
5
The Texas State Energy Conserva on Office provides renewable
energy resources for educators. Their “Roping the Texas Breezes””
lesson was the lab procedure in part 2 of this lesson.
h p://www.infinitepower.org
Lab adapted from “Roping the Texas Breezes”
by Texas State Energy Conservation Office
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Capture the Wind Worksheet 1
Name: ______________________________
Date: _______________________________
Class Period: ________________________
Follow your instructors directions to successfully complete
the exercise. Then fill in the boxes below with the number
of popcorn pieces grabbed by each person in your group.
Answer the following questions independently, then discuss
them with your group.
1st GeneraƟon:
Parent
2nd GeneraƟon:
Children
3rd GeneraƟon:
Grandchildren
1. Did each student get an equal share of the resource? Why or why not?
2. What do you think will happen in successive generations?
3. What does this tell us about nonrenewable resources?
Capture the Wind Worksheet 2
Inthislab,wewillconstructapinwheeltodemonstratetheprinciplesofwindturbinetechnologyandmeasͲ
urekineƟcenergy.CompletethefollowingquesƟonsasyouperformthelabacƟvity.
PinwheelTurbineData
Trial
Time
(seconds)
ObservaƟons
1
2
3
4
5
TotalTime
AverageTime
TotalTime/NumberofTrials
Usingtheunitsandformulasincludedonyourlabprocedurehandout,calculatethefollowing:
Velocity(v)=_______
KineƟcEnergy(KE)=_______
Joules(J)=_______
1. What do you think would be needed to generate more kinetic energy?
2. Which areas of Pennsylvania do you think have the greatest potential for wind turbines?
Energy Video Activity
Objec ve: This ac vity will be in-class and take-home, intended to teach
students to consider which devices are “energy vampires” that drain energy
even when they are not being used. Students will act as vampire hunters,
unplugging devices in standby mode, plug-in adapters, and chargers
that prey on energy and money.
Materials: Notebooks and pencils
Instruc ons:
1. In this exercise, students become “vampire hunters”. The goal is to split into teams to see which
team can hunt the most vampires. Teams of 4 or 5 are a good size. Encourage the teams to come up
with a crea ve team name.
2. Each team should create an “on list”, a list of poten al energy vampires that might be draining
energy even when turned off. The more electronics a team can come up with, the be er. The final list
will be turned in to the teacher, making sure each member has a copy of the list of vampires.
3. Teams will then split up and begin the take-home assignment of hun ng vampires in their home.
Students now take on the role of vampire hunters. Using their group’s “on list”, each vampire hunter
should proceed through his or her home and “slay” vampires by tallying items they find in their home
that are on their “on list”. Students should also create an “off list” of addi onal vampires they find that
aren’t on their “on list”.
4. When back in the classroom, students will meet in their groups. Each group will begin by
summing their individual “on list” tallies for each ca egory to come up with a group total. Next ask
each group to calculate their group number for items on their “off list” and tell them to subtract the
“off list” number from their “on list” number for a final group score. The team with the most points
becomes the winning Vigilant Vampire Vanquishers. (Op onal: give a real prize or bonus).
Energy Quiz
1.
Writeeitheran“R”for“renewable”,an“N”for“nonͲrenewable”,oran“E”for“either/it
depends”nexttoeachofthefollowing:
______Oil ______Coal ______Water
______Gasoline
______Wind ______Sunlight
______TidalPower ______Grass ______NaturalGas
2.
a. Whatisanexampleofaprimaryenergysourcethatpeopleusetogenerateelectricity,
asecondaryenergysource?
b.
Whatistheoriginal,primarysourceofvirtuallyallstoredenergyonEarth?
3.
AretherepartsofPennsylvaniasuitableforrenewableenergy?Useanexamplefromclass.
4.
TheIroquoisandotherindigenouspeoplesusedtomakedecisionsonthebasisofhowthe
decisionmightaffecttheirchildrenandtheirchildren’schildren…forsevengenerations.Howmight
peopletodayensurethattherewillstillbeenergysourcesinsevengenerations?
Energy Quiz Answers
1.
Writeeitheran“R”for“renewable”,an“N”for“nonͲrenewable”,oran“E”for“either/it
depends”nexttoeachofthefollowing:
___N___Oil ___N___Coal
___E___Water
___N___Gasoline ___R___Wind
___R___Sunlight
___R___TidalPower
___R___Grass
___N___NaturalGas
2.
a. Whatisanexampleofaprimaryenergysourcethatpeopleusetogenerateelectricity,
asecondaryenergysource?
A:
Someexamplesincludecoal,gasoline,petroleum,naturalgas,geothermalheat,plants,
andwater.
b.
A:
Whatistheoriginal,primarysourceofvirtuallyallstoredenergyonEarth?
Thesun.
3.
AretherepartsofPennsylvaniasuitableforrenewableenergy?Useanexamplefromclass.
A:
Pennsylvaniahasenoughwindtobesuitableforwindenergy.Thehighestwindspeeds
aretypicallylocatedalongmountaintopsandridges,especiallythoseoftheAlleghenies
andthePoconosaswellascoastalareas.
4.
TheIroquoisandotherindigenouspeoplesusedtomakedecisionsonthebasisofhowthe
decisionmightaffecttheirchildrenandtheirchildren’schildren…forsevengenerations.Howmight
peoplealivetodayensurethattherewillstillbeenergysourcesinsevengenerations?
A:
Itisverydifficulttoplanahead,butinordertomakesurethatfuturegenerationshave
accesstoresources,itisimportantthatwestarttolookatrenewablesourcesofenergy
suchaswind,solar,geothermal,tidalpower,andotherenergysources.Reducingtheamountof
energyweeachusemakesusgoodstewards.