Each Siemens STEM Day classroom activity highlights one or more components of the engineering design cycle and an essential 21st-century skill.

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Kristina Goodman
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Level of Difficulty: 2 Grade Range: 9-12 Activity Time: 45-60 min Career Path: Energy Topic: Energy OVERVIEW In this lesson, students will examine wind power a renewable energy resource with

1 Level of Difficulty: 2 Grade Range: 9-12 Activity Time: min Career Path: Energy Topic: Energy OVERVIEW In this lesson, students will examine wind power a renewable energy resource with increasing importance to our society. Students will learn how to harness wind power by constructing turbine blades. They will test the effectiveness of their blade design by attaching the blades to a small motor to see if they are able to lift an object. Through this activity, students will come to understand what makes wind turbines function and learn how wind energy can be converted to usable electricity. STEM LESSON FOCUS STEM incorporates Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics to focus on real-world issues and problems guided by the engineering design process. This type of instruction supports students in developing critical thinking, collaboration, reasoning, and creative skills to be competitive in the 21st-century workforce. Each Siemens STEM Day classroom activity highlights one or more components of the engineering design cycle and an essential 21st-century skill. Engineering Design Cycle Designing Solutions 21st Century Skills Creativity OBJECTIVES Students will be able to: create an original wind turbine prototype and test its effectiveness in lifting an object. evaluate their prototype s effectiveness. apply the knowledge they gained through the simulation to our current energy landscape, thinking through how wind energy can be converted into electricity. 1

2 MATERIALS Cardboard, cardstock, straws, tape, scissors, string, chalkboard or whiteboard, small volt DC motor (can be found at most craft stores) one per student group, AA Batteries 1-2 per motor (according to motor specifications) HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED How those big, swirling wind turbines create electricity? Why we look to the wind to provide us with power? MAKE CONNECTIONS! How does this connect to students? Students will learn the importance of renewable energy resources and how those resources are harnessed. Students will get hands-on experience with key physics concepts like Conservation of Energy and use this information to think critically about the power sources we use in our society. How does this connect to careers? Environmental engineers use their deep knowledge of Earth and engineering principles to deisgn solutions to environmental problems. Energy Analysts study the effectiveness of renewable methods like wind, water, and solar energy. They work to design wind turbines and energy plants that maximize wind resources. Energy Policy Advisor use the research conducted by analysts to inform government leaders about renewable energy resources. How does this connect to our world? Alternative energy sources are becoming more and more prevalent in our society. As environmental and social factors increase our reliance on renewable energy methods like solar, wind, and water power, students will benefit from a greater understanding of how these natural elements are harnessed to create the electricity we use each day. If you want students to further explore career opportunities connected to this topic, please allow for more classroom time. 2

3 BLUEPRINT FOR DISCOVERY 1. Provide the following context: a. Fossil fuels, like oil and coal, are nonrenewable, harmful to our environment and politically complicated to obtain. As such, we need to look to alternative sources of energy. b. We can use natural elements of Earth sunshine, water and wind to create the electricity we use in our homes, offices, and other buildings. c. We harness wind power through the use of wind turbines. Wind turbines are made of four basic components: i. Blades The wind makes the blades spin. ii. Rotor As the blades spin, they turn a rotor. iii. Shaft The spinning rotor moves the shaft up and down. iv. Generator The moving shaft turns a generator, which creates power. d. In today s activity, we will use the materials available to us to create a prototype of a wind turbine. We will see how much energy our turbine creates by seeing how effectively it lifts common objects. By observing what materials our turbines can lift, we will analyze which blade design methods worked, and which did not. We ll apply what we ve learned to general energy practices and discuss how wind energy becomes usable. 2. Assemble students into groups of 2-3, depending on class size. 3. Provide each individual or group with the following materials: a. Cardboard: 1-2 small pieces b. Cardstock: 2-3 pieces of 8 ½x 11, instructing students to save on piece for the evaluation stage of their prototype c. Paper: 2-3 pieces of 8 ½x 11, instructing students to save on piece for the evaluation stage of their prototype d. Straws: 2-3 e. Tape: one roll of general clear tape f. Scissors: two pairs per group g. String: 1-2 feet of twine/thread/other thread per group, with one 6-inch section per group h. Motor: one per group i. Batteries: 1-2 per group 4. Instruct each student group that they will design a turbine to the following specifications these can be typed, printed, and handed out to groups to save time: a. It must be constructed with the provided materials and nothing else. 3

4 b. They must use the materials given to create the blades of the turbine. c. Once completed, students will attach the blades to the shaft of the motor. d. Turbines, when powered, should be able to lift the following: a piece of string, a piece of paper, a piece of cardstock. e. Students have 10 minutes to design their blades and attach them to the motor shaft. 5. Allow students to use the provided materials to build their blades and attach them to the shaft of the motor. 6. Write a T-chart on the board with four sections. On the top left side of the chart, write Group Name. Then, write String in the second section of the chart. Write Paper in the third section of the chart, and write Cardstock in the last section. 7. When all groups are finished attaching the blades to the motor shaft, instruct the students to add the batteries to their motor. The shaft and blades will begin to spin. 8. Have each group power up their turbine and dangle a piece of 6-inch-long string in front of it. Give students up to 5 minutes to adjust and troubleshoot their design so that the piece of string lifts from the wind power of their turbine. 9. Have each group power up their turbine and hold a piece of 8 1/2 x 11 paper in front of it. Give students up to 5 minutes to adjust and troubleshoot their design so that the piece of paper lifts from the wind power of their turbine. 10. Have each group power up their turbine and hold a piece of 8 1/2 x 11 cardstock in front of it. Give students up to 5 minutes to adjust and troubleshoot their design so that the piece of cardstock lifts from the wind power of their turbine. 11. When all groups are finished, ask a representative from each group to come up to the board and present the design of their turbine. Have the student put a check in the columns that correspond to the objects their turbine was able to lift. 12. Lead students through the following discussion questions, inviting students to share out their responses: a. What design elements did the most effective turbines have (size, shape, etc.)? b. How do these elements translate into real-life wind turbines? c. What we ve designed is a wind turbine in reverse. In an actual turbine, the power from the blades would generate power that runs the motor. How would you expand on this activity in order to build a true wind turbine (wind source, a shaft that connects to the motor)? 4

5 TAKE ACTION! Inspired? Students and educators can use the following resources to learn more about wind power and renewable energy: U.S. Department of Energy: Wind Energy Basics National Renewable Energy Laboratory: Learning About Renewable Energy National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA): Power Up! The American Wind Energy Association NATIONAL STANDARDS Science Next Generation Science Standards Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer Conservation of energy means that the total change of energy in any system is always equal to the total energy transferred into or out of the system. Energy cannot be created or destroyed, but it can be transported from one place to another and transferred between systems. Technology Education Next Generation Science Standards and International Technology and Engineering Educators Association National Technology Standards 16: Students will develop an understanding of and be able to select and use energy and power technologies. M. Energy resources can be renewable or nonrenewable. N. Power systems must have a source of energy, a process, and loads. 5

6 WORKS CITED 1 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Environmental Engineers. December 17, American Wind Energy Association. Careers in Wind Siemens STEM Day SiemensStemDay.com 6

Pinwheel to Windmill. Grade Level: 4-5

Pinwheel to Windmill. Grade Level: 4-5 Pinwheel to Windmill Grade Level: 4-5 Lesson Overview Objectives: Students will be able to Explain where energy comes from and how we use it Define renewable and nonrenewable, and provide examples Preparation/Materials: