Pinwheel to Windmill. Grade Level: 4-5

Transcription

1 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: Activity 1: Internet Access Activity 2: (per group or student); Pinwheel to Windmill instructions, paper (7 in X 7 in), single-hole puncher, ruler, scissors, 1 wooden stick or straw (~12 in), 2 rubber bands, 1 milk carton, string, paper clips Home Activity: Internet Access Procedure: Activity 1 (10 minutes): Renewable Energy Activity 2 (20 minutes): Pinwheel to Windmill Home Activity: Wind Energy Green and Healthy Kids - Home Topic 6: Energy While there are two types of energy, renewable and nonrenewable, most of the energy we use comes from burning nonrenewable fuels--coal, petroleum or oil, or natural gas. These supply the majority of our energy needs because we have designed ways to transform their energy on a large scale to meet consumer needs. The amount of fossil fuels is limited and we will eventually run out of current supplies. It is important to conserve these resources, while we experiment with the possibility of using renewable resources to meet our energy needs. Use of fossil fuels to make energy changes is complicated by the fact that they are the primary causes of environmental pollution including smog, acid rain, and the Greenhouse effect. Knowledge Outcome: I know that most energy we use comes from nonrenewable resources that pollute our environment Behavior Outcome: I turn off the lights, television, computer and other devices when I leave the room Source: USGBC Learning Lab:

2 Activity 1: Energy Blues 1. Show students a video about energy conservation: Safety Smart Science with Bill Nye the Science Guy : Renewable Energy Activity 2: Pinwheel to Windmill 1. Set-Up: Divide the class into teams of 3 4 students. Have each team go to a workstation, at which you ve placed the materials they will need, as well as copies (one per student) of the Pinwheel to Windmill Activity Sheet. 2. Ask students if they ve ever seen a pinwheel. Show students a completed pinwheel, and blow on it to show how it works. Then ask if students have ever seen a windmill. Ask: What are windmills used for? (They convert wind energy into work, or mechanical energy, to help people accomplish tasks.) 3. Activity: Lead students through the Pinwheel to Windmill Activity Sheet: help them first to complete a pinwheel and then to turn it into a windmill. Model each step as students follow along with you. 4. Discuss: 1. How is each blade on a windmill like the sail of a sailboat? (both capture the energy of the wind to move something) 2. When you think about the energy resources you know about, are they mostly renewable or nonrenewable? Explain. (I know about the gasoline we put in the car, the gas we use to cook food, and the electricity we get from a power plant. These are all nonrenewable resources. I can t think of as many examples of solar energy or wind energy.) 3. Do you think it is important to make renewable sources of energy more common/present in everyday life? Explain. (Renewable energy sources are more sustainable options than nonrenewable sources are. Renewable energy sources will not run out. Nonrenewable energy sources like coal and oil take millions of years to replace, so once we have used them up, they are gone. Sustainability is about being able to continue doing what we do.) 4. Which type of energy resource creates more pollution renewable or nonrenewable? (Nonrenewable energy resources like coal, natural gas, and petroleum create more pollution. They are carbon based, so they release pollutants into the air that are generally difficult to get rid of. Renewable energy resources release far fewer pollutants and little, if any, waste products.)

3 Home Activity: Wind Energy 1. Students can play as they learn about how wind turbines function. Have students explore resources such as the following simulator from National Geographic: Wind Energy: Harnessing the Air in Motion:

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