Wind Turbine Model

Objectives

• Build a model of a wind turbine.

Materials

• Per Student:
  Pinwheel template
  brass fastener
  straw

  Per Group or Pair:
  scissors
  single hole puncher
  lightweight decorating material

Key Questions

• How is the pinwheel similar to a wind turbine?

What To Do

1. Cut around the outside of the pinwheel pattern on the dotted lines (pinwheel template can be found on following page), then cut inwards on each of the dotted lines.
2. Using a single hole punch, punch out the circles on each corner of the pinwheel and the black hole in the centre. (Tip: fold the pinwheel gently in half to reach the centre circle.)
3. Punch a hole in the straw.
4. Push the fastener through the hole in the straw and then through the centre hole of the pinwheel.
5. Gently bend one corner of the pinwheel and put the hole over the fastener. Try not to crease the pinwheel as you bend the corners inwards.
6. Repeat for the other three corners.
7. Once all four corner holes are on the fastener, bend the tips of the fastener loosely to hold the pinwheel together.
8. Blow on your pinwheel. If it doesn’t turn, the fastener may be too tight.
   

Extensions

• Before you make the pinwheel, write three facts that you have learned about different alternative energy sources (solar, wind, water, biomass) on each quarter of the pinwheel. Flip the paper over and draw images that represent each of the four types of sustainable energy.

Other Resources

How Do Wind Turbines Work? | TEDEd