Wind Lift, Wind Turbine Activity
Design and build a wind lift to capture and experience the power of the wind! Wind lifts make learning about wind power, energy, mechanical advantage, torque, work, and other scientific concepts fun and understandable. In this activity, kids will engineer a wind turbine to life a heavy load or raise a bucket with speed. Kids will learn how the shape, number and angle of turbine blades affects the output of their wind lift. There will be plenty of extra parts to try different designs. A real pick me up.
The Reamer is included, but you must supply the Phillips-head Screwdriver.
Scroll down to "Things You'll Need" for more info.
Age Range
Customize this activity for the highlighted ages with tons of free labs and challenges!
This is an educational product and not a toy. Adult supervision is required.
Videos
Documents
Click on the flowchart to view documents from each category.
Go Guide:
Give it to your students and go! This is the essential document to get students started with the Wind Lift.
|
Go Guide:
English: PDF | DOCX Spanish: PDF | DOCX |
Start here! Build your lift, evolve your design, and begin an engineering challenge! |
Labs:
|
Energy Lab: PDF DOCX |
Explore the energy transformations that take place in your Wind Lift! Ages 9+. |
|
Blade Angle Lab: PDF DOCX |
Investigate how blade angle affects your Wind Lift! Ages 11+. |
|
Blade Area Lab: PDF DOCX |
Explore the energy transformations that take place in your Wind Lift! Ages 11+. |
Challenges:
Design your lift to raise the greatest weight, or lift a weight the fastest! See the Go Guide document for challenge instructions.
|
Heavy Lift Challenge: PDF DOCX |
Challenge instructions are included in the Go Guide document. |
|
Engineering Notebooks: Simple Version Full Version |
Available at two different learning levels, TeacherGeek Engineering Notebooks are designed to help students cycle through the Design & Engineering Process and help them innovate and invent new designs. Use an Engineering Notebook page for each iteration of design. We recommend keeping extra copies of this on-hand for kids during activities. |
Other Resources:
|
STEM Rubric: PDF | DOCX |
Use the STEM Rubric to assess any TeacherGeek project. |
|
STEAM Market-It Challenge: PDF DOCX |
Add the STEAM Market-It Challenge to any completed TeacherGeek activity to teach students how to turn their TeacherGeek design into a retail product. Students will learn the 4 'Ps' of marketing - Product, Placement, Price and Promotion. Students have the option of completing a commercial, a billboard or retail packaging as a summative assessment. |
|
Engineering Notebooks: Simple Version Full Version |
Available at two different learning levels, TeacherGeek Engineering Notebooks are designed to help students cycle through the Design & Engineering Process and help them innovate and invent new designs. Use an Engineering Notebook page for each iteration of design. We recommend keeping extra copies of this on-hand for kids during activities. |
Things You'll Need
You're going to need some stuff, but don't sweat it! You probably have it already.
Click a tab below to choose how you will complete this activity - that determines what you'll need.
You're in the right tab!
TeacherGeek Tools
REQUIRED
Screw Driver
Drive screws into holes.
optional
Slip Joint Pliers
Grab nuts, bend
wires, etc.
optional
Multi-Cutter
Cut dowels, strips,
recycling bin items, etc.
INCLUDED!
Reamer
Ream splines (teeth),
from holes so
dowels spin freely.
optional
Mini Hammer
Tap dowels into
other components.
Other Supplies
- Fan (to create wind)
- 100 Pennies (or jellybeans, nuts, etc. to use as weights)
- Recycling Bin Materials (for more creative turbine blades)
- Tape
You're in the right tab!
You will need to pre-cut the dowels for this activity, or your kids can cut them (with adult supervision).
TeacherGeek Tools
REQUIRED
Screw Driver
Drive screws into holes.
optional
Slip Joint Pliers
Grab nuts, bend
wires, etc.
REQUIRED
Multi-Cutter
Cut dowels, strips,
recycling bin items, etc.
REQUIRED
Reamer
Ream splines (teeth),
from holes so
dowels spin freely.
optional
Mini Hammer
Tap dowels into
other components.
Other Supplies
- Fan (to create wind)
- 100 Pennies (or use screws/nuts from your Maker Cart)
- Recycling Bin Materials (for more creative turbine blades)
You're in the right tab!
Make sure you have the right components - check the Go Guide (see above).
You will need to pre-cut the dowels for this activity, or your kids can cut them (with adult supervision).
TeacherGeek Tools
REQUIRED
Screw Driver
Drive screws into holes.
optional
Slip Joint Pliers
Grab nuts, bend
wires, etc.
REQUIRED
Multi-Cutter
Cut dowels, strips,
recycling bin items, etc.
REQUIRED
Reamer
Ream splines (teeth),
from holes so
dowels spin freely.
optional
Mini Hammer
Tap dowels into
other components.
Other Supplies
- Fan (to create wind)
- 100 Pennies (or jellybeans, nuts, etc. to use as weights)
- Recycling Bin Materials (for more creative turbine blades)
- Tape
Activity Pack Components
What comes with the Wind Lift?
The table shows what comes in each single kit. To see what comes in a 10-pack, just multiply by 10.
Science, Math & Engineering Standards
TeacherGeek products fit proposals, grants or lesson plans with ease! Explore more resources below:
|
NGSS Standards Spreadsheet: PDF DOCX |
NGSS standards matrix for all TeacherGeek activities. |
|
ITEEA Standards Spreadsheet: PDF DOCX |
ITEEA standards matrix for all TeacherGeek activities. |
