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PowerPoints & Resources
Below are some PowerPoint shows on wind energy that may be useful for you to use in your classroom or for other presentations. While some of these have been created by KidWind, others are from our event speakers, and others have been found while crawling around the Internet. Feel free to use entire shows or just parts from them. Remember to give credit when you use a slide, show or image that is not your own.
These files can be very large. Some are saved as PowerPoint files and others have been compressed using WinZip to make the download a lilttle faster. To save these shows to your hard-drive right click and choose "save target as."
KidWind Basic Workshop Slide Show
This presentation briefly discusses the KidWind Project and what we do, then has a wealth of information on wind energy. This show is the "foundation" for many of our teacher workshop presenations.
Wind Energy for Students
This is a shorter presentation aimed for a student audience. It covers renewables vs. fossil fuels, basics of electricity, and wind energy technology. This show also illustrates some of the available jobs in the wind industry.
Wind Turbine Blade Design
This show focuses on wind turbine blades. Why are there normally three blades? What are blades made of? How does the wind get the blades to move, and how does airfoil work? What factors and variables are involved in overall performance? This presentation also covers the Kidwind "blade challenge."
Wind Energy 101
If you want the full introduction to wind energy, this is it. This show is loaded with information and images, addressing all aspects of wind energy. Learn about the technology, the history, the potential, and the key issues facing wind power. There's enough information in this show to make your head spin!
ENORMOUS Wind Show - Richard Lawrence
Wow, this one is a whopper. To go beyond Wind 101, check out this show. After this presentation, you can be a real wind energy expert! Wind turbine technology, history of wind energy, information about KidWind, how wind works, wind energy economics, politics and issues facing wind energy, you name it, this show covers it!
Wind Turbine Technology - Richard Lawrence
This show has all the details on wind turbine technology. Get in depth information on airfoil blades, gearboxes and generators, yaw mechanisms, apparent wind/angle of attack, turbine efficiencies, and much more.
Intro to Energy Concepts - Richard Lawrence
Check out this show to learn all about energy basics. Concepts addressed include the laws of thermodynamics, energy efficiency, renewable vs. non-renewable, climate change, pollution, etc.
Motors and Generators - Brian Gravel, Tufts University
Check out this show to learn all about energy basics. Concepts addressed include the laws of thermodynamics, energy efficiency, renewable vs. non-renewable, climate change, pollution, etc.
Energy in the Wind - Walt Musial, NREL
This is a fantastic slide show that was created by a real expert in the field. Learn some of the hard science and math behind the power in the wind. It also addresses optimum blade design and variables that affect wind turbine power production.
Wind Farm Visualization - Jason Kreiselman, AWS Truewind
When a wind farm is proposed, visual simulations are created so that community members and landowners can have an idea of what the project will look like. Learn more about this interesting process with this slide show from one of the experts.
Cape Wind Basics - Rachel Pachter, Cape Wind Associates
Check out this presentation for an overview of the controversial Cape Wind offshore wind farm. Rachel Pachter is the Assistant Project Manager at Cape Wind, so this information comes firsthand from the source.
Further Research
Data & Reports
Idaho National Laboratory: Turbine Performance Data
Real Time Cape Wind Data from Horseshoe Shoal
Wind Energy Environmental Impact Statement
Wind Energy Resource Atlas of the U.S.
Wind Energy Associations
Recommended Associations by Country:
American Wind Energy Association
Canadian Wind Energy Association
Danish Wind Energy Association
Wind Energy Associations by Country:
African Wind Energy Association
American Wind Energy Association
Australian Wind Energy Assocation
Austrian Wind Energy Association
British Wind Energy Association
Canadian Wind Energy Association
Danish Wind Energy Association
European Forum for Renewable Energy Sources (EUFORES)
European Wind Energy Association
Finnish Wind Energy Association
German Wind Energy Association
Indian Wind Energy Association
Orgs & Industry Links
Wind Energy Opposition Groups
Interactive Websites
Cat.org - Wind turbines, wind farms, siting, cost analysis
Interactive Map of Offshore Wind
National Geographic Wind Turbine Simulation
WindPower.org | Wind Shade Calculator
The Power Grid - Think like an Independent System Operator as you try to meet the power needs of several towns on a grid
Visualizing the U.S. Electric Grid - Interactive map of the U.S. Grid and Power Plants
Online Curricular Materials
Boston Museum of Science | Catching the Wind - Designing Windmills : Great curriculum and activities related to the engineering and construction of windmills. Designed for elementary teachers to teach about engineering.
Educators for the Environment | Energy for Keeps - Broad and easy to read. A great addition to any teacher’s library or student’s research. It is mostly an informative document with a few scattered activities.
KEEP Activity Guide - Distributed by the Wisconsin K -12 Energy Education Project. This contains 44 hands-on, interdisciplinary lessons that are aligned with Wisconsin’s academic standards and make energy relevant to students’ lives. There are four themes: We Need Energy, Developing Energy Resources, Effects of Energy Resource Development, and Managing Energy Resource Use.
Teachers Guide to Windpower Projects | Ann MacGarry - This is one of the finest guides for building classroom windmills and turbines. We highly recommend this document for middle and high school students.
Energy Science in the Home : Activity Guide | Michael Celaya & Patrick Keegan - This broad, well-developed activity guide teaches about energy efficiency and electricity. It has a long list of activities appropriate for middle and high school science students.
Science Projects in Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency - This guide offers a wide variety of ideas for science fair projects on renewable energy. While there are some innovative ideas in this document, some of the information is a little dated.
Massachusetts Technology Collaborative - These free CDs contain detailed wind speed data from the entire state of Massachusetts. Teachers can use this data during the workshop to create lessons for their independent projects. Available online from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative.
UC Boulder Science Explorers - Science Explorers is a unique professional development program for teachers offering day-long, activity-based science workshops to teams composed of a teacher and five students.
Department of Energy Lesson Plans - Huge list of links for energy lessons and materials
EconEdLink | 9-12 - Curriculum involves understanding how a turbine works along with environmental, political and economic issues surrounding wind turbine projects
From Windmills to Whirlgigs - Fun ideas and projects for the classroom having to do with wind
GE Wind - Materials for elementary students
Idaho National Laboratory - Wind Energy for Educators : Tons of curricular material for all ages
National Energy Education Development (NEED) - Comprehensive energy education site with lessons and materials on many energy topics
Office for Mathmatics, Science, and Technology Education - Great curriculum guide for wind energy
Student WebQuest - Offshore Wind Energy Lesson Plan
The Power Grid - Interactive Power Grid Lesson Plan
News & Projects
Publications
Educational Turbine Ideas
Windterra - Info on Vertical Axis Turbines
Instructables, Salem Clock Shop - Building Wind Meters
Other Cool Links
Illinois Renewable Energy Association
Independent Energy Producers Association
Interstate Renewable Energy Council
WindENG | Wind Energy Competition
Strandbeest - Check out how this guy incorporates art and wind energy.
Reimaginations - A plethora of wind power artwork.
Get Involved
Feel free to download full bilbliographies developed by KidWind. The main bibliography contains great lists of books, videos, websites, curricular materials, journals, and information about finding materials for model wind turbines. The children's bibliography contains a list of books that introduce wind to younger children. You will need Adobe Reader to download these files.
Main Bibliography - 0.3 MB
Children's Bibliography - 0.6 MB