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Where is it windy?

Grades
6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Time Required
1-2 class periods
Topic
Students will learn how topography and elevation affect wind speeds and will identify optimal locations for wind farms based on wind speed.

Description

Students will learn how topography and elevation affect wind speed in this lesson. By creating model landscape and wind farms, students will begin to predict areas where the wind is fastest. Students will also learn to analyze topographic and wind speed maps.

Next Generation Science Standards

Disciplinary Core Ideas

  • PS3.B Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer
  • ETS1.A Defining and Delimiting an Engineering Problem
  • ETS1.B Developing Possible Solutions
  • ESS3.C Human Impacts on Earth Systems

Cross Cutting Concepts

  • Patterns
  • Cause and Effect
  • Energy and Matter

Learning Objectives

At the end of the lesson students will be able to

  • Understand how topography and elevation affect wind speed
  • Be able to identify optimal locations for wind farms based on wind speed
  • Know how to interpret topographic and wind speed maps

Materials

  • Box fan (more than one is better)
  • Objects of different sizes that will not blow away
  • 20 wind flags for the model (tape some string or tissue paper to a popsicle stick and place it in a piece of clay to hold it up)
  • US Wind Speed Resource Map at 80 Meters
  • Map of US Wind Turbines
  • New York State Wind Farm Map Utility Scale Wind Turbines in United States Map
  • Student reading passages and student worksheets
  • Projector

Additonal Teaching Resources

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For the last 15 years KidWind has been focused on teaching the world about renewable energy. We have helped thousands of educators bring wind and solar power to life in the classroom, guided by its award winning curriculum, its unique tools and kits, and a deep passion for the subject matter. Learn more

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