What causes the wind?

Grades
678
Time Required
3-4 class periods
Topic
Students will learn about the forces that cause wind and how to measure these changes in the atmosphere.

Description

Students will dive into the reason that wind exists in this lesson. Through hands-on experiments that demonstrate how air pressure differences influence wind patterns, students gain a better understanding of wind and our ability to harness its power. Students will also build a barometer to learn about how we can measure aspects of the wind.

Next Generation Science Standards

Disciplinary Core Ideas

  • ESS2.D
  • PS3.A Definitions of Energy
  • PS2.B Types of Interactions

Cross Cutting Concepts

  • Cause and Effect
  • Energy and Matter

Learning Objectives

At the end of the lesson students will be able to

  • Understand the relationship between temperature and pressure in the context of the gasses in the atmosphere
  • Understand the forces that cause wind
  • Be able to explain how the pressure of a fluid changes with speed

Materials

  • Bottle with an opening smaller than an egg
  • Peeled hardboiled egg
  • Box of matches
  • Small piece of paper
  • Soda can
  • Hot plate
  • Tray
  • Tongs
  • Table
  • Large garbage bag
  • Straws
  • 12-18" of clear plastic tubing
  • Balloons that can fit tightly over tubing
  • Clamp

Additonal Teaching Resources