Wind Energy Challenge
Lesson Summary:
This lesson explores the connection between the electricity we rely on every day and Earth's rapidly changing climate. Students learn about the nonrenewable and renewable forms of energy used to generate electricity in California and the state's progress toward its goal of transitioning to 100% renewable energy by 2045. Students work in small groups on a hands-on STEM challenge to generate electricity with wind and a small turbine.
Teachers can choose between two 50-minute classroom visits or one 90-minute block to complete the lesson.
Teams work together to generate electricity by designing and creating wind blades capable of spinning a small generator.
Earth and Human Activity: MS-ESS3-5 One solution to human-caused climate change is transitioning from generating electricity with fossil fuels to renewable energy.
Engineering Design: MS-ETS1-2, MS-ETS1-3 Students design, construct, and test a wind blade fitted on a small wind turbine to generate at least 2.5V of electricity with a box fan.
Scientific and Engineering Practices:
Crosscutting Concepts: cause and effect, structure and function, stability and change, systems and system models
Water and Energy Education programs are FREE thanks to funding from these partners: