Trace: pitch

PEN wiki

Designing an Anemometer

Introduction

If this lesson interests you, there's lots to do:

If you're interested in doing any of that, great! Make a note on the lesson index that you're taking charge.

Whether or not you're interested in writing a part of this lesson, please leave lots of comments on this page, the teacher's guide, and the evaluation form. Thanks!

Goals

Science/Technology principles

- Learn about wind energy devices in general and how they work

- Learn about how dynamos work

Practical skills

Not applicable

Design skills

Have students make their own designs to a set of specs (e.g. device that catches the wind, turns a motor), using available materials.

Team/Personal skills

Get students comfortable with designing and brainstorming in pairs.

Deliverable

Have a functional anemometer than can be used in future lessons.

Required knowledge and skills

PEN lessons that meet the requirement are indicated in brackets.

Scientific principles

Basic knowledge of electricity - voltage, current, etc. (salt water battery lesson)

Technical skills

None, advantageous to have used a multimeter before.

Follow-up lessons

windmill building lesson, kite lesson

Required materials

Building materials

Bags off “stuff” that anemometers can be built from (thin spokes, cups that can catch wind) that either the students source themselves after sketching out some basic design ideas or are sourced by the teachers beforehand from the area the lesson is being taught in. (it's important that these are familiar materials for the students, wherever it's being taught)

- Small DC motors, one for each pair (or other decided grouping) of students

Testing materials

- demo-DC motor, with battery, LEDs and turnable handle attached (see picture)

Equipment

multimeters (one for each decided grouping of students)

You could leave a comment if you were logged in.