Wind Power Pinwheels: From Air to Motion (45 min)

Big idea: Moving air can do work. We can capture it with blades.

Objectives

• Build a working pinwheel and explain what makes it spin faster/slower.

• Relate wind motion to the idea of energy.

Materials (per student)

• Square sheet of paper (15 cm)

• Pushpin or paper fastener (brad)

• Unsharpened pencil with eraser

• Straw (optional), tape, scissors

• Fan or students gently blow

Procedure

1. Hook (5 min): Show a wind turbine photo. Ask: What makes it turn?

2. Build (10–15 min): Cut diagonals toward center; fold every other corner; pin to pencil eraser.

3. Test (10 min): Try different distances/angles from a fan; time 10‑second spin counts.

4. Improve (5–10 min): Make a second pinwheel with longer/shorter blades. Compare.

5. Connect (5 min): How do real turbines change blade length/angle to catch more wind?

Recording Sheet Prompts

• My design change: ______

• Spin count trial 1/2/3: ______

• Faster when: closer to fan / larger blades / different angle (circle)

Assessment
Students explain in one sentence: “Wind has energy because it can ______.”

Safety
Supervise scissor use. Keep fingers away from fan blades.

what you will learn:

• Wind has energy because it can make things move.

• Blade shape/size/angle change how fast a pinwheel spins.

• Engineers try, test, and improve designs (iteration!).