Primary Module 2: Harnessing the Wind

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Learning Objectives

Explain that wind energy is a form of kinetic energy that can be transformed into motion.
Identify technologies that capture and use wind energy, such as wind turbines and sailboats.
Design and build a model sail car that demonstrates how wind energy can generate movement.
Conduct a fair test by changing one variable (sail area), measuring and recording distance and time, and calculating speed to evaluate performance.
Analyse their own results and compare with peers’ designs to identify ways to improve performance by altering another variable (for example, sail shape), time permitting.

Lesson Description

This module is broken into five lessons:

Lesson 1 - Understanding and Harnessing Wind Energy:
Introducing kinetic energy and exploring how wind energy can be harnessed to produce movement and power.

Lesson 2 - Designing a Sail Car:
Planning and designing a model sail car for investigation.

Lesson 3 - Build and Test the Sail Car (Indoors):
Conducting the investigation safely and accurately using an indoor fan to control variables, record results, and make speed calculations.

Lesson 4 - Outdoor Testing and Class Race:
Testing sail cars outdoors under realwind conditions, recording results, and comparing performance.

Note: Windy day required!

Lesson 5 - Redesign, Retest and Final Design Display:
Creating additional tools to observe wind direction orientation.

Note: Optional lesson if time permits.

Resources

Access resources here

Primary Teaching Program (Linked to Australian Curriculum)
Primary Module 2 Student Activity Sheets
Primary Module 2 Teaching PowerPoint
Primary Module 2 Teacher Guide

Other Modules

Module 2