by Maureen Ryan Thorpe
Looking for ways to introduce lessons on renewable energy to your middle-school students? Bringing kids into the conversation early shows them how important renewables are and how they can get involved right now. Below you’ll find NSTEM resources that help get middle schoolers thinking creatively about ways to generate clean energy.
1. Build a simple turbine and discover wind energy
By having middle-school students build small wind turbines, they’ll discover how wind energy can easily transform into electrical energy. They’ll learn that wind power is a renewable and economical alternative to conventional plant-produced fuel. Watch this video to learn how your class can create wind turbines with very few supplies. The only item you may need to purchase is a voltmeter—which can be purchased inexpensively online. Watch this demonstration from NSTEM resource, Teach Engineering, to see how all the fun begins. Wind Power – Informal Learning Activity – TeachEngineering
2. Build a puff mobile and watch it go
In this renewable energy activity, participants build a wind-powered car using straws, Lifesavers candies, paper and paper clips, then try to get their car to the finish line using as few “puffs” of air as possible. During this fun experiment, students will discover that we can use wind power in the world of transportation (as demonstrated with sail cars or even sailboats). Check out our NSTEM resource, DiscoverE.org for everything you need to know about Puff Mobiles.
3. Create a MacGyver windmill and convert moving air into mechanical energy
A “MacGyver” windmill is a perfect project for students in middle school. Students are tasked with constructing a simple windmill to lift weights using basic materials. This lesson will help students understand how a windmill captures the energy of the wind and converts it into usable mechanical energy—the basis for understanding modern wind turbines. Students will use an engineering design process and scientific method to design, build, test and improve their models. KidWind and their affiliate, REcharge Labs, have developed a set of lessons and kits that offer instructional videos, as well as printable instructions and detailed steps. NSTEM resource, REcharge Labs, can be found here.
Do you want more resources on the topic of wind power? NSTEM’s vast resources database provides thousands of STEM resources that are searchable by category, school level and state. This comprehensive library includes info on enrichment activities, curricula, internships, scholarships and more. Check out a free sampling here. Or get an NSTEM membership today to unlock the complete list.
Middle School is where students are transformed, entering as children, and emerging as young adults. Project-based learning enrichment helps students connect the dots between STEM and real life, making math and science relevant for them, keeping them engaged and interested. With a meaningful middle-school experience, students are far more likely to focus on STEM disciplines in high school and beyond. To start your grade 6-8, middle-school chapter of the National STEM Honor Society, click here.
