Unit 10 — Energy and Motion: Wind, Weather, and Natural Forces

• Weather observation data and wind pattern records.
• Sketches of wind protection designs.
• Observations of windsock building and performance.
• Testing data from windmill prototypes (rotation speed, load capacity).
• Student explanations of design features and their effects.

A functional windmill prototype with documentation of the design process, testing results, and explanation of how design choices affect performance.

— not configured —

Students may demonstrate understanding through hands-on manipulation of pre-made windmill parts to show understanding of blade design and rotation, or through picture-based sequencing of the design process steps with teacher support. Visual supports such as labeled diagrams of wind effects and sentence frames for explaining design choices may be provided as needed.

During hands-on investigations like windsock building and windmill construction, provide visual step-by-step supports and physical models so students can access the design process without relying heavily on text-based directions. Allow students to document their observations and design thinking through drawing, dictation, or verbal explanation rather than written recording, ensuring output mode matches each student's strengths. Vocabulary related to wind, energy, and motion should be pre-taught using picture-supported word banks that students can reference throughout the unit. Break multi-step design and testing tasks into smaller, clearly sequenced phases with frequent check-ins to keep students on track and build confidence.

Ensure students have preferential seating during whole-group wind and weather observations to minimize distraction and support focus during discussion of patterns and data. Provide extended time during design, building, and testing phases so students can fully engage with hands-on tasks without feeling rushed. Printed visual directions for construction tasks should be available at the student's workspace to reduce cognitive load during active building periods.

Introduce key unit vocabulary — such as wind, energy, blade, force, and renewable — with picture cards and real objects or demonstrations before concepts are taught in context, so students can connect language to direct experience. Use visual data recording tools such as picture-based observation charts to support weather and wind pattern documentation without requiring extensive written English. Where possible, allow students to discuss their design ideas and explain testing results in their home language before sharing with the group, reinforcing conceptual understanding alongside language development.

Ground the unit's abstract concepts in the most concrete, observable phenomena first — such as feeling wind on their skin or watching a pinwheel spin — before connecting those experiences to vocabulary like energy or force. Simplify design challenges by offering a limited set of materials with clear choices, so students can experience success in building and testing without being overwhelmed by open-ended complexity. Use guided observation prompts with picture support to help students notice and record what is happening during wind tests, building scientific thinking skills through supported practice.

Invite students to investigate the relationship between blade shape, angle, and rotation speed with greater precision, encouraging them to form and test their own hypotheses rather than following a single guided process. Challenge students to connect windmill design to broader renewable energy concepts by exploring how engineers in the real world optimize wind turbines for different environments, and to reflect on the trade-offs involved in their own design decisions. Students may also extend their learning by designing a second prototype that deliberately changes one variable and comparing results, developing early skills in controlled experimentation and evidence-based reasoning.