Unit 9 — Renewable Energy and Engineering - Wind and Windmills
Description
Students explore wind as a renewable energy source by designing and testing windmills. They investigate how wind can be harnessed for power, build prototypes, and test their effectiveness. This unit connects physics, engineering, and environmental science while addressing real-world energy challenges.
Essential Questions
- How can wind energy power our world?
- What design elements make a windmill effective?
- How do we measure wind power?
Learning Objectives
- Understand wind as a renewable energy source
- Design a functional windmill or sail boat
- Test designs and measure energy generation or movement
- Identify which design features increase effectiveness
- Iterate designs based on testing results
- Connect energy concepts to real-world applications
Supplemental Resources
- Construction paper and straws for windmill blades
- Sticky notes for recording wind observations
- Chart paper for displaying test data from multiple designs
Earth and Space Sciences
Engineering Design
Ethics and Culture
Interaction of Technology and Humans
Students write in science notebooks, create digital stories about plants and animals, and communicate findings through word processing documents and presentations. Students read and interpret informational texts about engineering design and natural systems.
Students investigate climate change, environmental impacts, and design solutions to address community and global challenges. Students examine how innovation and entrepreneurship lead to solutions for real-world problems.
Formative Assessments
- Observation of windmill design and construction
- Testing of prototypes and data collection on rotation or speed
- Discussion of design features and effectiveness
- Sketches showing design iterations and improvements
Summative Assessment
Functional windmill prototype that responds to wind; data showing test results and written explanation of how the design converts wind to movement or power
Benchmark Assessment
— not configured —
Alternative Assessment
Students may demonstrate understanding through a teacher-led discussion or labeled diagram of windmill parts and how wind creates movement, rather than building a full prototype. Visual supports such as annotated photos of windmill designs or pre-made components may be provided to reduce construction demands while assessing design thinking and energy concepts.
IEP (Individualized Education Program)
During design and construction activities, provide visual step-by-step supports such as labeled diagrams of windmill components to help students understand how parts work together. Allow students to demonstrate understanding of wind energy concepts through oral explanation or by pointing to and describing their prototype rather than relying solely on written responses. For data collection and design sketches, offer graphic organizers or partially completed recording sheets so students can focus on capturing key observations without being overwhelmed by the writing demand. Break the iterative design process into clearly sequenced checkpoints with teacher or paraprofessional check-ins to help students stay on track across the four-week unit.
Section 504
Provide extended time during prototype testing and data recording phases to ensure students can fully participate without rushing. Preferential seating during whole-group discussions of energy concepts and design reviews supports focus and engagement. Ensure materials and workspace are consistently organized in a predictable layout to reduce distraction during hands-on building sessions.
ELL / MLL
Pre-teach and consistently reinforce key vocabulary related to wind energy and engineering design — such as renewable, rotation, blade, and prototype — using visual word walls, labeled diagrams, and real examples students can handle and observe. Provide directions for construction and testing in short, simple steps accompanied by visual cues, and allow students to discuss their design observations with a bilingual partner or in their home language before sharing with the group. Connecting wind energy to examples from students' cultural backgrounds or home regions can build meaningful context for understanding this renewable resource.
At Risk (RTI)
Begin instruction by connecting wind energy to familiar, everyday experiences — such as feeling wind push against them outdoors or seeing flags move — to activate prior knowledge and create an accessible entry point into engineering concepts. Simplify the initial design task by offering a partially structured windmill template that students can modify and build upon, reducing the complexity of starting from a blank design. Provide frequent brief check-ins during construction and testing phases so students receive positive feedback and can correct misunderstandings before they compound across the unit.
Gifted & Talented
Challenge students to investigate the relationship between specific design variables — such as blade angle, number of blades, or blade material — and measurable outcomes, applying more systematic data collection and analysis to their testing process. Encourage students to research how real-world wind turbines are engineered for different environments and propose how their prototype design could be adapted for a specific geographic or climate context. Students might also explore the broader environmental and economic trade-offs of wind energy compared to other renewable sources, connecting their engineering work to larger sustainability questions.