Metadata Report
| Title: | Capture the Wind - Students Get a Charge from Wind Energy |
| Source: | The Science Teacher (via BioEd.Org) |
| URL or Email: | http://www.bioed.org/pubs/wind_energy.pdf |
| Author(s): | Snetsinger, Carol
Brewer, Carol Brown, Fletcher |
| Resource Type: | Publications |
| Status: | Final |
| Access Restrictions: | Public |
| Data Center URL: | http://www.bioed.org/ |
| Download Data Sets: |
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| Abstract: | Harnessing the power of wind to generate electricity is a challenge faced bymodern energy scientists interested in nonpolluting, renewable sources of energy. Solving the problem of how to most efficiently transform the kinetic energy of wind into usable forms of mechanical and electrical energy requires an understanding of the relationships between wind turbine design (blades, tower, and generator), wind speed, turbine location, and electrical output.This investigation was designed to teach middle and high school students the abstract energy concepts, design features, and problems involved in harnessing wind energy. Efficient harvesting of energy from wind depends on interdisciplinary exploration. Like energy scientists, students must use teamwork and draw on ideas and knowledge from the disciplines of Earth science,physics, math, and engineering, as well as social and environmental science.This investigation uses an open inquiry approach with substantive, cooperative work as students explore in small design teams. Using simple materials, they arechallenged with the question, How can one harness the energy of wind to create electricity? This investigation has been successfully used both as an introductory hook to set the stage for further exploration of energy topics and as a culminating project that allows students to apply what they have learned about energy concepts. |
