Session 1: Introductions and discussions about KidWind Wind Turbine initiatives and challenges. Review the 2025-2026 rulebook.  Assign a parent to take pictures during each work session! 

Energy is the ability of a body to work. There are various forms of energy. Some of them are heat energy, light energy, electrical energy, chemical energy, sound energy, mechanical energy, potential energy, kinetic energy, and nuclear energy.

Team building activity: we will focus on how air molecules (moving air), and what causes a sail car to move. The ability of a sail car to move will depend on its type of sail design that allows air molecules to make a body at rest (i.e. sail car standing still) to move.

Begin the team science journal. Find a spiral notebook or composition book for the team to record what they learned after each session. Consider having notecards for students to respond on and tape the cards in the journal after each session.  Be sure to date each entry.

 Lesson One

Sail Car movie

How do Wind Mills Work? How are they related to Wind Turbines? We will complete the  McGyver Wind Lift Challenge so the KidWind participants will:

→ know the fundamental parts of a windmill

→ be able to use the scientific method to isolate and adjust variables in a model windmill

→ understand energy conversions/transfers and how a windmill converts moving air into usable mechanical energy

We will also address the 10 Big Questions in preparation for the Regional Challenge.

We need to name our team and register for the Jan 31 Student Expo and Mar 17 Regional Challenge.

Session 3: Wind power or wind energy generates mechanical power or electricity. Wind turbines convert the kinetic energy in the wind into mechanical power. 

Concepts to understand: wind speed, climate change as a context for why we study wind energy, wind measurement. 

Review of Vocabulary: anemometer, aerodynamic, drag, surface area, sail shape. Documents to support parts of a wind turbine: Turbine poster  Parts of a Wind Turbine How Wind Turbines Generate Electricity

Wind Energy

How does a wind turbine work? Video: Video: https://youtu.be/DILJJwsFl3w?si=oYK9o8XVHmdu6Dej

See the Slideshow on Wind Turbine Blade Design

We will review information about drag, different blade shapes, and use of rulers, protractors, and compasses to begin drawing blades on graph paper and make our first set of blades.

Lift and Drag Forces on Wind Turbine Blades

Session 6, we will have a Fun with Gears session. We will test our blades using gear-driven turbines.  Each team member should record the performance of their blades on a gear-driven turbine. Compare the results to your direct-drive turbine data. 

Session 7: Chart the team members data on each set of blades that were tested when a gear-driven turbine was used. Which top two or three sets of blades should we consider taking to a KidWind Challenge? Chart the data so it can be added to your team documentation. 

Session 8: As team members practice testing the top sets of blades, determinng number of blades and best pitches, other team members choose 1-3 questions to research from the Ten Big Questions found in the KidWind Guidebook. 

Session 9: The team must prepare their documentation for the KidWind Challenge. They may create a science board, online Google or PPT presentation. Their science notebook that was used each work session should be brought up to date. Prepare 15 minute oral team presentation. Each team member must have something to say. Suggested areas to cover:

 Main Question: This should be a guiding question that led you through the project.

Hypothesis statements or Guiding Questions:  What did you think would happen when you designed and constructed your project?  A hypothesis statement must be observed, documented, testable. If your team used guiding questions, what were they?

Materials: Any recycled materials that you used will earn points with the judges!

Instead of resource, consider having a Problem/Purpose statement: Were there any articles, web sites, videos, or other information that informed your design and creation of your project? 

Procedures: Brief outline of the steps you took to complete the project.

Conclusion: A summary of how the project demonstrates the purpose of the project.

What did the team learn? What did the team learn from the process of designing, creating, and testing out the project?

Add pictures of your team working during the sessions!

Session 10: Consider inviting family and friends to the team meeting and have the team members present to them. Make sure you leave time for Q&A. Go over the answers to the Ten Big Questions. You can even play the online Jeopardy game (see the Resources page of this website).

Coaches: Look for a wind tunnel testing day near your location and consider taking the team to it to test their turbine before going to a KidWind Challenge.