Wind Energy Explore

By:

Wind Energy Explore

  Wind is simply air in motion. It is caused by the uneven heating of the Earth's surface by the sun. Because the Earth's surface is made of very different types of land and water, it absorbs the sun's heat at different rates. One example of this uneven heating can be found in the daily wind cycle.

  Fifth grade students researched the need for alternative energy sources due to the future threats of depleting non-renewable resources and our dependence on them to meet our energy needs.  Students designed and tested their own wind turbine blades.  Lessons were Inquiry based and also stressed the understanding of why scientists experiments only test one variable. 

   See www.windwiseeducation.org for resources, lesson plans, worksheets, case studies, etc.

Key Concepts:

• Key Concept 1: Experimental investigations help us answer “what if” questions about our world. Once we have a question, we can form a hypothesis and use scientific tools to conduct an investigation.

• Key Concept 2: Scientists collect information by observing what happens. Scientific tools can help accurately measure what happens. Scientists use their results, or data, to form conclusions and explain their discoveries.

• Key Concept 3: Scientists create explanations through direct and indirect evidence. Direct evidence involves first hand observation (such as feeling rain outside), while indirect evidence is based on inference (such as wet shoes suggesting it was raining outside).

Key Concept 4: A thorough explanation is not based on an investigation done once; by repeating investigations, scientists can determine if their results are reliable. Once a conclusion is reached, scientists may communicate their results in a variety of ways.

TEKS/SEs:

5.2  The student uses scientific methods during laboratory and outdoor investigations. The student is expected to:

(A)  describe, plan, and implement simple experimental investigations testing one variable;

(B)  ask well-defined questions, formulate testable hypotheses, and select and use appropriate equipment and technology;

(C)  collect information by detailed observations and accurate measuring;

(D)  analyze and interpret information to construct reasonable explanations from direct (observable) and indirect (inferred) evidence;

(E)  demonstrate that repeated investigations may increase the reliability of results;

(F)  communicate valid conclusions in both written and verbal forms; and

(G)  construct appropriate simple graphs, tables, maps, and charts using technology, including computers, to organize, examine, and evaluate information.

Essential Question (s):

• How do we plan and conduct investigations that test one variable?
• When we conduct a scientific investigation, what are we doing?
• What makes a question a scientific and testable question? How would you go about answering it?
• What is evidence? How is direct evidence different from indirect evidence?

Why is it important for scientists to conduct multiple trials before sharing their results?