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  • Introduction

    The WindWise introduction outlines the lessons below, and provides a short background on wind industry trends, concepts of wind power, challenges and prospects for wind, and more. Also learn about WindWise and national science standards.

     

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  • Unit 1. Energy Creation and Choices

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    How is Energy Converted into Electricity?

    Students will learn that energy conversion and transfer is an important part of electricity generation.

    Subjects: Physical Science, Mathematics
    Listed in: energy conversion
     
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    What is the Cost of Inefficiency?

    Students will learn the difference between energy and power and the role that efficiency plays in reducing energy costs and carbon dioxide emissions.

    Subjects: Physical Science, Technology, Mathematics, Environmental Science
    Listed in: efficiency
     

  • Unit 2. Where is the Wind and How Does it Work?

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    What Causes Wind?

    Students will learn about the forces that cause wind and the ways in which these forces are measured.

    Subjects: Physical Science, Social Studies, Earth Science
    Listed in: meteorology
     
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    Where is it Windy?

    Students will learn how topography and elevation affect wind speeds and will identify optimal locations for wind farms based on wind speed.

    Subjects: Earth Science, Social Studies
    Listed in: meteorology
     
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    Can Wind Power Your Classroom?

    Students will conduct a simple energy audit for the classroom and estimate what size wind turbine could power their classroom under local wind conditions.

    Subjects: Physical Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics
    Listed in: efficiency
     

  • Unit 3. Experiments With Turbines

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    How Does a Windmill Work?

    Students will learn the fundamental parts of a windmill, how different rotor designs affect performance, and how energy is transferred from wind into usable mechanical energy.

    Subjects: Physical Science, Technology, Engineering
    Listed in: simple machines
     
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    How Does a Generator Work?

    Students will learn how electricity is generated and how design variables affect electricity production.

    Subjects: Technology, Engineering, Physical Science
    Listed in: simple machines, energy conversion
     
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    Which Blades are Best?

    Students will learn through experimentation how different blade designs are more efficient at harnessing the energy of the wind.

    Subjects: Physics, Technology, Engineering, Mathmatics
    Listed in: blades, energy conversion
     
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    How Can I Design Better Blades?

    Students will learn how to design and construct different turbine blades to maximize the power output of a wind turbine.

    Subjects: Physical Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics
    Listed in: blades
     

  • Unit 4. Wind Energy and Wildlife

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    How Does Energy Affect Wildlife?

    Students will learn that different electricity generation sources have very different effects and risks to wildlife.

    Subjects: Living Environments, Earth Science, Environmental Science
    Listed in: birds, bats
     
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    What is Wind's Risk to Birds?

    Students will learn how bird behavior and ecology are related to avian impacts from wind turbines and how scientists study these impacts.

    Subjects: Technology, Mathmatics, Living Environments
    Listed in: birds
     
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    Can We Reduce Risk to Bats?

    Students will analyze bat behaviors and propose a wind farm operational plan that could reduce the risk of bat mortality.

    Subjects: Living Environments, Technology
    Listed in: bats
     

  • Unit 5. Siting Wind Energy Facilities

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    How Do People Feel About Wind?

    Students will explore what effects media can have on people's perception of wind energy.

    Subjects: Language Arts, Social Studies
    Listed in: society
     
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    Where Do You Put a Wind Farm?

    Students will learn how to analyze data (maps, tables, and written information) to compare and contrast two potential sites for a wind farm.

    Subjects: Social Studies, Environmental Studies, Earth Science, Mathmatics
    Listed in: birds, bats, society
     
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    When is a Wind Farm a Good Investment?

    Students will learn what factors impact the economics of a wind farm and compare and contrast two potential sites.

    Subjects: Economics, Social Studies, Earth Science, Mathmatics
    Listed in: society