Mini Wind Turbine Activity
Mini Wind Turbine Activity
Design a turbine to harness the power of the wind and convert it into electricity. Start with your example build, testing through inquiry and experimentation. Then, iterate new designs and additions to transform the wind turbine into your own unique design.
Create the blades utilizing recycling bin materials. Adjust the angle, pitch and amount of blades to observe the electrical output of your wind turbine. Then use our Testing Kit to measure just how much energy your wind turbine creates. We included plenty of extra components to try different designs.
This activity is a favorite for kitchen table innovation, elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, universities, scout troops, camps, 4-H groups, and maker spaces. It's a wonderful activity for parents, grandparents or teachers to work on with their kids.
This educational product pairs well with the Chapter 4 activity in The Power of the Wind Curriculum and is suitable for all ages, however youth 12 and under may require adult supervision.
Activity Documents
Click on the flowchart to view documents from each category.
Go Guide:
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Go Guide: PDF DOCX |
Give it to your students and go! This is the essential document to get students started with the Mini Wind Turbine, and it culminates in the Voltage Challenge. |
Labs:
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Blade Design Lab: PDF DOCX |
Create an experiment to investigate the variables that affect turbine blade design, then use the results to build a better wind turbine! Ages 8+. |
Challenges:
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Go Guide: PDF DOCX |
Design your turbine to generate the greatest voltage, turn into the wind, or be more environmentally friendly! See the Go Guide document for challenge instructions. |
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Engineering Notebook: Simple Version Full Version |
Available at two different learning levels, Engineering Notebooks are designed to help students cycle through the Design & Engineering Process and help them innovate and invent new designs. Use an Engineering Notebook page for each iteration of design. We recommend keeping extra copies of this on-hand for kids during activities. |
Other Resources:
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STEAM Market-It Challenge: PDF DOCX |
Add the STEAM Market-It Challenge to any completed activity to teach students how to turn their design into a retail product. Students will learn the 4 'Ps' of marketing - Product, Placement, Price and Promotion. Students have the option of completing a commercial, a billboard or retail packaging as a summative assessment. |
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Engineering Notebooks: Simple Version Full Version |
Available at two different learning levels, Engineering Notebooks are designed to help students cycle through the Design & Engineering Process and help them innovate and invent new designs. Use an Engineering Notebook page for each iteration of design. We recommend keeping extra copies of this on-hand for kids during activities. |
Optional Tools
Make even more innovative Turbines with these optional tools!
Mini Wind Turbine Components
What comes with Mini Wind Turbine?
1x Hole Plate
2x Perpendicular Blocks
1x Nut (#10)
1x Screw (#10 25 mm)
1x Mini Hub Screw
1x Mini Hub Cover (red)
1x Mini Hub Base(red)
1x Motor (1.5V - 3V)
1x Motor Mount (1.5V - 3V)
3x Chipboard (22 cm x 5 cm)
6x Project Sticks (250 mm)
6x Project Sticks (100 mm)
1x dowel (300 mm)
1x Dowel (150 mm)
1x Dowel (50 mm)
This is an educational product and not a toy. It is intended for use by ages 6 and above with adult supervision.
- In stock, ready to ship
