Renewable Energy Windmill Model Build

Paper or cardstock (8x8 inches)

Scissors and a ruler

A push pin

A pencil with an eraser

Small paper cup and beads (optional)

Cut a square of cardstock. Cut from each corner toward the center, stopping 1 inch from the middle.

Fold alternate corner points to the center. Pin through all points into a pencil eraser.

Blow — it spins! "Wind energy becomes rotation. That's how turbines work."

Test wind speed: gentle blow vs. hard blow. More wind = faster spin.

Make a second pinwheel with different blade sizes. Compare.

Add a load: hang a small cup from the shaft. Add beads. "More load = harder to spin."

"Where should wind farms go? Why hilltops and offshore?"

Use stiff cardstock rather than thin paper. Stiff blades catch wind more effectively.

Make sure the pin allows the pinwheel to spin freely. If it's too tight, the friction stops it.

Take the pinwheel outside on a windy day and observe how it responds to natural gusts.

Compare pinwheel designs: 4 blades vs. 8 blades, wide blades vs. narrow. Which captures more wind?

Discuss the environmental trade-offs: wind turbines produce clean energy but affect birds and scenery. Real engineering involves balancing benefits and costs.