VA Center for Wind Energy Visits WES

Mrs. Showalter assists students in learning how the number
of blades effects the amount of energy produced by
a wind turbine.

Third grade students worked in teams to design and build wind turbines as they learn about sources of  renewable energy.  Students rotated through four stations to observe different variables before being challenged to design a turbine that would produce the most energy.

Station 1 - What effect does the material the blade is made of have on the amount of energy produced?

Station 2 - What effect does the length of the blade have on the amount of energy produced?

Station 3 - What effect does the number of blades have on the amount of energy produced?

Station 4 - What effect does the pitch of the blade have on the amount of energy produced?

Students designed, built, tested, and re-designed as time allowed.  The top design produced 1.95 volts of electricity.

We appreciate Deanna and Blaine from the VA Center for Wind Energy providing this experience for us.