Rube Goldberg
Rube Goldberg's Simple Normal Humdrum School Day
If you're going to build a machine, you might as well make it interesting and amusing. A set of eight lessons and activities introduces simple machines using Rube Goldberg machines. A culminating project challenges techies to create and...
Curated OER
Winter Weather Day 5: Follow Up
Students participate in culminating activities for a winter weather unit. They discuss what they have learned about winter weather, and write a diamante poem using winter vocabulary words. Students also construct a pinwheel and explore...
Curated OER
Wind Energy
Students explore wind energy by making a pinwheel to model a wind turbine. They experiment with their turbine by placing it in different locations for optimal energy.
Curated OER
Rocket Pinwheel
Students explore the action-reaction principle of Newton's Third Law of Motion. In this rocketry lesson plan, students construct a pinwheel using a balloon, soda straw, and wooden pencil. Students investigate the results.
Curated OER
Give It a Whirl
Students examine and identify polyhedron shapes on a math website. They write journal reflections about two- and three-dimensional shapes, and transform a square into a pinwheel.
Science Museum of Minnesota
Science Museum of Minnesota: From Windmills to Whirligigs
This folk artist uses the power of the wind to animate his whimsical kinetic sculptures. Check out his decorated yard and try some of the activities inspired by his creations.