+
Unit Plan
Scholastic

Scholastic: Study Jams! Science: Weather & Climate: Air Pressure and Wind

For Students 3rd - 5th
A video and a short multiple-choice quiz on the topic of air pressure and wind. It explains what makes air pressure change, how we measure it, how wind is created, and types of winds.
+
Activity
Other

Siemens Science Day: Physical Science: Blowin' in the Wind

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students will create their own windmill and learn how to use the most efficient design by testing theirs against their classmates' projects.
+
Handout
US Energy Information Administration

U.s. Eia Energy Kids: Energy Timelines: Wind

For Students 9th - 10th
Timeline of key milestones in the use of wind as a source of energy.
+
Website
Geography 4 kids

Geography4 kids.com: What Makes a Climate?

For Students 5th - 8th
Find out what factors contribute towards a climate.
+
Lesson Plan
Other

How to smile.org: Build a Wind Turbine

For Teachers 9th - 10th
A step-by-step guide to build a wind turbine. Using their wind turbine, students test how much energy is created by using a variety of wind blades and wind speeds.
+
Graphic
Other

The Weather Company: The Weather Underground

For Students 9th - 10th
Source of weather maps, forecasts, images, and data for the world. Maps include temperature, radar, visibility, wind, heat index, wind chill, humidity, and dew point.
+
Lesson Plan
American Geosciences Institute

American Geosciences Institute: Earth Science Week: Ocean Currents

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Students map the patterns of the major ocean currents, and learn about the influences of wind, water temperature, landmasses, and water density on currents.
+
Article
Other

Business Insider: Fake Trees With Spinning Leaves Could Harness Wind Power

For Students 9th - 10th
Let's make some energy! Check out this wind turbine that NewWind has developed for creating small-scale sources of energy.
+
Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Wind Energy

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students learn about wind energy by making a pinwheel to model a wind turbine. Just like engineers, they decide where and how their turbine works best by testing it in different areas of the playground.
+
Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Wind Power!

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students learn how engineers transform wind energy into electrical energy by building their own miniature wind turbines and measuring the electrical current it produces. They explore how design and position affect the electrical energy...
+
Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Wind Power

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
In this activity, students develop an understanding of how engineers use wind to generate electricity. They will build a model anemometer to better understand and measure wind speed.
+
Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Windstorm

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
In this activity, students will learn about how tornadoes are formed and what they look like. By creating a water vortex in a soda bottle, they will get a first-hand look at tornadoes.
+
Activity
Read Works

Read Works: Electricity & Energy Energy

For Teachers 4th
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about energy. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
+
Activity
Read Works

Read Works: "The Wind"

For Students 2nd
[Free Registration/Login Required] A poem by Robert Louis Stevenson talking to the wind. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
+
Activity
Read Works

Read Works: Catch the Breeze

For Teachers 4th
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about windmills using wind power as a source of electricity. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
+
Activity
Read Works

Read Works: Blow, Wind, Blow

For Teachers K
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about wind and what it can do. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
+
Activity
Read Works

Read Works: Climates: An Introduction to Climates

For Teachers 4th
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about climates. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
+
Handout
PBS

Pbs/global Weather Machine

For Students 9th - 10th
This site explains wind systems as part of a global weather scheme, with illustrations.
+
Activity
American Geosciences Institute

American Geosciences Institute: Wind Classroom Activities

For Teachers 9th - 10th
When air is warmed, it expands and becomes less dense. As the air becomes less dense, its air pressure decreases. This occurs because molecules in warm air have greater kinetic energy (energy of motion) than in cold air. As the molecules...
+
Lesson Plan
University of Hawai'i

Hawai`i Space Grant Consortium: Wind Erosion (Lesson)

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
This lesson plan simulates the effects of wind erosion on sandy coastlines, and beaches.
+
Article
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research

Ucar: Fact Sheet for El Nino

For Students 9th - 10th
This site from the Univ. Corp. for Atmospheric Research provides detailed information on El Nino and its effects on the trade winds is offered at this site, with satellite photos.
+
Website
NASA

Nasa Earth Observatory: Reckoning With Winds

For Students 9th - 10th
An article explaining how severe winds can lead to devastation and destroy homes, land, and injure people. Learn about different typhoons and cyclones and the effects they have had on our land.
+
Handout
Enchanted Learning

Enchanted Learning: Zoom School: Oceans

For Students 3rd - 8th
Find out why the oceans are blue and what causes waves by clicking here. There is a table of information about the four oceans as well as interesting facts on waves, salinity, and tides.
+
Graphic
Other

Usc: Climate Controls

For Students 9th - 10th
An effective presentation of six main climate controls: latitude, land vs. water, geographic position, altitude, currents, pressure and winds.