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 Buddies
Science Buddies: Spinning Your Wheels: Pinwheel Sensitivity
So you've just heard the "Happy Birthday" song and now it's time to blow out the candles. If you are sitting far away from the candles, you know you'll have to blow harder to get them all out than if you were sitting closer. In this...
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Unleash the Power of a Pinwheel!
In this science fair project, you will learn more about wind-powered devices, like pinwheels. Much like pinwheels, we react in different ways to the direction of the wind when we ride bikes, or even try to walk.
Science Museum of Minnesota
Science Museum of Minnesota: Air Cluster
Interesting site with links to activities about wind and air in many forms. Browse the different activities and investigations on the properties of air on the toolbar to the left of the page.
Other
The Toymaker
Dozens of beautiful paperfolding toys for you and your students to try. Just print, cut, fold, and glue. Many would work well with class themes including animals, flowers, and holidays.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Wind Energy
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.
NASA
Nasa Star Child: Galaxies (Level 1)
This site provides an introduction to galaxies for the younger student, that is divided into 2 levels of understanding. Find out what type of galaxy looks like a giant pinwheel. Audio content included. Good glossary, and a printable...
Science Museum of Minnesota
Science Museum of Minnesota: Thinking Fountain: Paper Clip
In this lesson make a parachute that will carry a load of paper clips in this revised activity. Links provided for 2 other activities to demonstrate air resistance.
Michigan Reach Out
Nasa: Rocket Activity: Rocket Pinwheel
This site provides directions for a basic activity that allows students to explore Newton's Third Law of Motion.
Curated OER
Nasa Trc Rocket Activity: Rocket Pinwheel
This site provides directions for a basic activity that allows students to explore Newton's Third Law of Motion.