This is an extension lesson that will allow students to develop a better understanding of wind as a source of alternative energy. This activity will require students to construct and measure the energy production of a table-top wind turbine. This activity has been remixed from As the Rotor Turns: Wind Power and You" by CLEAN: Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network licensed under Custom License.Image Credit: "Raglan" by Natalia Volna itravelNZ@ travel app is licensed under CC BY 2.0 

Windmills have been used for hundreds of years to collect energy from the wind in order to pump water, grind grain, and more recently generate electricity. There are many possible designs for the blades of a wind generator and engineers are always trying new ones. Design and test your own wind generator, then try to improve it by running a small electric motor connected to a voltage sensor.