A link to Practical Action’s power for the world activity and its related resources, where students are tasked with looking at renewable energy solutions, and designing and building their own wind turbines.

Websites

Additional information

A link to secondary and primary packs and powerpoints, as well as technical briefs and a case study, for the Practical Action power for the world activity.

If you teach primary science, see the headings below to find out how to use this resource:

Skill development

Children will develop their working scientifically skills by:

  • Asking their own questions about scientific phenomena.
  • Selecting and planning the most appropriate ways to answer questions, including:
    • Researching using a wide range of secondary sources of information.
    • Carrying out comparative and fair tests.
  • Drawing conclusions and raising further questions to be investigated, based on their data and observations.
  • Using appropriate scientific language and ideas to explain, evaluate and communicate their methods and findings

Learning outcomes

Children will:

  • Design and test wind turbines according to the resources they have available due to different circumstances and environments.

Concepts supported

Children will learn:

  • That sources of renewable energy are important to developing countries with limited resources.
  • That many modern day appliances use electricity and that their consumption isn’t equal.
  • How electricity can be produced, in particular by renewable sources.

Suggested activity use

This resource is ideally suited for a whole-class investigation, with children working in small groups, but it can be adapted for a smaller group focus, for example a science club. This activity is also well suited to being a part of a school enrichment day.

It provides an opportunity for cross-curricular links with design technology to solve a practical problem.

Practical considerations

The resource doesn’t address any curriculum statements in particular, but does provide useful opportunities for group work and problem solving.