Resources For Educators
Wind energy is a great fit for the academic curriculum in a variety of classroom settings. The wind turbine systems installed through the Vermont Small-Scale Wind Energy Demonstration Program at schools, municipal and state facilities, and farms around the state of Vermont provide a real-world learning tool in a variety of subjects, including science, technology, math and history.
The resources below are intended to supplement the wind turbine performance data that is uploaded monthly to this website. For more information on how to use the data, click here . This list is constantly growing with the suggestions you provide, and is sorted roughly by student age group - with resources for elementary school students at the top to high school students at the bottom. Know of a good website that isn't included below? Email us and let us know too !
KidWind Project
The KidWind Project is a team of teachers, students, engineers and practitioners exploring the science behind wind energy in classrooms around the US. The website contains specific information on incorporating wind energy into your school curriculum. It also lists upcoming workshops for educators, presentations from professionals working in the wind energy field, and information on acquiring wind turbine kits for use in the classroom.
Make a simple anemometer to measure the wind
This lesson idea is brought to us by the California Energy Commission's Energy Quest. See also their chapter on wind energy.
Wind Power for Educators
The Public Broadcasting Service's NOW website Includes a detailed lesson plan for physical science, earth science, or environmental science classrooms, grade 9-12. The objective of the lesson is to teach students to explain the use of wind power as a renewable resource, and also to build models of wind turbines and experiment with the types of changes that will increase their efficiency.
Research Projects in Renewable Energy for High School Students
Suggestions from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) for hands-on research projects in biofuels, wind energy, and solar energy.
More links to renewable energy educational resources for all ages
The DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) maintains links to educational resources as well. Resources categories are divided for younger and older students.