Mini Windmill Design Challenge

A Hands-On STEM Lesson Plan

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What’s Inside This Lesson

Students apply wind-force mechanics and the Engineering Design Process (EDP) to design, build and test mini windmills that convert airflow into rotary motion to lift a paper-clip “water canister.”

Lesson Outcomes

  • Students will:
    • Explain that when the kinetic energy of an object changes, energy is transferred to or from the object (AC9S4U03, AC9S6U03)
    • Describe how kinetic energy from the wind moves to the windmill blades, allowing the blades to perform work, like lifting a load (AC9S4U03, AC9S6U03)
    • Recognise the importance to clearly define criteria (what the solution must achieve) and constraints (limitations like time or materials) when solving an engineering problem (AC9S4H02, AC9S5H02, AC9S6H02)
  • Students can:
    • Clearly state the criteria and limitations needed for a successful design solution (AC9S4I02, AC9S5I02, AC9S6I02)
    • Follow a step-by-step procedure to build a model windmill using simple materials (cup, straw, coffee stirrer, safety pins) (AC9S4I03, AC9S5I03, AC9S6I03)
    • Use the data they collect during testing to decide how to make their engineered system better (AC9S4I05, AC9S5I05, AC9S6I05)
    • Explain how the process of designing, testing, and improving a model windmill is similar to the work engineers do on real wind turbines (AC9S4H02, AC9S5H02, AC9S6H02)

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