Other
Designing Windmills
Lower Elementary
Energy
Earth’s Systems
In Classrooms
Students explore the forces of wind and weather and engineer blades for a windmill that can lift weights.
unit Overview
Students use the Engineering Design Process to design windmill blades that catch the wind. They explore how different materials and shapes catch the wind.
- 5 lessons (8–9 class sessions)
Standards Alignment
We’ve developed each EiE unit with careful attention to educational standards in both science and technology/engineering.
unit Resources
Digital Resources (FREE)
YES provides these materials free of charge! Use the link below to download resources from our Google Drive.
Download ResourcesPurchase Materials
Educator Guide Pack -
$69
- Full-color print educator guide, plus multiple sets of heavy-duty reusable color-print resources (ex. vocabulary cards, materials glossaries, station signs, and student instructions) for the class.
Materials Kit -
$409
- Hands-on materials to support 30 learners.
Unit Map
Students are introduced to the concepts of engineering and technology. (30–40 min.)
The class reads a storybook in which a boy named Leif living in Denmark explores the field of Mechanical Engineering in order to build a windmill to save a friend’s fish. (90–120 min., 2–3 sessions)
Students analyze the structures of different types of machines. (45–50 min.)
Students observe how different materials and shapes catch the wind when used as sails. (100–125 min., 2 sessions)
Students follow the steps of the Engineering Design Process to imagine, plan, create, test, and then improve their own windmill blades. (100–120 min., 2 sessions)
Teacher Preparation Videos
View the full unit playlist on YouTube
How to Assemble a Sample Windmill
