In the second lesson, students will build a Wind Turbine prototype using the Climate Action Kit. Students will be guided through the building process step by step. In this unit, students will be given a starter code within the tutorial.
- Overview
- Preparation
- Lesson Outline
- Assessment
Welcome to the “Power Storage for Wind Energy” lesson. This unit consists of three lessons, each designed to scaffold information progressively for students.
Throughout this lesson, students will explore the concepts of balanced and unbalanced forces. They will delve into how wind force can be harnessed to generate renewable energy. Furthermore, students will be introduced to wind turbines and learn about their functionality.
This section provides a high-level introduction to the lesson overall and to the specific unit your students will embark on.
Learning Goals:
- Understand Motion and Forces: learn about balanced and unbalanced forces
- From Motion to Energy: how motion can be transformed into usable energy.
- Coding and Connectivity: Learn to code and connect smart components from the Climate Action Kit.
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):
This lesson connects directly with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal #7: Affordable and Clean Energy. It prompts an exploration into how harnessing wind energy can contribute to achieving affordable and clean energy worldwide.
Discussion Prompt:
- How does utilizing wind power support the goal of affordable and clean energy?
- Encourage students to brainstorm additional ways in which wind energy or the skills they learn in this lesson could align with or support other SDGs.
For more information on the UN’s SDGs, click here.
Gather Your Materials
- Climate Action Kit (1/pair)
- micro:bit (1/pair)
- Computer with access to Microsoft MakeCode (1/pair)
Get to Know the Content
- Level-up with our ‘Getting Started with the Climate Action Kit’ course!
- Learn about the kit components featured in this lesson:
- Review the lesson and build the ‘Take Action’ project to ensure you are confident with each step.
| Activity | Purpose | Facilitation Tips & Discussion Prompts |
|---|---|---|
| Big Idea 15 mins | Introduce the concept of balance and unbalanced forces. | Have students participate in a Think-Pair-Share reflection: “What unbalanced push and pull forces have you seen in your life?” |
| Take Action 40 mins | Build a project and make it interactive! The project in lesson 1 will introduce students to the key features used to build the full wind turbine in lesson 2. Concept: Students will use the dial to change the LED display on the micro:bit.  Build: Add the breakout board and dial to the baseplate. Code: Edit the starter code so a different icon is displayed on the LEDs when the dial is pressed, turned clockwise or turned counter- clockwise. Throughout this project, students will explore the following concepts: Inputs: Understanding how user interactions influence outcomes. Debugging: Modifying the code to change the icon displayed. | Ask students to follow the MakeCode tutorial to (1) build their project, (2) connect it to the computer, and (3) add code. They may work independently or in pairs depending on resource availability and skill level. Make time to walk around and conduct observational and conversational assessments as students work through the tutorial. You may ask questions like: “What do you think will happen when you turn the dial to the right? To the left?” “Have you run into any problems? How did you fix them? How did this make you feel?” “What part of this project represents the wind in a real turbine?” |
| Wrap-Up 10 mins | Summative assessment and connection to lesson 2. | Ask students to save their project so you may assess whether the primary task was completed successfully. Then provide time for a Think-Pair-Share reflection: “Where have you seen wind turbines in your neighbourhood? Why do you think they are located here?” |
Use the following triangulated criteria to assess student learning. Students can:
Conversation
- List several examples of unbalanced push and pull forces they’ve encountered in their daily lives
- Describe how wind acts as a force on wind turbines
- Explain the purpose of each event/input block in the starter code provided for the main build
Observations
- Methodically test and debug their build and coding project to ensure it functions as intended
Project
- Modify the MakeCode program to incorporate new ‘show icon’ blocks following each event