Renewable Energy (Wind Power)

All Ages

Climate & Environment

Science

Technology

Have you ever wondered how wind farms and wind turbines work? In this lesson we learn about the physics behind wind farms and how to calculate output.

Submitted By: Tristan Wills

May 14, 2020

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Skills

Citizenship
Creativity
Critical Thinking

Supporting Files

Minecraft World

Minecraft world required for lesson.

Renewable Energy Answer Sheet

Answer sheet required for students.

Students Instructions (Task Card)

Instructions for students.

Learning Objectives

Students gain an understanding of wind farms and wind turbines.
Students learn how to calculate output values of wind farms and wind turbines.
Students will also learn about power, SI units and real life examples of how wind farms could be used.

Guiding Ideas

Start out with a video of wind farms to start the class discussion.

Ask students why they think wind farms are valuable in our society.
Ask students how many houses do you think wind farms power every year (rough estimate in their country).
Ask students how do they think power is calculated for wind turbines.
Ask students if wind farms are a viable alternative to nonrenewable power sources.

Student Activities

Students are going to do the following:

As soon as students spawn in they must head to the nearest building on their left side.
Follow the signs to upstairs.
In the upstairs part of the building there are boards that contain theory, calculations and real life examples relating to wind turbines and wind farms.
Students are spawned in with Book & quill (in their hotbar) that contains questions that must be answered using the answer sheet provided.
After students have answered the questions, they must complete a wind turbine of their own.

Performance Expectations

Students will gain an understanding of what capacity means for wind turbines.
Students will understand what MW means and KW/h.
Students should walk away knowing how to calculate output of a wind turbine using the wind turbines capacity.
Students should understand how wind farms impact the real world.
Students should be able to answer the question "Are wind farms a viable renewable energy alternative?"