Here are some ideas to help

1
Here are some ideas to help you design a device
for measuring the strength of the wind.
Do they really want to measure my wind?
Not that kind of wind, you fool!
2
This is the easiest to make. You tape three
different kinds of thread to a stick. The wind
strength is scored according to the position of
each thread straight down 0 points, ¼ way up
1 point, ½ way up 2 points, ¾ way up
3 points, horizontal 4 points. Then add the
points from all three threads to give a total
score.
cotton thread 3 points
ribbon 2 points
thick string 1 point
Here, the wind strength is
3 2 1 6 points
3
This is fun to make. You need scrap card, a piece
of ribbon, a protractor, ruler and sticky tape.
The device can be taped to a stick or a
ruler. This device is easy to score.
The wind strength here is
5.
4
This is a bit more complicated. A measuring
scale is taped onto a stick. The swinging
measure is a piece of card, hanging by paper
clips from another stick. We had to use paper
clips to weigh it down.
The wind strength here is
4.
5
This is the template for a hand held design. You
need a piece of card, thread and a ruler (to
measure the distance between the lines) and a
pencil.
thread
tie here
What is the wind strength in this example?
scale marked on stiff card
wind from this direction
Ideas from the book Teaching about Energy, by
Clare Eastland. (Published by Southgate
Publishers ISBN 1-85741-088-2). Energy.
6
You will need to make a wind strength record
sheet.
Time site 1 site 2 site 3 site 4 site 5
Monday am 6 5
Monday pm
Tuesday am
Tuesday pm
Wednesday am
Wednesday pm
Thursday am
Thursday pm
Friday am
Friday pm
Youll also need to describe the exact
locations so you dont forget where each place
is!
7
Extension Recording wind direction on a Wind Rose
Wind direction is measured with a wind vane and
it is described by the compass point from which
the wind is coming e.g. south, south west
etc. Youll need to plot the compass points and
mark these on the ground, before you can record
wind direction. Then plot the wind direction for
each day of the month on a graph called a wind
rose. If there isnt any wind, you just mark the
centre. The direction from which the wind blows
most frequently is called the prevailing wind.
This PowerPoint and lesson are based on work by
Ian Mitchell, The Green Egg Company, developed
edited by Amie Andrews for TLCP and Ali Ross,
Sundog Energy.