Renewable Energy Education
in the Classroom

Let's look at some activities and experiments for the classroom using the PicoTurbine Windmill...

Read... See... Do...
Did you know that is the process that medical interns at Cook County Hospital in Chicago, IL go through before they do surgery. Scary! But it tells you that this is the best way for people to learn.

With the Picoturbine Educational Windmill Kit you can do the following:

• With a simple picture wire you can show how wind power can produce heat. We think of wind as cold. But when the mechanical energy of wind is turned into electricity it easily produces heat.
• Divide your class into groups. (After all, scientists work in groups.) Each group can change one variable of an experiment. Then each group can present their project to the class and see which variable is more productive. Examples: 1) Change size or shape of blades. 2)Change the material used for the blades.

  Which one produces more heat?

  
  

  Which one produces the most electricity?

  
  

  Which one starts up faster with less effort? You can use a hair blow dryer to produce the "wind."

For High School Thru College

• The booklet that comes with the PicoTurbine Educational Kit includes information and formulas on how power can be extracted from various wind speeds.


• There is also information and formulas for producing electricity using alternators.


• Which produces more energy... a wind turbine or a hybrid (wind/solar)?

Renewable energy education in the classroom is a must for our planet's future.

We invite you to contribute new ideas to Renewable Energy Education In the Classroom by emailing us at madeline(at)super-science-fair-projects.com