Windmills and Turbines

On the way to Canaan Valley, WV

I've always been fascinated with windmills and a few years ago I had a run-in with rows and rows of turbines.  I had never seen one up close so I was really excited. A turbine is an updated version of a windmill.

The earliest known use of the windmill was by the Persians A.D. 500-900 and the Chinese 1200 A.D.   The first one manufactured in the United States was designed by Daniel Halladay in1854.  WIndmills were instrumental in transporting water onto farmland for crops.

Check out this link for more info on the history of windmills and turbines!

Art /Craft:

Supplies needed:
paper, scissors, a quarter, a pencil with an eraser, and a stickpin.

Fold over from the top and cut off the bottom.

Fold it on both sides

Trace around a quarter that is placed in the middle.

Cut each corner to your pencil marking.

Fold each corner

Until it looks like this.

Place a stickpin in the center and attach it to the top of a pencil.

Exercise:
Have you ever done windmills in gym class? Windmills are toe-touches, keeping knees straight,  one arm touches the foot that is opposite of that arm while raising the other arm in the air.  Place hands on hip and repeat with the opposite arm.

Math:
Wind turbines and math go hand in hand.  The American Mathematical Society has an interesting podcast on Harnessing Wind Power.  It answers why three blades? Why not four?

Reading:
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba
Energy Makes Things Happen by Kimberly Bradley
Windmills by Charlotte Hunter

Writing:
Imagine being in a community with windmills.  Research how that community would utilize them and write a story based on that.