Renewable Energy Wind Power Car Earth Day STEM Activities for Middle School
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Description
Are you looking for an engaging Earth Day STEM activity? Do you want to extend student learning about renewable energy and global warming? This wind-powered car STEM challenge is perfect for your STEM or Science classroom!
Looking for more STEM Challenges? Click here to get activities for the whole year and SAVE!
First, students will learn about global warming and wind energy as a renewable resource. Then they'll research methods for capturing wind energy. Next, they'll use the engineering design process to design and build a wind-powered car. Finally, students will test how fast their cars can move across a 4-foot distance using a fan to power their cars. With detailed teacher notes, engaging student worksheets, a lesson slideshow, a graphic organizer to guide research, a grading rubric, and end-of-project certificates included, you only need to make copies and grab materials from your cabinets to get started.
Grab this activity today so you can take a break from planning and know your students will still be learning and having fun!
This STEM project includes
- Printable PDF, Google, and Easel versions of the student activity
- Detailed teacher notes to facilitate the lesson
- A slideshow to guide the engineering design process
- Research questions and suggested websites for students to discover the importance of renewable resources and wind energy
- An easy-to-use grading rubric
- End-of-challenge certificates
Materials needed for the wind-powered car project:
- Printed or digital copies of the student project packet
- A fan, powerful enough to move air at least 4 feet away
- A clear, flat space, at least 4 feet long
- Hard Lifesaver candies for wheels
- The rest of the building materials for this project are flexible. You can use whatever you have available, such as straws, index cards, tape, wooden craft sticks, clean recyclables, etc.
What Are Other Teachers Saying?
★★★★★
"My students loved this! It is a great way for them to process the different steps of the engineering design process. I especially liked the background information piece." -Jennifer M.
★★★★★
"Fun STEM project for Earth Day!" -Stefanie L.
★★★★★
"This was a great activity for my Environmental Science students. The directions were clear, the materials were on hand, and my students enjoyed the activity and learning. overall, this was great. Thanks!" - Felicity P.
How can the wind-powered car STEM challenge be used in your classroom?
- Extend your students' learning about renewable resources and human impacts on the environment.
- Assess NGSS standards 5-ESS3-1, MS-ETS1-1, and MS-ETS1-2.
- Incorporate STEM in your earth science, life science, or environmental science courses.
- Plan a STEM challenge to celebrate Earth Day.
- Use the challenge to keep students on task when you have unusual schedules or low attendance due to field trips, testing, assemblies, or other interruptions.
- Give your students practice with problem-solving using the engineering design process.
- Introduce real-world STEM disciplines and professions.
- Allow students to develop their 21st-century skills, such as communication, collaboration, and critical thinking.
- Assign the resource for extra credit, a holiday break packet, or an extension activity.
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