In partnership with Raising Global Kidizens (https://www.instagram.com/raisingglobalkidizens/), this is an excellent resource for teaching wind energy for your students. How a wind turbine works? Looking for a resource to engage your learners in STEM while studying a method of generating clean energy? Search no further than our 60+ page Wind Power educational resource, complete with details on how to build a wind turbine model, courtesy of @coricreate_edu .

What is Wind? | Demonstrating the Rise and Fall of Air STEM Experiment For Kids

We have all felt a breeze on our skin or watched trees dance in the wind. But what causes wind, and how does its intensity change from one day to the next?

Air in motion, which we commonly refer to as wind, is created by the sun’s uneven heating of the Earth. Air is made up of a variety of gases. The most common gas molecules found in the air are nitrogen (N2), oxygen (O2), and argon (Ar).

When air warms, the air molecules gain energy, move farther apart from one another, and the air expands. As the air expands, it becomes less dense and rises. When air cools, the gas molecules lose energy and move closer to one another. This condensation of air causes it to become denser and sink.

Materials Needed For Wind Energy STEM Experiment For Kids

• Pot of hot water
• Container of ice water
• Small neck glass bottle (salad dressing bottles work well)
• Regular sized latex or similar material balloon
• Tape (optional)

Note: Adult supervision is advised for this experiment.

Instructions For Wind Energy STEM Experiment For Kids

1. Fill a medium-sized pot halfway with water, and heat it until boiling.
2. Remove the pot from the heat source.
3. Fill a second container with icy water and set it near the hot water pot.
4. Remove the cap from an empty, small-necked glass bottle.
5. Add a small amount of air into the balloon, just enough to fill the round portion of the balloon without stretching the balloon material.
6. Stretch the opening of the balloon over the empty glass bottle, keeping the round portion of the balloon floppy and folded over to prevent air from escaping. If necessary, secure the opening of the balloon to the bottle with a piece of tape. (We’ve included more detailed photographs in our workbook to demonstrate this set up.)
7. Place the bottle into the pot of hot water, being cautious not to touch the hot water with your hand.
8. Wait 2-3 minutes and observe what happens to the balloon.
9. Carefully remove the bottle from the hot water and immediately place it into the container of ice water.
10. Wait 1-2 minutes and observe what happens to the balloon.
11. Repeat steps 7-10 once more to verify your results.

Questions To Supplement Wind Energy STEM Experiment for Kids

Consider the following questions to make conclusions about how wind works based on the results of this simple yet effective STEM activity.

1. What happened to the air in the balloon when the bottle was placed in hot water?
2. What happened to the air in the balloon when the bottle was placed in ice water?
3. How does temperature affect air?

Want to learn more about how wind energy works? Check out our educational Wind Power Workbook, available in our shop!