Wind Challenge Resources
Basic Wind Challenge Rules
The Basic KidWind Wind Challenge has two divisions - Middle School (4th grade - 8th grade) and High School (9th grade - 12th grade). Teams will build a working wind turbine using the given generator. This year, any teams who build their own generator will be placed into the Open Division. Teams will also prepare documentation and justification of their design and present to a panel of judges the day of the event. Most teams will bring a 3-sided backboard for this.
The Virginia KidWind Challenge point distribution above is NOT reflected in the rubrics below. Regional challenges will have rubrics that reflect the distribution as shown above.
NEW!
This year teams will be required to bring a profile form into the judging room with their other documentation. Please confer with your team(s) as to which profile form best suits their turbine design. Although they are called "novice" and "advanced" they are for all teams from any division - teams who are new to KidWind, or did not utilize any special technology or manufacturing in building their turbines would find the novice form a better option than the advanced form.
Key Curricula
The NEED Project - need.org
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Wind Energy, including Wind for Schools Curricula
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Climate Change Curriculum
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Energy Efficiency and Conservation Curricula
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Infobooks
KidWind WindWise – https://www.kidwind.org/activities/windwise
Vernier Investigating Wind Energy ($20-25)
Check out this app!
Wind Tunnel by Algorizk - Turn your smartphone or tablet into a wind tunnel simulator and learn more about how airfoils, like those of wind turbine blades, perform. You can even calculate the lift/drag ratio for your airfoil shape!
Literature
Written by father-son duo Grady and Elias Koch, LEGO® Wind Energy explores the engineering and design behind making functioning wind turbines out of LEGO® and Mindstorms EV3. We're proud to showcase this product by our Virginia KidWind participants!
If you would like to purchase a copy, click the button below!
Other books we recommend:
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The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer - novel and kids book, now also a Netflix movie
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My Light by Molly Bang
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Energy Island by Allan Drummond
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Catch the Wind By Anne Johnson. Illustrations by Shawn McCann.
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Wind the World Over By Irene Boland and Vanessa Kellogg. Illustrations by Tamberley Thomas
Retail Kits
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All your KidWind parts and accessories
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Vernier interface (LabQuest Mini or LabQuest 2)
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Wind is Energy (primary), $325.00
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Wonders of Wind (elementary), $375.00
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Energy from the Wind (intermediate), $525.00
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Exploring Wind Energy (secondary), $550.00
CASE Lending Library Kits and Activity Resources
Turbine Testing & Judging
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All NEED Wind Energy Curricula and Kits
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Vernier Investigating Wind curriculum
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WindWise Education: Turbines Module (all lessons)
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Vernier Investigating Wind Energy - Wind turbine Output: The Effect of Load
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LEGO eLab Kits
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WindWise How Does a Windmill Work? (MacGyver Challenge) kit
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KidWind Instructions for Building a PVC Turbine
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Turbine Junkyard kit
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KidWind AltTurbine kit
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Clip Hub kit
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Blade Design Challenge kit
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Wind Turbine Blade Characteristic Investigation Stations Kit
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KidWind MINI Turbine Blade Design and Wind Farm Kit
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KidWind SimpleGEN Kit
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Vernier energy monitoring equipment
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Graphing a Power Curve
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KidWind Vertical Axis Challenge
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KidWind Siting Challenge
Knowledge Quiz (state competition only)
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All NEED Energy Curricula and Kits and infobooks
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Climate Web activity
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Energy Roundup activity
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Power in the Wind activity
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Build an Anemometer activity
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Pinwheel Does Work activity’
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Siting and Permitting a Wind Farm activity
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WindWise Education: Energy Module
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Understanding forms and sources of energy lesson
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Understanding electric power generation lesson
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WindWise Education: Wind Module
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What causes wind? lesson
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Where is it windy? lesson
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WindWise Education: Wildlife Module
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How does energy affect wildlife? lesson
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WindWise Education: Siting Module
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Where do you put a wind farm? lesson
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When is a wind farm a good investment? lesson
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Wind Turbine Service Technician Career Kit