Summary Activities that show how turbines are used to generate energy, both renewable and fossil-fuel-driven. Science content Physics: Energy forms, Conservation of Energy (1, 3, 4, 5) Physics: Electricity, Electromagnetism (7) Earth/Space: Sustainable practices, Interconnectedness (2, 5, 7) Activities in this lesson Candle convection pinwheel Water wheel Wind turbine Materials materials in the activities Procedure Turbines are blades that can rotate, and can make electricity when hooked to a generator. They convert the energy in a moving fluid (liquid or gas) into motion (mechanical) energy, which can then be converted to electrical energy in a generator. (Note that for wind energy, they call the whole thing, including the generator, a turbine.) Turbines can be turned in many ways, including by water (in hydroelectric power), wind (in wind turbines), and by steam. Steam can, in turn, be made by heating water in different ways, including by renewable solar and geothermal systems, as well as burning fossil fuels. These activities show different ways of turning a turbine-shaped wheel: Convection spinner shows how rising heat can turn turbine blades. For energy production, heat produced is generally used to make steam from water, which then turns a turbine. Water wheel shows how falling water can turn turbine blades. Wind turbine shows how moving air can turn blades to make electricity. Grades taught Gr 6 Gr 7
