A great idea classroom inquiry is a wind machine with which children may mess-about with aerodynamic, motion, gravity and engineering. Best of all, your classroom wind machine is made of a common household fan, embroidery hoops and sheet of plastic! Students use junk, art supplies and recycled materials (berry baskets, paper, string, pipe cleaners, plastic bags, cups, etc…) to create flying machines for testing in the wind machine. It’s safe, inexpensive, educational and fun!
The web site for San Francisco’s phenomenal Exploratorium features an educational rationale for the wind machine, examples and a fantastic PDF complete with building instructions and classroom ideas. This classroom science center has extended play value. Kids will play with it forever.
Check out the Wind Tube web site