Glenwood 7th-, 8th-graders building wind turbines

BOARDMAN

Turning wind into electricity is no small feat, so it’s surprising to see seventh- and eighth-graders practicing this science in school.

Glenwood Junior High’s science teachers started their first year for the Kid Wind Challenge challenging students to design and build their own wind turbines. Eric Diefenderfer, a science teacher, spearheaded the project after he learned about the challenge through Austintown Middle School’s STEM program seventh-grade project.

Diefenderfer said the project is a good way to educate students on energy transfers, a subject that is part of the seventh grade content standards. He also said the project puts an emphasis on scientific inquiry, which the project brings out in students as they begin to plan their designs.

“I’m hoping this develops them into becoming problem-solvers and using their critical thinking skills,” he said.

Students spend two weeks on their project, the first week researching different examples of wind turbines online and designing prototypes for their turbines in the classroom. The next week, the students start building their designs in the science lab, most made from cardboard and wood. The students then gather data on the amount of voltage output or weight movement to calculate their wind turbine’s energy efficiency.

Read more about the program in Thursday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.