experiment2

OBJECTIVE:
Students will be able to take something home that serves a decent scientific purpose and your finished product WILL be able to measure wind speed.

YOU WILL NEED:
* Dixie Cups (the lighter, the better)
* Straws (try not to get the flexible ones)
* Super Glue
* Strong Tape
* Cutting Utensil (Preferrably an exacto knife)
* Small wooden sticks (optional)
* Push pins (or small nails)

WARNING: MAKE SURE YOU FIND OUT HOW MANY OF THESE YOU NEED TO MAKE, AND MAKE A FEW EXTRA! YOUR FINISHED PRODUCT IS SUPPOSED TO TAKE QUITE A BEATING AND YOU'LL PROBABLY BREAk OR DAMAGE SOME IN THE PROCESS.

STEP 1 -- CREATE THE BASE
To start out, take two straws out. The color, or length of the straws is not important, HOWEVER, if they are the FLEXIBLE type, like the purple ones on the right, take your cutting utensil and cut off the flexy end.
Now, we'll create the 'base' of the anemometer by attaching the two straws together to form a cross. Do EVERYTHING possible to make sure that the two straws are immovable.
On the one in the right, I actually cut notches in the middle and SUPER glued them together. You may use other methods, just make sure they DON'T MOVE!

STEP 2 -- ATTACH THE CUPS
Now that you have the base ready, take four of your dixie cups and attach them perpendicular to the straws. Make sure that they all face the same directon and are all as close to perpendicular as possible.
The cups can be facing either direction, as long as they ALL face the SAME direction.
Attach the cups firmly. You may use STRONG tape (like duct tape), or SUPER glue, or even thumbtacks.
The main point is to make sure the cups stay as perpendicular as possible when the wind hits them (easier said then done!)

STEP 3 -- PROVIDE A BASE
Now, you need something for the anemometer to spin on. Take a sharp object and poke a decent hole through the center of straws. Make sure the hole is big enough that the sides of the straw won't touch a pin or nail.
Decide what you would like to have as a base. In this picture, I used a small wooden stick and drove a nail through the straws to the stick.
Alternatively, you can use a pushpin and pencil eraser if your budget is too small. In the long run, however, it won't last as long.

STEP 4 -- PRINT OUT SOME MATERIALS / EXPERIMENT
Go to my link below to print out a hand out sheet on where to place the anemometer, and also on how to measure wind speed.
Make sure the anemometers are nice and loose so they are sensitive to the wind.

The experiment seems to be a good sucess. I've tried it with the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders at Trinity Lutheran School in Hoskins, Nebraska on May 18, 2001. They seemed to really like them. Their 'thank you's' are shown on the right (pretty neat!).