Understanding Wind Direction And Making A
Wind Vane
Submitted by: Laurie Eckstein
Endorsed by: Don Descy, Mankato State University
Date: February 28, 1997
Grade Level: Primary Grades
Description:
Wind is moving air. Wind vanes have been used to measure wind direction for hundreds of
years and they are often decorative- a farmer might have a cow on a wind vane, while a
fisherman might have a lobster on his. The students will make wind vanes and decorate them
with symbols that represent their interests.
Goal: Students will understand that wind vanes are used to measure wind
direction.
Objectives:
- The students will learn how to construct a wind vane by using materials supplied by an
instructor.
- The students will predict which way the wind is blowing by looking at the direction the
arrow of their wind vane is pointing.
Background Information:
Wind vanes have been used for hundreds of years. Many times they are decorative and you
can often find them on top of buildings. Wind vanes can have many different decorations on
them. Farmers will often have cows, or pigs on them.
Concepts: Students will be able to:
- Relate wind direction with the direction their arrow is pointing on their wind vane
- Construct a wind vane and understand the parts of a wind vane
Materials:
- Arrow cut out of tag board for students to trace
-3 pieces of tag board squares
-2 pieces of tape
-1 straw
-1 straight pin
-1 new pencil with a new eraser on it
-1 plastic cup (yogurt cups work great)
-3 small pieces of clay
-Glue
Procedure:
- Give each student a cutout arrow from tag board and another piece of tag board on which
to draw his or her symbol, and cut it out. (Remind students to keep their symbols small!!)
- With two small pieces of tape, attach the arrow to a straw.
- Insert a straight pin into the center of the straw and into the eraser end of a pencil.
- Push the other end of the pencil through the plastic cup.
- Place the cup upside down on the square of tag board and secure it with 3 small pieces
of clay.
- Finally, mark the directions on the cup, glue on the symbol, and go outside to see from
which direction the wind is blowing.
Assessment:
-ask students if they have ever seen a wind vane and if so, is this what one looks like
-ask students if their wind vane direction indicates the direction the wind is blowing
from
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