ANEMOMETER - measures wind speed

1. Create a KWL on an anemometer. Each child may fill one out, or do as a class.

2. Wind is a force that moves other objects. Wind can be bad, but it can also do work and provide us with energy for enjoyment. Make some lists of things the wind can do that is positive.

3. See the hurricane short movie at watershedwatchers.paulineluther.com/movies/canes.mov

4. Watch the movie about blades at watershedwatchers.paulineluther.com/movies/blades.mov

5. In the movie "blades" the spinning things they were working with are anemometers. Let's find out what an anemometer is and how they work.
Go to http://www.edlonline.org/interactive/coastal/windmeasurements/
Read and discuss the first 4 windows of the module.

6. Make an Anemometer! Here are the instructions.

7. Ways to Measure Wind
View: Wind force scale: http://www.fi.edu/tfi/units/energy/table1.html
View the Saffir-Simpson Scale at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saffir-Simpson_Hurricane_Scale

8. To use the anemometer, count the number of times it goes around a full circle in 20 seconds. Use the conversion table to convert the number of rotations to cm/s, then to m/s. Use the calendar or data table to record the data.

9. Go to http://comps1.marine.usf.edu/cpk/index.shtml or http://www.edlonline.org/sensor_status.asp?sg=2&id=25
Compare the class wind speed with the wind speed reported on the sensor station. Write them on the calendar in a different color or use the Data Collection table. Are they they same? Are they different? Why? Record the sensor station reading to the calendar or data table.

10. After taking the measurements each day/week, the recording group reports back to the class what the conditions were. Discuss anything that seems odd or has changed.
You may add other measurements to the calendar as parts of the sensor are introduced and worked with.

11. Graph it!! Graph your data. How does the class graph compare to the web graph?

12. Watch the weather forecast. Is there a front coming? What kind of front causes the wind to blow? What else causes the wind to blow harder?

Isobars = lines of constant air pressure. Find out what isobars are. Download the isobar map. Connect the dots to draw the isobars.

13. What have you learned. Complete the KWL.