![]() ![]() Leave your email here and I will send you the password. This chart is in our subscribers-only password protected library of resources. Then stick the wind vane through the center of it. Print out our chart that marks not only cardinal points but also intercardinal points ( i.e., northeast, northwest …) Put it on the ground in correspondence with compass readings. But if you don’t know, you can use a compass to help you figure it out. We already know cardinal points in our neighborhood, so we didn’t take any special steps to figure it out. The Science Behind Wind Vanes Points of compass ![]() We always know the direction of the wind before heading out. ![]() Our wind vane is now in a flower pot that we can see out of our kitchen window. Then stick your wind vane into the ground and observe carefully to confirm or refute their guess. Go outside on a windy day and ask the kids which direction they think the wind is blowing from. Make sure it’s centered and there is an equal space below and above the drinking straw for easy rotation. But you shouldn’t have this problem if you use construction paper.ĥ.Use a pin to affix the straw to the top of the eraser. Note: if for some reason it feels wobbly, then glue or tape them in place on both ends (this will keep weight distribution equal on both ends). We needed two construction paper triangles in this project.ģ.Cut half an inch slits at both ends of a straw.Ĥ.Slide Darth Vader and the arrow into the slits. The weather vane works due to two factors: (1) an equal mass on each side, and (2) an unequal area. The number of the triangles you need to use will be determined by the size of your triangles and the weight of the paper you’ve chosen for your project. If kids are interested in a measurement lesson, then they can use the ruler to make the calculations more precise. Cut out 2 or 3 triangles that are about half the size of Darth Vader and glue them all together. Darth Vader is going to be the tail of our wind vane.Ģ.Now we are going to make an arrow for the front end of the vane. Cut it out and glue both Vaders together. Then lay it on top of the black paper and trace it. What to doġ.Print out the Darth Vader template (ours is 3.5 x 5) and cut it out. For more information read my full disclosure policy. Paper (construction paper is better than regular paper, but both will work)ĭisclaimer : this post contains Amazon affiliate links. Why doesn’t it point in the direction where the wind is blowing to? We will find out below after we make a wind vane and test it outside. It has two parts: the tail and a pointer (usually an arrow, but it doesn’t have to be). It spins in the wind and points in the direction from which the wind is coming from. If you want to turn it into a lesson in area and measurement, then throw in a ruler for good measure.ĭarth Vader Wind Vane What is a wind vane?Ī wind vane or weathervane is a tool for measuring wind direction. My kids decided on a Darth Vader wind vane this year. If you want to have a themed wind vane, then you will also need a template, a picture from a magazine or a drawing. What I like about the wind vane is that it’s so easy to make with things we already have around the house-paper, pencil, drinking straw, and pin. ![]() We have been doing wind vanes every year ever since. Somehow, it turned into our family tradition. It was something I had done with them a year before. That day at dinner when we were discussing the weather, my older kids suggested we make a weather vane (or a wind vane) for him. My 3-year-old, “Mom, can I wear new summer sandals?” I recently came across this conversation that I wrote down in my notebook a few years ago around this time of the year. Plus, cardinal points, spatial reasoning, and what Medieval history has to do with wind vanes. Inside: Make your own wind vane (it’s super easy) and discover why a wind vane points in the direction from which the wind is blowing. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |