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Year 6 - Science

The wind as an energy source (non-statutory)

Climate change and sustainability (non-statutory)

Unit Summary

This unit examines our climate and the factors affecting it. Emphasis is on using data, taking precise measurements, recording data, and presenting findings.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to investigate how we use wind to move things and can describe how wind turbines generate electricity.

Key Notes

  • Moving air (wind) can turn the blades of windmills or turbines.
  • Windmills have been used for many years to help us do work like pumping water or grinding wheat for flour.
  • Wind turbines are now used to generate electricity.
  • The wind is a renewable energy source as there will always be wind.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • wind turbine: A wind turbine is a device that is turned by the wind to generate electricity.
  • energy source: Energy sources can be used to provide heat, light, or power.
  • pump: A water pump is a piece of equipment that is used to move water from one place to another.
  • generate: To generate electricity is to produce or make it.
  • electricity: Electricity is needed for lighting, heating and making machines and appliances work.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Children may think that windmills and wind turbines create wind when the sails or blades spin.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain the scientific idea in this lesson using two key points.

Moving air (wind) can turn the blades of windmills or turbines. Windmills have been used for many years to help us do work like pumping water or grinding wheat for flour.

2. Define this scientific word and use it in context. 'wind turbine'

A wind turbine is a device that is turned by the wind to generate electricity. Include the word in a full scientific explanation, not as a single label.

3. Correct this common scientific misunderstanding.

Mistake: Children may think that windmills and wind turbines create wind when the sails or blades spin. Correction: Teaching slide explain that windmills and wind turbines harness the energy of the wind to do work for us or to generate electricity.

More Lessons In This Unit

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