Science of Wind – Starter Pack

Summary

This section provides a complete wind bell ringer, energy quiz, and vocabulary resource tailored for high school students. It defines essential technical terms like onshore wind, transmission lines, generator, and explains why ‘renewable’ refers to the resource, not the equipment used to capture it. The quiz and cloze notes assess student understanding of core concepts, including the advantages, disadvantages, and technical aspects of wind energy as presented in the video.

Bell Ringer

Instructions: Answer the prompt provided by your teacher.










Vocabulary

Instructions: Watch the Science of Wind video and listen for the vocabulary words.

WordDefinitionExample
Turbinenoun: a curved blade that generates electricity when moved by the wind“Wind turbines are just a generator and some blades on top of a long pole.”
Generatornoun: a machine by which mechanical energy is changed into electrical energy“When the wind blows it turns the generator and makes electricity.”
Emissionsnoun: substances discharged into the air or atmosphere“There’s no fuel to burn so there are no emissions.”
Renewablenoun: a natural resource that is of unlimited supply and can be replaced naturally“It’s one of the most affordable renewables.”
Note: While wind is renewable, wind turbines are not because they are made from mined resources, have a limited lifespan, and require disposal and replacement.
Onshore Windnoun phrase: wind power harnessed from a site on land (versus offshore in the ocean)“In the U.S. we have perhaps the greatest onshore wind resource in the world…”
Wind Corridornoun: a stretch of land that is notably windy“Texas sits at the base of the wind corridor…”
Transmission Linesnoun: the process of sending electricity from one place to another“To move the power to users requires long-distance transmission lines.”
Overloadedverb: when too much is put on something or someone, causing it to struggle or stop working properly“…the wind farms soon overloaded the existing lines, so we needed new ones.”

Quiz

Instructions: Circle the correct answer based on what you learned in the Science of Wind video.

Q1. Which statement describes advantages of using wind turbines to generate electricity?

  1. Turbines can be located anywhere and produce a constant supply of electricity.
  2. Turbines are quick to build and produce no CO2 emissions when generating.
  3. Turbines can be located anywhere and produce no CO2 emissions when generating.
  4. Turbines produce no CO2 emissions when generating and produce a constant supply of electricity.

Q2. What is one reason wind energy is especially suitable for farmers?

  1. Turbines are completely underground.
  2. Land beneath turbines can still be used for agriculture.
  3. They provide irrigation.
  4. Turbines increase rainfall.

Q3. What primary environmental concern of wind farms is highlighted in the video?

  1. bird fatalities
  2. massive land use
  3. unattractive views
  4. CO2 emissions

Q4. Why are long-distance transmission lines important for wind energy??

  1. Wind turbines are built in city centers.
  2. Windy areas are often far from where electricity is used.
  3. Wind energy needs to be stored for a long period of time.
  4. Transmission lines reduce noise pollution.