KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY

ELEMENTARY EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

LESSON PLAN FORMAT

Teacher Candidate: Mychala Sfida Date: 2/19/2020

Cooperating Teacher: Alicia Zwoyer Coop. Initials: ______
Group Size: 27 students Allotted Time: 30 minutes Grade Level: 4th
Subject or Topic: Science: Create Your Own Wind Turbine Section: 390

STANDARD: (PA Common Core):

Standard - 4-ESS3-1 Earth and Human Activity
Obtain and combine information to describe that energy and fuels are derived
from natural resources and their uses affect the environment

I. Performance Objectives (Learning Outcomes)

● Students will be able to create their own wind turbine by using paper, pipe cleaners, straws,
scissors and glue.

II. Instructional Materials

● Smart board
● DIY pinwheel video (https://raisingworldchildren.com/2018/04/12/make-pin-less-yet-spinning-
diy-paper-pinwheel/)
● Paper (6 in x 6 in), scissors, glue, paper clip, pipe cleaners and straws
● Pencils

III. Subject Matter/ Content (prerequisite skills, key vocabulary, big idea, new content)
A. Prerequisite Skills
● Nonrenewable resources
● Renewable resources
B. Key Vocabulary
● Nonrenewable resources: A natural material or source of energy that is useful to people
and cannot be replaced easily
● Renewable resource: A useful material that is replaced quickly in nature
● Wind energy: the use of wind to provide power
● Wind turbine: a device that converts wind energy into electrical energy
C. Big Idea
● Students will create their very own wind turbine.
D. New Content
● Wind energy
● Wind turbines

IV. Implementation
A. Introduction
● Show students that pinwheel I made
● “Can anyone guess what we will be doing today? This (point to pinwheel) gives you a
hint? Turn and talk in your groups”
● Allow turn and talk time
● “What do you guys think we will be doing today?”
● “We are going to make our own wind turbines!”
B. Development
● I DO
○ “First, I am going to show you the video that helped me create my wind turbine!”
○ Show video (https://raisingworldchildren.com/2018/04/12/make-pin-less-yet-
spinning-diy-paper-pinwheel/)
○ “If you think you can do this, put your hands on your head.”
● WE DO
○ “Now we are going to get started making our wind turbines!”
○ “First you need your supplies!”
○ Call one group up a time
○ “You will need one piece of paper, one pipe cleaner and one straw. The scissors,
glue and paper clip you also need are already in your bins.”
○ “When you get your materials, sit with an interested message and wait for
everyone else please.”
○ “Now we can start!
○ Steps: *DO ALL THESE WITH STUDENTS*
■ “First, you are going to take your paper and make two diagonal folds.
Thumbs up when you are done that part.”
■ “Next, you are going to cut on those lines, but watch me first! You are
not cutting all the way up the folded line. You are going to cut a little
more than half way up, like this. Put your scissors down when you are
done so I know I can move on.”
■ “Now, we are going to take every other corner and glue it down. Let me
show you first. You put some glue in the center of your wind turbine and
on the point of your paper. Then you take the paper and bring it to the
center like this. Thumbs up when you are done.”
■ “This next part we have to be careful with. You are going to take the
paperclip in your bin. There is only one, so you need to share. You are
carefully going to poke a hole through the center of your wind turbine
like this. When everyone in your group is finished, put your hands
together in the middle of your desks.”
■ “Now you are going to take your pipe cleaner and make a knot at one
end. Put your pipe cleaner down on your desk when you are done.”
■ “Next, we are going to cut off a small portion of our straw. Watch me
first before you do it. Your piece should be about this big.” Walk
around to show students the size. “Thumbs up when you are done.”
■ “Now you are going to take the small piece of your straw and put your
pipe cleaner through it and push it all the way to the top. Hands on your
head when you are done.”
■ “Now pick up the bigger part of your straw and you are going to cut a slit
in it about 1/4 the way down. You do not want to cut through the whole
straw. You want to be able to bend it back and have an opening like
this.” Show students your straw for reference.
■ “Lastly, you are going to put the pipe cleaner through the slit you made
in your straw and wrap the extra pipe cleaner around the bottom of your
straw.”
● YOU DO
○ “Now you have your very own wind turbine!”
○ “Test them out! See if they spin if you blow on them.”
○ Walk around to see the results of the students wind turbines and to see if they
spin. Check yes or no for each student on the checklist
 C. Closure
● “Time is up!”
● “We are all going to take pictures with our wind turbines! I am going to put it on class
dojo for all your parents to see!”
● “How do you think your wind turbine turned out? Thumbs up for good and thumbs down
for bad.”

D. Accommodations / Differentiation
● For struggling ESL students, I will work with them in a small group.
● For struggling students, I will work with them in a small group.
● For struggling students, I will have other students who understand help them create their
pinwheel/wind turbine.

E. Assessment/Evaluation plan
1. Formative: pinwheel/wind turbine (authentic assessment)
2. Summative: nonrenewable resources post test

V. Reflective Response
A. Report of Students’ Performance in Terms of States Objectives (Reflection on students
performance written after the lesson is taught, includes remediation for students who
failed to meet an acceptable level of achievement)
● Every student was successful in making a wind turbine! It did take a little longer than I
had planned, but it was a super fun activity to do with the students. Every student was
super excited to make their own wind turbine.
● Remediation plan
○ No remediation plan is needed!

B. Personal Reflection (Questions are written before the lesson is taught.)(Reflective

answers to questions recorded after the lesson is taught.)
1. Was making pinwheel an engaging activity for students?
● Yes! The students absolutely loved making the wind turbine. Even though some parts of
it were challenging for some students, every student had a lot of fun making it.
2. What would I improve on in this lesson if I taught it again?
● The one thing I would improve on for this lesson is showing one student from each of
their table groups how to make the wind turbine prior to the lesson like during recess. It
would have alleviated some of the pressure of trying to help every student off of me. The
students would also feel like they are being helpful by helping, so they would benefit as
well.

VI. Resources
McGraw Hill Education. (2017). Inspire science. Columbus, OH.

Dinesh, S. (2018, April 12). How To Make A Pin-less Paper Pinwheel That Spins. Retrieved from
https://raisingworldchildren.com/2018/04/12/make-pin-less-yet-spinning-diy-paper-pinwheel/
 (example photo)

Wind Turbine Checklist

Yes No Yes No

Eva Jaiden

Jordy Alexandria

Johndiel Reymi

Mary Jomar

Aleisha Chelsea

Jaivone Estefania

Christopher Jeremiah

Isabela Jaylene

Albert Brittney

Reily Xavian

Erline

Justin

Marcelino

Sarah

Aianna

Wind Turbine Rubric

3 2 1

● Works the way ● Works the way ● Does not work the
 students were taught students were taught way students were
(moves with wind) (moves with wind) taught (moves with
AND OR wind) AND
● All parts are included ● All parts are included ● Does not include all
parts