

Middle School Back to School Energy Lab: 2-page STEM packet on aerodynamic blade pitch, rotor torque, mechanical work output math, & wind physics.
Harness clean energy physics and aerodynamic engineering with a hands-on mechanical challenge! The Paper Wind Turbine Challenge (BTS15) challenges middle school student teams to act as renewable energy engineers, designing a rotor blade assembly out of paper and skewers that spins in front of a fan to lift a string-bound payload.
Students explore aerodynamic blade pitch, rotational torque, kinetic-to-mechanical energy transformations, and mechanical work output math (Work = mass x gravity x distance)!
What Is Included in This 2-Page Packet?
Page 1: Student Mission Card & Blueprint: Real-world wind energy and mechanical rotor engineering scenario, clear material constraints box (paper/cardstock, skewer axle, straw sleeve, string, paperclip, fan testing, 15 cm lift goal), and a dedicated Aerodynamic Blade Pitch & Rotor Blueprint sketching zone for planning blade geometry, pitch angles, and axle winding loops.
Page 2: Testing Log & Scientific Reflection: Structured Data Testing Table (track blade counts, pitch configurations, vertical lift distance in centimeters, and lift speed in seconds across 3 prototype tests), Applied Math Connection (calculate mechanical work output in Joules: Work = mass x gravity x distance), and physics reflection questions analyzing aerodynamic blade pitch, blade count drag trade-offs, and energy conversion chains.
Core STEM Skills Covered:
Aerodynamic Engineering, Blade Pitch Angles & Wind Energy
Rotational Kinetic Energy, Mechanical Work & Power
Data Logging, Time Tracking (s), Lift Calculations (cm/m), and Work Math (Joules)
Iterative Blade Tuning and Energy Transformation Mechanics
Why Teachers Love This Resource:
High-Impact Clean Energy Lab: Demonstrates how wind turbines convert moving air into real mechanical work in a memorable, visual way!
Low-Cost Materials: Uses simple paper, wooden skewers, straws, string, and paperclips.
Clean 2-Page Layout: Keeps student rotor schematics, mechanical work math, and physics reflections organized on a single front-and-back printable sheet.
Print-Ready: High-resolution, 2-page PDF format ready for instant printing.
Something went wrong, please try again later.
This resource hasn't been reviewed yet
To ensure quality for our reviews, only customers who have purchased this resource can review it
Report this resourceto let us know if it violates our terms and conditions.
Our customer service team will review your report and will be in touch.