Jennifer Pedtke             Itdpt 364       Section 1
Kelly Melling                             12-14-98

K-nex Set Holt Science Book Grade 4  T-133 - T- 136 Hairdryer Plastic wrap   Postcard or picture of windsurfer       Basin of water

*Students will be able to construct a K-nex windsurfer collaboratively with another partner.

*Students will be able to understand how wind forms.

*Students will enjoy using K-nex to learn about wind and windsurfers.

1.  To start the lesson, the teacher will hold up the postcard or picture of a windsurfer on water.  The teacher will ask what the windsurfer is used for and how it is used, and a discussion will follow.

2.  After hearing student responses, the teacher and students could hold a discussion of how and why wind forms as a result of changes in air pressure and temperature.

3.  The teacher will explain to students that they are going to build their own windsurfer with a partner.  Students will be told that the windsurfer will be tested later on to see how their windsurfer holds up in certain weather conditions, such as wind.

4.  After students construct their windsurfer, they should experiment with the model windsurfer in a basin or water to determine which way the sail should face if the wind comes from the right, the left, the back, or the front, remembering from the discussion how wind can affect moving objects.

5.  Students should then use plastic wrap to connect a sail to the board.  they can experiment with the balance of the windsurfer by adding a fin to the underside of the model to counterbalance the wind.

6.  The teacher can then hold a windsurfer contest to see which windsurfer can stay balanced in the basin of water for twenty seconds by changing the directions of the wind (with the hairdryer).

7.  Before the contest is held, students can make predictions on how their windsurfer will do in the contest.

8.  Every group will have a chance to see how long they can successfully keep their windsurfer balanced when facing wind.  (The teacher, observing proper safety precautions, will use a hairdryer on a cool setting to show students how wind can affect windsurfer's stability and balance.)

1.  Students can compare the results that they recorded from the contest to the predictions they made before the contest began. 

2.  From looking at these results, children can evaluate their windsurfer and their own efforts in building it.

3.  Students can then think of  ways to improve upon their windsurfers and write them down.

4.  The teacher can evaluate students by observation - students' contest performances,  predictions they made beforehand, and by their re-design efforts and thoughts.