• 2 sponges

• 1 plastic straw

• Heavy duty 2 liter size Ziploc bag

• Heavy duty tape

• Household and desk items

• My Wind Machine Works Worksheet

1. Put 2 sponges in a 2 liter Ziploc bag.

1. Place the straw between the sponges, with one end sticking out of the bag.

1. Seal the bag with heavy duty tape on either side of the straw.

1. Tell your child to place one hand in front of the Wind Machine, palm side toward the straw.  Press down firmly on the bag, and ask your child to tell you what they feel.  Do this a few times, changing the way you press down on the bag: soft, hard, with your fist, with an open palm, etc.

1. Now it’s their turn!  One at a time, place an object in front of the Wind Machine, give it a good hit, and see if it moves.  Use the My Wind Machine Works Worksheet (see Printables) to record what happens.  Vary the size and shape of the objects you select: crayons, pencils, paper cups, ping pong balls, etc.  

1. You can measure the distance the item moves with a standard measurement (ruler), or a non-standard measurement (paper clips, small blocks).

1. After you’ve tested a few items, take a look at your chart and see if you and your child can find similarities and differences between those items that move, and those that don’t (a long pencil will move, but a much smaller nickel may not!).

Read the poem, “Who has Seen the Wind?” to your child and encourage them to act it out: bending down and moving their arms to and fro like the branches of a tree.  Talk about the ways wind is helpful (blowing seeds, flying a kite, creating energy through windmills) and how it can be a powerful force in nature (hurricanes and tornados).