Flag Day

Objective:
The students will explore the effects wind has on the environment.
 

Materials

• Straws or craft sticks
• Small pieces of fabric (in rectangles)
• Masking tape
• A book about the wind, such as "Feel the Wind" by Arthur Dorros.
• The Wind Worksheet or The Wind Worksheet 2 (for younger students).

Procedure

1. Facilitate a discussion on the wind.  Have the students brainstorm different ways wind affects objects around them.  List these on chart paper or on the blackboard. 
2. Discuss how wind affects flags.  When there is no wind a flag will hang down on its pole.  However, on windy days the flag will fly out straight and may even flap in the wind.
3. Have the students make simple flags by taping pieces of fabric onto straws or craft sticks.
4. Go outside and determine whether its a windy day or not.  See if the students can make wind by blowing on their flags or waving them through the air.  If it is a windy day, have the students observe other objects that are being affected by the wind.  Are leaves blowing off trees?  Are swings moving in the breeze?  If it is not a windy day, ask the students to look around and see what objects may be affected if the the wind started to blow.  If needed, help lead them to the discussion on how wind effects seed travel.
5. Upon returning to the classroom, add any of the observations made outside onto the chart paper. 
6. Read the book on the wind.   The book may touch on some wind effects the students had not thought of earlier, which may be added to the list.  Follow up with the Wind Worksheet or the Wind Worksheet2 (for younger students). 

Other Lesson Ideas

1. Do more experiments with the flags they made.  Which fabrics blow easier in the wind?  The lighter ones or the heavier ones?
2. Do a more in depth lesson on how wind is created in different weather situations.
3. Bring in a fan and experiment with the different settings (low vs. high) and how far it blows differently weighted objects.  Have the students record the results.
4. Do one of the wind experiments at the following link, Wind.