Washington Students Learn to Measure Wind Speed

Washington Primary School third graders have been exploring the fascinating world of wind and how to measure its speed.

Teachers Victoria Creighton, Justin Boba and Aliash Ramirez have been working with their students in a unit focused on anemometers; tools that scientists use to measure wind speed. The students even built their own anemometer using simple materials. After assembling their creations, both classes went outside to test them, observing how the cups spun faster or slower depending on the strength of the wind.

The students compared their results, shared observations, and discussed what might cause differences in wind speed. “It was an exciting, hands-on way to connect science concepts with real-world experiences,” Ms. Ramirez said.

“An anemometer is an instrument that measures wind speed and wind pressure,” according to The National Geographic. Anemometers are important tools for meteorologists, who study weather patterns. They are also important to the work of physicists, who study the way air moves. The most common type of anemometer has three or four cups attached to horizontal arms. The arms are attached to a vertical rod. As the wind blows, the cups rotate, making the rod spin. The stronger the wind blows, the faster the rod spins. The anemometer counts the number of rotations, or turns, which is used to calculate wind speed. Because wind speeds are not consistent—there are gusts and lulls—wind speed is usually averaged over a short period of time.”