The Wind at Work: An Activity Guide to Windmills - Softcover

Woelfle, Gretchen

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1556523084 ISBN 13: 9781556523083

Publisher: Chicago Review Press, 1997

Synopsis

The Wind at Work traces the history of windmills and how their design and function have changed over time. It includes more than a dozen wind-related activities such as conducting science experiments, cooking a traditional windmiller meal, sewing windmill patterns, and keeping track of household energy use. Information on how wind turbines (modern windmills) can produce energy as an alternative to nonrenewable fossil fuels is covered as well.

About this title

About the Author

Gretchen Woelfle is an award-winning author of picture books, short stories, and environmental nonfiction. She has written for Cricket Spider and Cicada magazines and the anthology series Stories from Where We Live. She lives in Los Angeles.

Reviews

Grade 4-8. This combination of science, history, and activities centers around the use of wind as a source of power. The historical information is excellent, and includes Persian windmills of 1000 years ago, Dutch windmills of the 17th century, and modern wind turbines. Amusing anecdotes and intriguing facts are woven into the text, keeping it lively. An American farmer brags about all of the tasks his windmill accomplishes, including sawing wood, running a washing machine, and powering a pipe organ. A fascinating section on a windmiller's daily life reveals how the expression "rule of thumb" came to be. Black-and-white historical prints, photographs, and diagrams appear throughout. The mechanics of various windmills are briefly explained, but the emphasis is more on what the machines can do rather than on how they work. The well-balanced presentation offers worldwide coverage and objective information regarding the pros and cons of wind power compared to other sources. Each chapter ends with instructions for several projects. Some, like making a wind sock and wind vane, are directly related to wind power. Many others, though, have a vaguer connection. Activities such as "Create Landscape Art" and "Sing a Song of the American West" may not capture the imagination of children exploring the book on their own, but could work perfectly as resources for teachers or parents. Appendixes include a list of windmills and turbine sites, energy associations, environmental groups, and related career opportunities. A worthwhile purchase.?Steven Engelfried, West Linn Public Library, OR
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Chicago Review Press
• Publication date: 1997
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1556523084
• ISBN 13: 9781556523083
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 156