Make a Wind Vane

A Wind Vane is a weather instrument (tool) that shows the direction of the wind.

Here are directions to make a simple wind vane.

Materials

• safety goggles
• recycled empty plastic container (yogurt, frosting, etc.) with a cover
• pencil
• scissors
• heavy paper/cardboard
• glue
• straw
• pushpin
• rocks/sand/pebbles/clay (optional)

Directions

• All participants should wear safety goggles.
• Cover or decorate the plastic container, if desired.
• Make a small hole in the center of the plastic cover.
• Push a pencil through the center hole. The eraser end should stick out.
• Cut 4 small triangles, 1 larger triangle ,and 1 even larger rectangle from the cardboard.
• Label the 4 smaller triangles. (N, E, S, W).
• Glue the 4 small triangles on the edges of the container around the pencil in 4 different directions.
• Cut a half inch slit in each end of the straw.
• Put the larger triangle into the slit on one end. Put the rectangle into the slit on the other end.
• Place a pushpin through the center of the straw then into the eraser on the pencil.
• Check that the straw is not too tight so that it can spin easily in the wind.
• To make the wind vane heavier so that the wind will not knock it over, try adding some rocks, pebbles, sand, or clay inside the plastic container.
• Place the wind vane outside. Use a compass to check that the triangle labeled N is facing North.
• Write down the direction that the wind is blowing from in a science journal/notebook along with the date, time of day, and location.

Have fun learning about weather.