Spring winds are sweeping across the river as our Orchard & Hive STEAM boat, the Jonagold sets off on a new adventure – one that invites young makers to explore how wind moves, spins, and shapes the world around them. Join Captain Cortland and his curious crew as they create a simple paper pinwheel wind experiment to observe wind direction, speed, and patterns. It’s the perfect hands-on spring STEAM activity for kids!
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Explore Weather on Spring Blossom River
Ahoy, fellow adventurers! It’s Captain Cortland here, your fearless STEAM leader and captain of the Orchard & Hive STEAM boat the Jonagold! As we cruise down the Spring Blossom River, the crew has gathered on the observation deck for a bit of sky-watching and wind-reading. Today, we’re crafting bright paper pinwheels to study how the breeze moves, shifts, and spins. It’s hands-on weather science for our newest deckhands, and the perfect way to train curious minds to watch the skies with wonder!
Pinwheel Wind Experiment
Supplies Needed
- Square sheet of paper (6×6 inches of cardstock or construction paper works best)
- Scissors
- Paper straw
- Hole puncher
- Craft brad (fastener)
- Art supplies (markers, stickers, or crayons)
- Paper Pinwheel Pattern (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare your square. Start with a square piece of paper, or print the Paper Pinwheel Pattern. If you're using plain paper, decorate it first – this becomes the colorful face of your pinwheel.
- Mark your lines. Draw two diagonal lines from corner to corner to form an "X". Mark a small dot exactly in the center where the lines meet.
- Cut. Cut along each diagonal line starting from the corner, but stop about an inch before you reach the center dot. Do not cut all the way through.
- Prepare the straw handle. Flatten the top inch of the paper straw. Use the hole punch to make a single hole through the flattened section.
- Fold the corners. Choose every other point and gently fold each one toward the center (don't crease the folds flat). Hold all four points in place.
- Secure. Push a craft brad through the folded points and then through the center of the square.
- Connect the pinwheel to the straw. Slide the brad through the hole in the straw, and then fold the ends down to secure. The pinwheel should spin freely – if it doesn't, loosen the brad slightly.
grab your free printable:
The Science Behind the Spin
A pinwheel is a simple machine that captures the energy of moving air. When the wind blows on the pinwheel, it pushes against the curved blades. Because each blade is angled the same way, the air hits them with a specific force that pushes the wheel in a circle.
By watching the pinwheel, you can “see” the invisible wind. A fast spin means a strong gust, while the direction the pinwheel faces shows where the wind is coming from. It’s a great way to observe how kinetic energy (motion) is created from a simple breeze.
Weathervane Challenge
The crew learned something important today: the sky is full of clues and every good explorer knows how to read them. Now that you’ve learned how wind moves, you’re ready for the next challenge waiting for us on the observation deck. The wind is picking up, the current is stronger, and I need a tool that can point the way. Let’s build a weathervane!
Adventure awaits!
Your fearless STEAM leader,
Captain Cortland
ready for more adventure?
STEAM STORIES: Build a Weathervane
Join Captain Cortland and his crew for an engineering challenge in our STEAM Stories: Build a Weathervane, where you’ll build your very own wind-reading instrument so you can chart the weather like a true steamboat captain!
