How to Design the Best Wind Farm Blade in Tinkercad

By MyStemKits

This Instructable integrates a MyStemKits problem-based learning activity aligned to the NGSS and Common Core Standards. This model eliciting activity (MEA) will help students tackle real-world problems as they balance budgetary constraints with finding the most-optimal design, all while overcoming unforseen circumstances that may change the procedure students use to determine the best solution. In the end, students are challenged to design and test their own wind farm blades, using Tinkercad to model a 3D-printable blade.
Subject: Math
Strand: Geometry
Grade: 7, 8
Estimated Instructional Time: 5 class periods, 50 minutes each
Estimated Blade Design Time: 2 class periods, 30 minutes each
Lesson Plan Abstract:
In this middle-school engineering design
challenge, students are challenged to create the most efficient wind turbine while balancing cost constraints. Students will apply their knowledge of surface area and graphing while testing their 3D-printed designs using Tinkercad.
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Materials:

• Computer with internet
• 3D Printer
• Strong Fan
• 4 #2 Pencils
• String
• Tape

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Content and Practice Standards:
Common Core State Standards
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.G.B.6 Solve real-world and mathematical problems involving area, volume and surface area of two- and three-dimensional objects composed of triangles, quadrilaterals, polygons, cubes, and right prisms.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.F.B.4 Construct a function to model a linear relationship between two quantities. Determine the rate of change and initial value of the function from a description of a relationship or from two (x, y) values, including reading these from a table or from a graph. Interpret the rate of change and initial value of a linear function in terms of the situation it models, and in terms of its graph or a table of values.
MAFS.8.SP.1.1 Construct and interpret scatter plots for bivariate measurement data to investigate patterns of association between two quantities. Describe patterns such as clustering, outliers, positive or negative association, linear association, and nonlinear association.
CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP1 Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP2 Reason abstractly and quantitatively.
CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP4 Model with mathematics.
CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP5 Use appropriate tools strategically.
CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP6 Attend to precision.
CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP7 Look for and make use of structure.
NGSS Science and Engineering Practices

• 1. Asking questions and defining problems
• 2. Developing and using models
• 3. Planning and carrying out investigations
• 4. Analyzing and interpreting data
• 5. Using mathematics and computational thinking
• 8. Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information