Why does the wind blow? Experimenting with moving Air

Summary
The lesson gives a basic explanation of the phenomenon of air movement or wind and includes a simple experiment to be done in the classroom with the teacher.

Objectives
• The children will be able to explain the effect of heat on the movement of air

• The children will be able to enhance their observational skills, using a number of different senses

• The children will be able to use creative writing to communicate what they have learned

Suggested Grades
2nd Grade
3rd Grade

Excerpt
Why can?t we see the wind? Because it is caused by the movement of the air around us and we cannot see the air. But what makes air move? To find out, we will have to do a small experiment:

Light a candle and then pinch out the wick. What happens to the smoke? It rises. Although we cannot see air, we can see smoke because it consists of very tiny particles floating in the air, making it visible. When we lit the candle the air above it was heated by the flame. Warm air weighs less than cool air ? we say it is less dense or has a lower pressure ? so it rises, in the same way that a light object will float in water while a heavier one may sink.

Continued...