High School / HS-04
Available Grades 9–12 Energy
Design and test small turbine blades in front of a fan, measure electrical power across loads, and plot power coefficient against tip-speed ratio.
Design and test small turbine blades in front of a box fan. Measure the wind, the generator's constants, electrical power across a set of loads, and — with a rope-brake dynamometer — the rotor's own power coefficient against tip-speed ratio. Then design your own blades and improve them twice.
Students will:
Every high school pack includes worked math and physics, prediction-versus-measurement labs, at least two design-and-test iterations, data logging, a rubric, and documentation templates, plus printable Builder's Corner build journal pages.
Parts, specs, quantities, and estimated unit costs, with places to buy. Prices change; anything marked as an estimate is an estimate. Links were checked when the BOM was written.
Totals are computed from the line items below. Prices were read from vendor pages on the dates shown and will change. Rows tagged estimate have no verified link and are planning numbers only.
| ID | Part & spec | Qty | Unit (typical) | Line (typical) | Where to buy | Cheaper substitute | Adult handling / safety gear |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E1 | ESP32 Feather V2 (logger) Adafruit PID 5400 · USB-C; includes male header (solder it for the breadboard) | 1 | $19.95 | $19.95 | adafruit.com Adafruit $19.95 · checked 2026-10-09 · In stock | Adafruit HUZZAH32 Feather (PID 3405); same code | Header soldering: adult supervision, eye protection, ventilation |
| E2 | INA219 current/voltage sensor Adafruit PID 904 · 0.1 Ω 1 % shunt; ±3.2 A (0.8 mA) or ±400 mA (0.1 mA) range; 26 V max; STEMMA QT | 1 | $9.95 | $9.95 | adafruit.com Adafruit $9.95 · checked 2026-10-09 · In stock | Two multimeters (V across the load, A in series) read by hand — slower, no logging | — |
| E3 | STEMMA QT cable 200 mm Adafruit PID 4401 · Feather ↔ INA219 | 1 | $1.25 | $1.25 | adafruit.com Adafruit $1.25 · checked 2026-10-09 · In stock | 100 mm version PID 4210 ($0.95, verified) if the boards sit together | — |
| E4 | Hall-effect sensor US5881LUA (rotor speed) Adafruit PID 158 · unipolar, open-collector, 3.5–24 V (powered from the Feather's USB 5 V pin; output pulled up to 3.3 V) | 1 | $2.00 | $2.00 | adafruit.com Adafruit $2.00 · checked 2026-10-09 · In stock | Handheld optical tachometer read by hand (not priced) | — |
| E5 | Neodymium magnet 0.25 in square (4) SparkFun · four on the hub back at r = 20 mm, 90° apart, all south face toward the Hall sensor: 4 pulses/rev and a flat 4-point seat for pitch setting | 4 | $1.75 | $7.00 | sparkfun.com SparkFun $1.75 (single-unit price; quantity price lower) · checked 2026-10-09 · Not recorded (page showed mixed stock labels) | Any ~6 mm neodymium disc magnet | Keep magnets away from young children (swallowing hazard) |
| E6 | 10 kΩ resistors (25) Adafruit PID 2784 · Hall-sensor pull-up to 3.3 V; one more in series between the anemometer's blue wire and A2 (fault-current limit) | 1 | $0.75 | $0.75 | adafruit.com Adafruit $0.75 · checked 2026-10-09 · In stock | Any 4.7–10 kΩ resistor | — |
| E7 | Resistor kit 1/4 W (500 total) — the electrical loads SparkFun · includes 4.7, 10, 47, 100, 220, 470 Ω and 1 kΩ (load sweep); 22 Ω made as 47 ∥ 47 | 1 | $9.95 | $9.95 | sparkfun.com SparkFun $9.95 (as low as $8.96) · checked 2026-10-09 · Backorder on 2026-10-09 | Individual 1/4 W resistors of the listed values; a 100 Ω potentiometer is NOT a good load (wiper current) | — |
| E8 | Full-size breadboard (830) Adafruit PID 239 | 1 | $5.95 | $5.95 | adafruit.com Adafruit $5.95 · checked 2026-10-09 · In stock | Any 830-point breadboard | — |
| E9 | Male/male jumper wires 150 mm (40) Adafruit PID 758 | 1 | $3.95 | $3.95 | adafruit.com Adafruit $3.95 · checked 2026-10-09 · In stock | — | — |
| E10 | Female/male extension jumpers 300 mm (10) Adafruit PID 5018 · Hall sensor up the tower to the breadboard | 1 | $1.95 | $1.95 | adafruit.com Adafruit $1.95 · checked 2026-10-09 · In stock | — | — |
| E11 | USB-A to USB-C data cable Adafruit PID 4474 | 1 | $4.95 | $4.95 | adafruit.com Adafruit $4.95 · checked 2026-10-09 · In stock | Any USB-C data cable you own (low total assumes owned) | — |
| E12 | Schottky diode 1N5817 (reverse-spin clamp) Tayda SKU A-159 · 1 A, 20 V, DO-41; across the generator leads, stripe (cathode) to red: clamps Vin+ to ≈ −0.3 V if the rotor turns backwards (INA219 inputs: −0.3 V abs. min.) | 1 | $0.06 | $0.06 | taydaelectronics.com Tayda Electronics $0.06 · checked 2026-10-09 · Available qty 3,988,345 | 1N5818 or 1N5819 (same package, higher voltage); not a 1N4001 (≈ 0.7 V drop lets Vin+ go below −0.3 V) | — |
| Subtotal | $67.71 | Low-cost path: $62.76 | |||||
| ID | Part & spec | Qty | Unit (typical) | Line (typical) | Where to buy | Cheaper substitute | Adult handling / safety gear |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W1 | Cup anemometer, analog output Adafruit PID 1733 · 0.4 V (0 m/s) … 2.0 V (32.4 m/s); start 0.2 m/s; resolution 0.1 m/s; accuracy worst case 1 m/s; needs 7–24 V | 1 | $44.95 | $44.95 | adafruit.com Adafruit $44.95 · checked 2026-10-09 · In stock | Handheld vane anemometer (~$25, estimate, not verified) read by hand | — |
| W2 | 9 V 1 A regulated power adapter (anemometer) Adafruit PID 63 · UL listed, 2.1 mm plug | 1 | $8.95 | $8.95 | adafruit.com Adafruit $8.95 · checked 2026-10-09 · In stock | 12 V 1 A adapter PID 798 ($8.95, out of stock on 2026-10-09) | 9 V goes ONLY to the anemometer's brown wire |
| W3 | DC jack to screw-terminal adapter Adafruit PID 368 · 2.1 mm female | 1 | $2.00 | $2.00 | adafruit.com Adafruit $2.00 · checked 2026-10-09 · In stock | — | Check polarity with the multimeter |
| W4 | 20 in box fan (the wind source) Any 3-speed box fan with an intact front grille; ~3–5 m/s at 0.5–1 m (estimate; Lab 1 measures yours) | 1 | $30.00 estimate | $30.00 | Hardware store (no link) — | Use one the school owns (low total) | Mains appliance: adult checks cord and grille; plugged in only by an adult |
| W5 | Ring stand + clamp (anemometer mount) Holds the anemometer at hub height | 1 | $25.00 estimate | $25.00 | Lab supplier (no link) — | Camera tripod or a clamped stick (low total assumes owned) | — |
| Subtotal | $110.90 | Low-cost path: $55.90 | |||||
| ID | Part & spec | Qty | Unit (typical) | Line (typical) | Where to buy | Cheaper substitute | Adult handling / safety gear |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G1 | KidWind Wind Turbine Generator with Wires (3-pack) Vernier KW-GEN3 · 0–10 V, 0–0.3 A, Ø ~3.2 cm, 2 mm shaft, 4 ft leads; TIL 3155: 2000 rpm / 11 mA no-load and 40 g·cm / 147 mA stall at 5.9 V. 1 used + 2 spares | 1 | $25.00 | $25.00 | vernier.com Vernier $25.00 (3 Pack, KW-GEN3) · checked 2026-10-09 · Not shown on page | 10 Pack KW-GEN10 $69.00 for a classroom (same page) | — |
| G2 | KidWind Wind Turbine Hub (3-pack) Vernier KW-WTH3 · 12-hole crimping hub, Ø 2.25 in, press-fits a 2 mm shaft, ¼ in dowels | 1 | $25.00 | $25.00 | vernier.com Vernier $25.00 (3 Pack, KW-WTH3) · checked 2026-10-09 · Not shown on page | 10 Pack KW-WTH10 $79.00 (same page) | — |
| G3 | KidWind dowels ¼ × 5 in (25) Vernier KW-D25 | 1 | $5.00 | $5.00 | vernier.com Vernier $5.00 (25 Pack) · checked 2026-10-09 · Not shown on page | Any ¼ in hardwood dowel cut to 5 in | — |
| G4 | KidWind balsa blade sheets (10) Vernier KW-BBS10 · 12 × 3 in, 2.5 mm thick; 9 used by the three template sets | 1 | $15.00 | $15.00 | vernier.com Vernier $15.00 (10 Pack) · checked 2026-10-09 · Not shown on page | Chipboard or poster board (lighter, floppier; estimate) | Laser-cutting balsa: trained adult, never unattended (flammable) |
| Subtotal | $70.00 | Low-cost path: $70.00 | |||||
| ID | Part & spec | Qty | Unit (typical) | Line (typical) | Where to buy | Cheaper substitute | Adult handling / safety gear |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M1 | Baltic birch plywood 3 mm, 12 × 20 in Wood Vault, Laser/CNC grade 1/8" variant; 2 sheets used + 1 spare | 3 | $3.50 | $10.50 | woodvault.com The Wood Vault $3.50 per sheet (1/8" Laser/CNC grade variant) · checked 2026-10-09 · Not confirmed (variant availability not shown) | Any laser-grade 3 mm birch | Laser: trained adult operator, ventilation |
| M2 | Hot-glue gun + sticks Blade-to-dowel glue (Vernier TIL 3751 recommends hot melt or PVA) | 1 | $10.00 estimate | $10.00 | Craft store (no link) — | PVA (white) glue — lighter, needs cure time | Hot-glue burns: supervise |
| M3 | Wood glue (PVA/aliphatic) Tower lamination, tabs, drum | 1 | $6.00 estimate | $6.00 | Hardware store (no link) — | Shared | — |
| M4 | Brake string + masses + m₂ cup Braided fishing line or strong thread; ~200 g of washers or a 200 g mass for the scale side (M); m₂: paper cup + water from a 10 mL syringe (0–15 g, 1 mL ≈ 1 g) for the slack side | 1 | $5.00 estimate | $5.00 | Hardware store (no link) — | Lab mass set (school-owned) | — |
| M5 | Zip ties (small) + C-clamp (2) Generator clamp in the tower; base clamped to the table | 1 | $10.00 estimate | $10.00 | Hardware store (no link) — | Shared | — |
| Subtotal | $41.50 | Low-cost path: $10.50 | |||||
| ID | Part & spec | Qty | Unit (typical) | Line (typical) | Where to buy | Cheaper substitute | Adult handling / safety gear |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T1 | Safety glasses, ANSI Z87.1 Z87+ (high-impact) marked — everyone in the room while a rotor turns 3M SecureFit SF201AF · clear anti-fog polycarbonate lens marked Z87+ (ANSI Z87.1 impact-rated; 3M spec table on strobelssupply.com and safetycompany.com, read 2026-10-09) | 3 | $5.32 | $15.96 | platt.com Platt Electric Supply $5.32 EA · checked 2026-10-09 · 40 in stock (company-wide) | Any glasses marked Z87+ (ANSI Z87.1 high-impact). Not SparkFun SWG-11046: it lists only CE/EN 1836, a sunglass standard, not impact-rated | Required whenever the fan is on with a rotor fitted |
| T2 | Digital scale 0.1 g, 600 g (brake dynamometer) American Weigh ZIP600 via Newegg | 1 | $33.98 | $33.98 | newegg.com Newegg (third-party seller) $33.98 · checked 2026-10-09 · In stock (page data) | Any 0.1 g scale ≥ 300 g | — |
| T3 | Temperature-controlled soldering iron Pinecil | 1 | $68.50 | $68.50 | sparkfun.com SparkFun $68.50 · checked 2026-10-09 · Not recorded | Any temperature-controlled iron the school owns (low total assumes owned) | Adult supervision, eye protection, ventilation |
| T4 | Lead-free solder 15 g SparkFun | 1 | $4.95 | $4.95 | sparkfun.com SparkFun $4.95 (single-unit price) · checked 2026-10-09 · Not recorded | — | Wash hands after soldering |
| T5 | Digital multimeter Load resistances, generator R_int, polarity checks | 1 | $21.50 | $21.50 | sparkfun.com SparkFun $21.50 · checked 2026-10-09 · Not recorded | Assumed owned in the low total | — |
| T6 | Digital calipers 150 mm Blade chord, drum radius, rotor radius | 1 | $19.95 | $19.95 | sparkfun.com SparkFun $19.95 (single-unit price) · checked 2026-10-09 · Not recorded | Steel rule (±0.5 mm) | — |
| T7 | Laser cutter access or cutting service 2 birch sheets + 9 balsa blades | 1 | $15.00 estimate | $15.00 | Makerspace / cut service (no link) — | Hand-cut blades from printed templates with a hobby knife | Trained adult operator; never leave balsa cutting unattended |
| T8 | Spring scale 5000 g / 50 N (blade proof pull) Arbor Scientific 01-6965 · pull each blade radially outward with 25 N before running (safety.md §2) | 1 | $4.95 | $4.95 | arborsci.com Arbor Scientific $4.95 · checked 2026-10-09 · In stock (page data) | A luggage scale reading ≥ 3 kg (25 N ≈ 2.5 kg) | Adult checks the 25 N pull on every new or re-glued blade |
| Subtotal | $184.79 | Low-cost path: $74.84 | |||||
The pack is digital files only. Hardware is bought separately.
These are standards the pack's activities are mapped to by Laue Labs. They are not a certification or endorsement by any standards body or state.
| Activity | NGSS | Common Core Math |
|---|---|---|
| Lab 1 wind power, v³ uncertainty | HS-PS3-1 (calculate energy change), HS-PS3-3 (design a device that converts energy) | HSN-Q.A.1–3 (units, accuracy), HSF-IF.B.4 |
| Lab 2 generator constants | HS-PS2-5 (electric current ↔ changing magnetic field), HS-PS3-3 | HSS-ID.B.6 (fit a linear function) |
| Lab 3 load sweep / max power transfer | HS-PS3-1, HS-ETS1-3 (trade-offs) | HSF-IF.C.7, HSA-CED.A.4 |
| Lab 4 C_p(λ), pitch | HS-PS3-3, HS-ETS1-4 (model to predict impacts) | HSF-IF.B.6, HSG-SRT.C.8 (trig in the velocity triangle) |
| Lab 5 design iteration | HS-ETS1-2, HS-ETS1-3 | HSS-IC.B.6 |
| Crosscutting: energy and matter (flows), systems and system models. SEP: developing and using models; analysing data; constructing explanations. |
One student or one household.
You may:
You may not:
One homeschool family, or one co-op group of up to 10 learners with its facilitator(s).
You may:
You may not:
One teacher with up to 30 students in a single class or cohort.
You may:
You may not:
All licenses: digital files only (hardware not included). Keep Laue Labs attribution on printed handouts. After checkout you get an instant download on the thanks page. License questions, more learners, or site licenses: lance.haney@gmail.com.
