🧪 Science with Sarah: Wind Vanes 💨

Build an at-home wind vane to keep track to the wind direction

👉 Watch the video of Sarah’s science experiment at Canyon Ridge Elementary here!

Hello parents, teachers and students! Today’s experiment explores meteorology in your backyard.

Be sure to check out GMSA@9 on Wednesdays when Meteorologist Sarah Spivey does the demonstrations and explains the science behind it.

Science with Sarah in partnership with the San Antonio Zoo (Copyright KSAT 2023 - All rights reserved)

HERE’S WHAT YOU’LL NEED

  • A pencil with an eraser on top
  • A straw
  • Colorful index cards
  • Scissors
  • Tape
  • A pin
  • Modeling Clay

DO THE EXPERIMENT

Materials needed to make your own wind vane (Copyright KSAT 2023 - All rights reserved)
  • STEP 1: Cut a wing and a pointed tip for your wind van from the index cards. The wing should be larger than the tip
  • STEP 2: Tape the wing and the pointed tip to a straw
  • STEP 3: Carefully (and with adult supervision) push the pin through the middle of the straw
  • STEP 4: Push the pin into the eraser of the pencil
  • STEP 5: Create a flat base for your wind vane using the modeling clay
  • STEP 6: Take your wind vane outside and watch how it turns with the wind!

SCIENCE WITH SARAH

If you’d like Sarah and David to come to your school and conduct a science experiment live on KSAT, fill out this form. “Winners” are selected at random.


About the Authors

Sarah Spivey is a San Antonio native who grew up watching KSAT. She has been a proud member of the KSAT Weather Authority Team since 2017. Sarah is a Clark High School and Texas A&M University graduate. She previously worked at KTEN News. When Sarah is not busy forecasting, she enjoys hanging out with her husband and cat, and playing music.

Ben Spicer is a digital journalist who works the early morning shift for KSAT.

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