Activity Overview
Create your very own weather vane and watch the weather change before your eyes. With the help of an adult, children of all ages will have great scientific fun putting this weather vane together which will demonstrate which direction the wind is blowing. The wind will blow the arrow in the direction that the wind is blowing which is a good predictor of the weather.
Materials Needed
- A plastic cup
- Modeling clay
- Card stock paper
- Marker
- Straw
- A Sewing Needle
- A pencil with an eraser
- A glass saucer
- Scissors
- Scotch tape
- Compass
How to Make It
- Place a plastic cup upside down on a plate or saucer.
- Use modeling clay to secure the cup to the plate.
- Cut out a 4 or 5 inch square out of card stock.
- Use your marker to write the first letter of each direction in each corner. NSEW
- Poke a hole in the center of the card stock and the center of the bottom of the cup.
- Place the card stock on top of the cup bottom, lining up the two holes.
- Press the pencil point side down through both the card stock as well as the cup. The card stock should have the marker side facing upward.
- Cut out two small triangle shapes out of a different colored card stock.
- Tape one triangle to each end of the straw. Both points should be facing in the same direction.
- Push a sewing needle through top of the center of the drinking straw and press the needle into the pencil eraser.
- On a breezy day, place your home made weather vane outside next to a compass. Match up the North arrow from the compass to the North marking on your card stock.
