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Learning Objectives 

Students will: 

• Describe the characteristics of the wind. 
• Analyze the characteristics of wind through paintings.
• Classify winds on the Beaufort Scale.
• Build an anemometer.
• Pantomime or paint the wind representing a force on the Beaufort Scale.
• Perform or display art for an audience.

Standards Alignment

National Core Arts StandardsNational Core Arts Standards

Common Core State StandardsCommon Core State Standards

Recommended Student Materials

Editable Documents: Before sharing these resources with students, you must first save them to your Google account by opening them, and selecting “Make a copy” from the File menu. Check out Sharing Tips or Instructional Benefits when implementing Google Docs and Google Slides with students.

Videos

• 1-2-3 Pantomime with Jamie Hipp

Paintings

• by Vincent van Gogh
• by Hokusai
• by Mary Ann Carroll
• by Loomis Dean
• by Wong Kar-wai
• by Aimé Civiale
• by Harold Newton

Websites

Additional Materials

• Anemometer: cardboard, hole puncher, straws, small cups, wooden dowels, small fan 
• Blow Painting: watercolor or canvas paper, watercolors or acrylic paint

Teacher Background

You should be familiar with the Beaufort Scale and anemometers.

Student Prerequisites 

Students should be familiar with different weather types and patterns.

Accessibility Notes

Modify and adapt movements as needed. Offer adaptive painting and art tools to students. Allow extra time and space for movement and art creation.

Engage

1. Create a concept map on the board or chart paper with the word “Wind” in the middle. Ask students to think of words, phrases, or tools that describe wind. Explain that there are “degrees” of wind that vary from a gentle breeze to a gale force wind. Since we cannot see it, we must look at its effects in order to describe it.

2. Tell students that wind is the natural movement of air. Wind is caused by air flowing from a high-pressure area to a low-pressure area. Have students share a time when they noticed the wind. (sand blowing at a baseball game, whistling air sounds from inside your home, a flag blowing, a body of water crashing to the surface, etc.)

3. Read poems about the wind. Distribute copies of or play the . Then share the poem, . Allow time for students to read and compare the poems. 

4. Engage students in a discussion about the poems. Ask students: How do the authors show that the wind is present? (trembling leaves, bowed trees, flying kites, strong and cold feeling) Do we need to feel the wind or observe its effects to know it is there? How does the author feel about the wind? (it’s mysterious, frightening, powerful)

5. ​​Display landscape paintings by various artists that include representations of the wind:

by Vincent van Gogh

by Hokusai

by Mary Ann Carroll

by Loomis Dean

by Wong Kar-wai

by Aimé Civiale

by Harold Newton

6. Discuss the paintings with students. Ask: How can you ‘see’ the wind in the paintings? (movement in the wheat fields, clouds, water, sails, etc.) How did the painter achieve the feeling of wind in the painting? (swirling the paint, thick brushstrokes, strong colors, wavy lines) What would it feel like to be inside the painting?

Build

1. Share the . Explain to students that since you can’t see the wind itself, scientists describe it by measuring wind speed and observing its effects. Show the to students. Discuss each of the ratings (Forces 0-12) and view sea images to illustrate them. 

2. Allow students to add to the “Wind” map created earlier in the lesson. Ask students: What do you know about wind and the Beaufort Scale?

3. Show students an or play the video Tell students that scientists have developed many ways to measure the wind. One way is an anemometer, which can measure wind speed and direction. Play the video (pausing to clarify vocabulary and concepts) and ask the students how they think the anemometer would respond to different Beaufort Scale ratings. For example, the anemometer might turn very quickly and be whipped back and forth during a Force 10 wind.

4. Revisit the “Wind” map again. Ask students: What do you know about wind and an anemometer?

5. Build an anemometer. Follow the instructions in the video. Have a follow-up discussion with students about how the anemometer was constructed and what materials they will need. 

6. Distribute materials to students. Allow time for students to work independently or in small groups to construct their anemometers. Model for students how to test the product by blowing into the cups or taking the anemometers outside on a windy day. 

Apply

1. Choose an arts integrated activity to demonstrate what you’ve learned about wind. Students will apply what they’ve learned about wind to pantomime or paint a scene showing a certain wind speed from the Beaufort Scale.

Option 1: Pantomime the wind. Distribute the . Explain that pantomime is acting without talking and then tell students that they will pretend to be trees and act out what the trees would look like based on the Beaufort Scale rating they are assigned. Reference the Teaching Artists Present 1-2-3 Pantomime with Jamie Hipp video for details on how to pantomime. 

Option 2: Create blow paintings. Tell students they will create wind paintings using their own breath. Demonstrate and provide verbal instructions for the below steps: Hand out paper and straws and place two blobs of paint in the center of the paper. Blow through a straw to move the paint around the paper. Vary the strength of the breath and the direction of movement to create different effects. Optional: If time allows, students may use a paintbrush to add scenery, which reflects the effects of the wind, to their painting. For example, if a student adds a tall field of grass, the grass might be bent to show movement by the wind.

2. Perform or display the work of students. After students are done rehearsing or painting, create a performance space or art gallery. Ask students to observe the paintings and see if they can assign a Beaufort Scale rating to wind in the painting. Discuss with the class how changing the strength of the movement or breath affected their work. 

Reflect 

1. Journal about wind activities. Have students respond to the pantomime and painting activities with a written reflection: Describe the strength and movement of the wind and what tools are used to categorize the speed.