Wind Energy in Oklahoma – Teachers Institute for Tulsa

Jana Jimison

Introduction and Rationale

The energy industry is making a shift from primarily using fossil fuels to more sustainable or renewable energy sources. This shift will require an increase in renewable energy production such as solar, wind, hydropower, and geothermal energy. Renewable energy sources are important in the fight against climate change because they are natural, self-replenishing, and usually have a low carbon footprint or produce zero emissions. Climate change is a real threat that students are interested in because climate disasters can have an impact on their daily lives. Wind is the largest source of renewable energy in the United States, providing nearly 10.2 percent of the country’s electricity. That is equivalent to burning 760 million barrels of oil every year.¹

How wind energy works: wind turbines harness wind’s kinetic energy and convert it into electricity. Wind turbines consist of large blades that rotate when the wind blows. This motion drives a generator inside the turbine, which converts the mechanical energy into electrical energy. The electricity generated is then transmitted through power lines to the grid. The positive to this renewable energy is its clean, renewable, and can be used on both land and offshore. The negative to this renewable energy is its intermittent nature, impacts on wildlife (birds and bats), and the noise it produces. Wind energy is one of the most promising and rapidly growing sources of renewable energy.

As a gifted and talented teacher, I teach creative and critical thinking skills and looking at the climate crisis as a real-world problem is a way I can meet curriculum content objectives. For my unit, I want to focus on innovations in wind energy and how wind energy is used in Oklahoma. Wind energy production is the primary renewable resource in the state of Oklahoma. Oklahoma has the third highest wind capacity in the U.S. with a wind capacity of 11,714 megawatts (MW). Wind turbines account for 38% of all of Oklahoma’s electric-generating capacity, compared with 12% for the United States as a whole.²

Demographics

I teach at East Central Middle School in East Tulsa. It is the highest-populated middle school in the Tulsa Public Schools district. Our student body is just under a thousand (981) sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students. The student population represents various ethnicities, which helps create a highly diverse atmosphere. The school’s minority enrollment is 90.5%, representing the following populations, respectively: 59.2% Hispanic/Latino, 13% Black or African American, 9.5% White/Caucasian, 8.1% Two or more races, 4.6% Asian, 4% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 1.7% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. The student-to-teacher ratio is approximately 24:1, and the student population comprises 50% female and 50% male students. East Central Middle School is considered a Title I school, and 89% of students are economically disadvantaged.

My class is an elective for gifted and talented students in the sixth, seventh, and eighth grade. As a gifted and talented educator, I teach students different ways of thinking critically and creatively while analyzing topics across multiple subjects. In class, I use problem-based learning projects to teach course content within the framework of a realistic problem. These projects allow students to learn about a subject by collaborating in small groups to design and create solutions to open-ended problems. In class, I encourage students to look at things from multiple perspectives or points of view. Students learn to apply the critical thinking skills of deduction, analysis, and reasoned judgment while learning course content.

Unit Content

Oklahoma is one of the top states in the U.S. for wind energy production. This unit will help students understand how wind energy is harnessed, why Oklahoma is ideal for wind farms, and how it contributes to sustainable energy solutions. The unit is divided into five sections: 1) Introduction to kinetic energy and velocity (wind speed), 2) Wind turbine design and efficiency, 3) Wind farms, 4) Oklahoma wind power, and 5) Negatives of Wind Energy. Kinetic energy is the energy an object possesses due to its motion. For wind, the air itself is the object in motion, and the velocity of the wind is its speed. The design of a wind turbine is a complex process that involves various engineering considerations to optimize energy captured from wind and convert it into electrical energy. The efficiency of a wind turbine is determined by how effectively it can convert the kinetic energy of the wind into mechanical energy, and finally electrical energy. In natural conditions, wind turbines typically operate at 30% to 40% efficiency on average, depending on location, design, and environmental factors. Some high-performance turbines in optimal conditions may approach 50% efficiency. Wind turbine design and efficiency depend on various factors, including blade shape, wind speed, location, and system components. A wind farm is a group of wind turbines that generate electricity by harnessing the power of the wind collectively. These farms are typically located in areas with strong and consistent winds, such as coastal regions, plains, and offshore areas. Wind farms can range from small, localized setups to large-scale installations that provide significant portions of electricity to national grids. Oklahoma is one of the leading states in the United States when it comes to wind energy production. With its vast open landscapes and strong, consistent winds, Oklahoma is well-suited to harness wind power on a large scale. The state’s significant wind energy capacity has made it a crucial player in the U.S. renewable energy sector.

Wind

Wind is air in motion, created by the uneven heating of the earth by the sun and the earth’s own rotation. The sun heats the air over land quicker than it heats air over the ocean. As air warms it expands, warm air is less dense than cold air and because warm air is less dense it rises. When warm air rises from the surface of the earth, it leaves what’s called low atmospheric pressure. The cooler air from over the ocean, where there’s high atmospheric pressure, rushes in to try and balance pressure. We feel this convection current as wind. The movement of warm air and cool air is what makes the wind blow. Wind ranges from light breezes to natural hazards such as hurricanes and tornadoes and some places have more wind than others. When warm air rises and cool air takes its place, it can create a lot of wind. The windiest areas in the United States are in the Great Plains states, and Texas is the state leader in providing wind power in the United States.³

Wind Turbines

A wind turbine consists of four main parts: the tower, blades, shaft, and generator. The tower holds the blades and enables them to access the wind high up in the sky. When the wind blows, it pushes against the blades of the wind turbines, causing them to spin around. When the blades start to turn, they move at 6 to 9 mph, and the higher the tower, the stronger the wind and the faster the blades can turn. Wind turbine blades can spin as fast as 180 mph in a strong wind. As the blades spin, they cause a giant magnet in the shaft of the turbine to spin. The shaft is a bar that connects one gear to another and transfers power from one gear to another. The spinning magnet is surrounded by copper wire, and that’s what generates electricity.⁴ Wind turbines that generate electricity have changed a lot over time. One of the biggest changes has been the size and design of the blades. Longer blades produce more electricity, but as blades get longer, the tower must get higher. This is called direct relationship, as one increases, the other must also increase. As blades get bigger and towers taller, the cost to generate electricity falls and is called an inverse relationship. Wind turbines come in many different designs, but all of them fall into two categories: horizontal axis of rotation or vertical axis of rotation. A horizontal axis wind turbine is the more traditional design, and it looks like a large propeller. A vertical axis wind turbine is more useful in urban and low-lying areas where the direction of the wind frequently changes. Today, wind-powered generators come in every size, from small turbines for individual homes to large wind farms. These wind farms can power entire cities and even countries. Both large and small turbines are cost effective and create no pollution.⁵

Wind Farms

A wind farm is a group of three or more wind turbines used to produce large amounts of electricity and wind farms can be onshore or offshore farms. Onshore wind farms are placed solidly on dry ground. Offshore wind turbines are anchored directly to the ocean floor or float above the ocean floor. A large wind farm might consist of several hundred individual wind turbines and cover hundreds of square miles. The land between the turbines can still be used for agricultural or other purposes. A wind farm can generate enough electricity to power an entire city. They can connect directly to the smart gris, an electrical network that uses technology to allow renewable energy to be distributed to homes and businesses. The United States has 8 out of 10 of the largest wind farms in the world and there are more than 71,000 individual wind turbines. The Alta Wind Energy Center in California is the largest wind farm in the United States, with the capacity to produce 1,320 megawatts of power. Texas has another five of the largest wind farms in the country.⁶ The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that wind power in the United States could provide enough electricity to meet 30 percent of all the country’s electricity needs by 2050.⁷ Wind power provides environmental benefits such as reduced greenhouse gas emissions, reduced air pollution, and reduced water consumption. Traditional power plants use a lot of water to produce steam needed to generate electricity, but power plants using wind don’t need water. The wind turns the blades of the turbine, not steam. Wind technology provides a local, sustainable, and essentially pollution-free electricity resource.⁸

Oklahoma Wind Power

Oklahoma is one of the leading states in the United States when it comes to wind energy production. The state’s geography, with vast open spaces and consistent winds, makes it an ideal location for wind farms. The wind speeds in these regions are ideal for generating power, and Oklahoma ranks highly among states in terms of wind energy capacity. Oklahoma is the ideal site for wind generation, tower and blade production, turbine component manufacturing, repair and maintenance operations, and industry research and development. Oklahoma is home to one of the largest wind farms in North America, the Traverse Wind Energy Center at 999 megawatts.⁹In 2023, renewable resources made up 45% of Oklahoma’s total in-state electricity generation, up from approximately 19% in 2013. Wind energy was the dominant source, contributing around 94% of the state’s renewable generation, with smaller contributions from hydropower, biomass, and solar energy. By 2023, wind energy accounted for a larger share of Oklahoma’s in-state electricity generation than all but three states: Iowa, South Dakota, and Kansas. As of April 2024, Oklahoma had 12,648 megawatts of wind capacity, representing 92% of its total renewable generating capacity. Several major wind projects, including the 999-megawatt Traverse Wind Project with 356 turbines, came online in 2022 and 2023, with an additional 250 megawatts expected by 2025.¹⁰

Wind energy has created thousands of jobs in Oklahoma, from manufacturing to maintenance and operation of wind turbines. The wind industry also provides a major source of revenue for rural areas through property taxes and land leases. As wind energy production has grown in Oklahoma, there are significant investments in expanding the transmission infrastructure to connect wind farms to the grid and increase the delivery of renewable energy to other states. Oklahoma has policies in place that support the growth of renewable energy, including tax credits and incentives for wind power development. While wind energy is booming in Oklahoma, there are some challenges. One issue is the intermittency of wind. Energy storage or backup systems are needed to ensure a steady supply of electricity when the wind isn’t blowing. Wind power is a significant and growing part of Oklahoma’s energy landscape. It not only provides clean, renewable energy but also supports the state’s economy and job market. With ongoing investments in infrastructure and technology, wind energy will likely continue to play a key role in Oklahoma’s future in energy.¹¹

Negatives of Wind Energy

While wind energy is a renewable and environmentally friendly power source, it does come with some downsides. Wind power is intermittent, meaning it’s not always available. Wind doesn’t blow constantly, so wind farms can’t always produce electricity when it’s needed. Engineers are working to improve energy storage systems, so we don’t always need the wind to blow to benefit from wind energy. Wind turbines need a lot of space to be effective. Large-scale wind farms may require a significant amount of land, potentially impacting wildlife habitats or agricultural land. Some people find wind turbines unsightly, and they can cause noise pollution. The constant whirring of turbine blades can be disruptive, especially in residential areas. Wind turbines can pose a threat to birds and bats, which may collide with the blades. While the risk is relatively low compared to other hazards, it’s still a concern for conservationists. The initial cost of building wind farms and installing turbines can be high. There are also costs associated with maintenance and connecting wind farms to the grid. Manufacturing turbines requires raw materials like steel and rare earth metals, and the blades often can’t be easily recycled, contributing to waste when they reach the end of their lifespan. Large wind farms can alter local weather patterns, especially in places with dense installations. This could have minor effects on local ecosystems, such as changes in local temperature or precipitation. The development of wind power will cause land use changes and modify landscape settings, which will impact the living spaces, biological system and regional earth surface system, including noise pollution, bird and bat fatalities, GHGs and surface climate. Understanding these impacts will enable better mitigation and the creation of more effective renewable energy policies.¹²Despite these negatives, wind energy remains a crucial component of the transition to a cleaner, more sustainable energy future.

Teaching Strategies

The essential question for students is: how can we innovate ways to use the wind to produce energy on earth? Throughout the unit, students will learn how wind turbines capture energy from the wind and convert it into electricity. Students will research the various types of sustainable energy sources and investigate the pros and cons for each method. Students will brainstorm and try to think of innovative ways to use wind or creative ways to use turbines to create energy. Finally, students will design a product that uses wind power technology and present the idea to the class.

Close Reading

Close reading is a strategy that allows students to analyze and interpret text. This strategy can help readers comprehend complex text, gain a deeper understanding of the text, fully understand the author’s message, focus on patterns or details in the text, and analyze text while developing critical thinking skills. To introduce the unit, students will read Chapter 2 “Catching the Wind” in the book Renewable Energy: Power the World with Sustainable Fuel. This book is a great resource for teaching renewable energy and providing hands-on activities. For this unit, we are going to focus on the wind power section. The unit is divided into four sections: 1) Introduction to kinetic energy and velocity (wind speed), 2) Wind turbine design and efficiency, 3) Wind farms, and 4) Oklahoma wind power, and 5) Negatives of Wind Energy.

Data Analysis

Students will use the Environmental Protection Agency website (epa.gov) to research the different types of renewable energy resources. They will compare green power to conventional power and explore the difference in cost and environmental impact. Not all resources have the same benefits and costs and students will explore which are most beneficial. Looking at and analyzing graphs helps develop various skills such as: data interpretation, critical thinking, attention to detail, trend recognition, quantitative literacy, comparative analysis, visualization understanding, pattern recognition, problem solving, contextualization, statistical understanding, and technology proficiency.

Research-based

Research-based teaching strategies include comparing/contrasting, classification, summarizing, notetaking, and testing hypothesis. Students search and use multiple resources, materials, and texts to explore important, relevant, or interesting topics or challenges. This strategy helps build reading skills and vocabulary as well as allowing the student to find, process, organize and evaluate information on their own. In this unit, students will read articles or information from the Environmental Protection Agency website (epa.gov) and research the different types of renewable energy resources. They will compare green power to conventional power and explore the difference in cost and environmental impact. Not all renewable resources have the same benefits and costs. Students will explore which are most beneficial and create a pros and cons list. After completing their research, students will share their findings in a presentation given to the class.

Gallery Walk

A gallery walk aims to create a thought starter or spark a class discussion around a topic. This strategy allows students to be actively engaged and move around the classroom. Students work together in groups, sharing ideas, answering questions, looking at documents or images, and problem-solving situations or texts. Gallery walks help students develop higher-order thinking, debating, writing, analysis, and evaluation skills. In this unit, I will hang up five posters around the classroom with pictures and information on the different types of renewable energy sources. The posters will have information on efficiency, cost analysis, and areas/locations or countries that use these renewable sources. At each station, students will answer the following prompt: do you think this renewable resource is used in Oklahoma and do you think it is an efficient source of energy based on our geography/location? Why or why not?

Brainstorming

Brainstorm is a group activity to discuss ideas or solve problems. This strategy is a technique for students to develop creative problem-solving skills. Students respond to prompts with a list of suggestions or ideas. It is best to generate lots of ideas, including ideas that may seem impossible or unlikely. Brainstorming helps encourage new ways of thinking and creating solutions to problems. This technique helps create an open and innovative learning environment, where students can think freely without judgement. This is usually a group activity but can also be useful for individuals to explore ideas or solutions on their own. For the unit, students will consider the essential question and brainstorm new and interesting ways we can use the wind to produce energy on earth. Ideas may be unique ways to use wind turbines to create electricity or new more efficient wind turbine designs. Students will think of ways wind energy can be used in everyday life or in their home, school, or community. Explore the possibility of urban wind turbines. The brainstorming ideas students come up with can be used later for the Wind Invention: Design Project.

Think-Pair-Share

Think-Pair-Share is a collaborative learning strategy that is useful for coming up with ideas and then discussing or sharing ideas in a small group. This strategy can be used before reading or teaching a concept and is sometimes used to develop fluency. Students respond to a prompt in the form of a question or problem. The first step is to give students time to think and gather their thoughts. Then students are paired up with partners to share their ideas or thoughts with each other. This gives students the opportunity to listen and consider their peers’ perspective or point of view. This technique is a good way for students to practice communicating their thoughts and sharing ideas.

Classroom Activities

Wind Invention: Design Project

After learning about how wind power is a renewable source of electricity. Students will think of ways the wind or wind turbines can be used in everyday life or in their home, school, or community. First students will brainstorm interesting and different ways wind power could be used to power things with electricity. The idea is to come up with a list of as many possibilities they can think of, either individually or as a group. Students will then choose one idea to expand on and create or design a wind power invention. They can create a drawing or sketch on paper, use a digital drawing program, or create a 3D model/prototype of their invention as a final product. Things for students to consider when designing their invention is the location or environmental conditions.

Wind Turbine: Hands-on Project

For this activity, students will design and build a wind turbine and test out different blade designs and test efficiency. Realistic wind turbine kits can be purchased online and should include a tower, blades, shaft, and electric generator. Students can also create their own blade designs out of cardstock or cardboard and test them out. Aerodynamic blades are the key to wind turbine efficiency in generating power from the wind. The efficiency of wind turbine blades depends on the drag, lift, and torque produced by the blade. These factors are affected by variables such as the size and shape of the blades, the number of blades, the number of blades, and the blade pitch. Drag is defined as the force on an object that resists its motion through a fluid. When the fluid is a gas such as air, the force is called aerodynamic drag and resistance. Drag the force that is working against the blades, causing them to slow down, and wind turbine blades are all designed to have as little drag as possible. Changing the pitch or angle of the blades, using fewer blades, using light-weight materials, and optimizing blade shape can all influence the amount of drag. Lift is the aerodynamic force that allows airplanes and helicopters to fly. The same force applies to the blades of the wind turbines as they rotate through the air. Lift opposes the force of drag, helping a turbine blade pass efficiently through the air. To maximize efficiency, wind turbine blades need to be designed to generate as much lift as possible to minimize drag. The amount of lift of a blade generates is dependent on various factors such as: the shape of the blade, the speed of the wind, and the angle of the blade relative to the wind. The airfoil shape of the blade helps generate lift by taking advantage of the Bernoulli Principle. Engineers have experimented with many different airfoil shapes to increase efficiency with various wind speeds. The airfoil profile (shape) is designed for efficiency to optimize lift and minimize drag. The speed of the air passing around the blade is a combination of the real wind and headwind as the blade moves. The faster the blade moves, the more drag or headwind it experiences, but the lift force will also increase as the blades move faster. The faster the air passes over the blade or wing, the more lift can be generated. The angle of the blades also impacts how much lift is generated. On large wind turbines, the blade angle is constantly adjusted to give blades the optimal angle into the wind. The angle of the blade relative to the plane of rotation is known as the pitch angle. The angle of the blade relative to the wind is called the angle of attack. On most airfoil blade shapes, an angle of attack of 10-15 degrees creates the most lift with the least drag. Students will explore variables such as pitch and number of blades with their wind turbine blade designs. Students will conduct experiments to optimize the turbine’s performance by adjusting the angle of the blades and discover how to use the wind turbine to light up an LED or charge a rechargeable battery.¹³

Convert the generator into an electric motor and assemble a small electric car to demonstrate a tangible application for the stored electricity. The shift away from burning fossil fuels for electricity is going to require new innovative ideas and ways to create electricity and store it in the future. I want to challenge my students to think like an inventor and explore new ways to use technology to harness energy from a natural source and convert it into electricity.

Resources

Key Vocabulary for Students

Wind Turbine: A device that converts kinetic energy from wind into mechanical energy, which can then be converted into electrical energy.
Rotor: The rotating part of the wind turbine, consisting of the blades and the hub, that captures wind energy.
Blades: Large, aerodynamic surfaces attached to the rotor that capture the wind’s kinetic energy and cause the rotor to spin.
Hub: The central part of the rotor, where the blades are connected.
Nacelle: The enclosure that houses the mechanical components of the wind turbine, such as the gearbox, generator, and control systems, typically located on top of the tower.
Tower: The vertical structure that supports the nacelle and rotor at a height where wind speeds are more consistent and powerful.
Generator: A device that converts mechanical energy from the rotating rotor into electrical energy through electromagnetic induction.
Gearbox: A mechanical device that adjusts the rotational speed of the rotor before it reaches the generator. It helps convert the low-speed rotation of the rotor into high-speed rotation for the generator.
Yaw System: The system that adjusts the orientation of the wind turbine to face into the wind, ensuring optimal efficiency.
Pitch Control: A mechanism that adjusts the angle of the blades to regulate the turbine’s power output, preventing damage during high winds and maintaining efficiency.
Anemometer: A device that measures wind speed, used in conjunction with the turbine’s control system to optimize performance.
Cut-in Wind Speed: The minimum wind speed required for the turbine to begin generating electricity, typically around 3-4 meters per second (m/s).
Rated Wind Speed: The wind speed at which the turbine generates its maximum rated power.
Cut-out Wind Speed: The maximum wind speed at which the turbine will continue to operate safely. Above this speed, the turbine may shut down to avoid damage, typically around 25 meters per second (m/s).
Power Curve: A graph that shows the relationship between wind speed and the power output of the wind turbine.
Capacity Factor: The ratio of the actual output of a wind turbine over a period of time to its maximum possible output.
Offshore Wind Turbine: A wind turbine located in bodies of water, such as oceans or large lakes, typically designed to capture stronger, more consistent winds.
Onshore Wind Turbine: A wind turbine located on land, commonly used in wind farms.
Wind Farm: A collection of multiple wind turbines in a specific area, used to generate electricity on a larger scale.
Turbine Efficiency: The ratio of the energy output of the turbine to the total energy in the wind, influenced by the design of the turbine and wind conditions.
Betz Limit: The theoretical maximum efficiency of a wind turbine, which is approximately 59.3%. It refers to the maximum amount of kinetic energy that can be converted into mechanical energy from the wind.
Wind Shear: The variation in wind speed at different heights above the ground, which can affect turbine performance.
Blade Tip Speed: The speed at the tip of the wind turbine blades, which is important for minimizing noise and wear on the turbine.
Wind Resource Assessment: The process of analyzing wind patterns in a specific area to determine its suitability for wind energy generation.
Grid Connection: The process of linking a wind turbine or wind farm to the electrical grid, allowing the electricity generated to be distributed for use.

Bibliography

epa.gov. “Renewable Energy Fact Sheet: Wind Turbines.” United States Environmental Protection Agency, August 2013. https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2019-08/documents/wind_turbines_fact_sheet_p100il8k.pdf.

National Earthquake Engineering Simulation Consortium. “Aerodynamics of Wind Turbine Blades.” National Earthquake Engineering Simulation Consortium, October 2019.

Oklahoma Department of Commerce. “Renewable + New Energies.” Accessed April 1, 2025. https://www.okcommerce.gov/doing-business/business-relocation-expansion/industry-sectors/renewable-energy/.

“One of the Largest Wind Farms in the United States Was Completed in Oklahoma Last Spring – U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).” Accessed April 1, 2025. https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=54739.

Pavlowsky, Caroline E., and Travis Gliedt. “Individual and Local Scale Interactions and Adaptations to Wind Energy Development: A Case Study of Oklahoma, USA.” Geography and Sustainability 2, no. 3 (September 1, 2021): 175–81. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geosus.2021.08.003.

Twamley, Erin. Renewable Energy: Power the World with Sustainable Fuel with Hands-On Science Activities for Kids. 1st ed. Ashland: Nomad Press, 2024.

“U.S. Energy Information Administration – EIA – Independent Statistics and Analysis.” Accessed April 1, 2025. https://www.eia.gov/state/analysis.php?sid=OK.

Wang, Shifeng, and Sicong Wang. “Impacts of Wind Energy on Environment: A Review.” Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 49 (September 1, 2015): 437–43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2015.04.137.

Appendix on Implementing District Standards

NAGC Standards: Evidence-Based Practices

3.1.3. Educators adapt, modify, or replace the core or standard curriculum to meet the interest, strengths, and needs of students with gifts and talents and those with special needs such as twice exceptional, highly gifted, and English language learners.
3.1.4. Educators design differentiated curriculum that incorporates advanced, conceptually challenging, in-depth, and complex content for students with gifts and talents.
3.4.2. Educators provide opportunities for students with gifts and talents to explore, develop, or research in existing domain(s) of talent and/or in new areas of interest.
3.4.3. Educators use models of inquiry to engage students in critical thinking, creative thinking, and problem-solving strategies, particularly in their domain(s) of talent, both to reveal and address the needs of students with gifts and talents.

Oklahoma Academic Standards (Science)

Standard 1: Develop a model that predicts and describes changes in particle motion, temperature, and state of a pure substance when thermal energy is added or removed.
Standard 2: Ask questions about data to determine the factors that affect the strength of electric and magnetic forces.
Standard 3: Conduct an investigation and evaluate the experimental design to provide evidence that fields exist between objects exerting forces on each other even though the objects are not in contact.
Standard 4: Develop a model to describe that when the arrangement of objects interacting at a distance changes, different amounts of potential energy are stored in the system.
Standard 5: Apply scientific principles to design, construct, and test a device that either minimizes or maximizes thermal energy transfer.
Standard 6: Plan an investigation to determine the relationships among the energy transferred, the type of matter, the mass, and the change in the average kinetic energy of the particles as measured by the temperature of the sample.
Standard 7: Construct, use, and present arguments to support the claim that when the kinetic energy of an object changes, energy is transferred to or from the object.
Standard 8: Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for the role of photosynthesis in the cycling of matter and flow of energy into and out of organisms.

Oklahoma Academic Standards (English Language Arts)

Standard 1: Speaking and Listening- Students will speak and listen effectively in a variety of situations including, but not limited to, responses to reading and writing.
Standard 3: Critical Reading and Writing- Students will apply critical thinking skills to reading and writing.
Standard 4: Vocabulary- Students will expand their working vocabulary to effectively communicate and understand texts.
Standard 7: Multimodal Literacies- Students will acquire, refine, and share knowledge through a variety of written, oral, visual, digital, on-verbal, and interactive texts.
Standard 8: Independent Reading and Writing- Students will read and write for a variety of purposes including, but not limited to, academic and personal, for extended periods of time.

Notes

¹(Twamley, Renewable Energy.)

²(“One of the Largest Wind Farms in the United States Was Completed in Oklahoma Last Spring – U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).”)

³(Twamley, Renewable Energy.)

⁴(Twamley, Renewable Energy.)

⁵(Twamley, Renewable Energy.)

⁶(Twamley, Renewable Energy.)

⁷(“U.S. Energy Information Administration – EIA – Independent Statistics and Analysis.”)

⁸(Twamley, Renewable Energy.)

⁹(“Renewable + New Energies.”)

¹⁰(“Renewable Energy Fact Sheet: Wind Turbines.”)

¹¹(Pavlowsky and Gliedt, “Individual and Local Scale Interactions and Adaptations to Wind Energy Development.”)

¹²(Wang and Wang, “Impacts of Wind Energy on Environment.”)

¹³(“Aerodynamics of Wind Turbine Blades”.)