How to Build Wind Direction Arrows
Wind direction arrows are commonly known as weather vanes or wind vanes and allow us to tell the direction in which wind is blowing. Wind direction arrows are typically set on high places like roofs on houses and barns. Because the direction that a wind is coming from usually gives an indication of what weather the wind is bringing, wind direction arrows can be a way of easily forecasting weather conditions and was probably one of the first weather instruments used by humans.
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Things You'll Need
- Manila folder
- Scissors
- Glue
- Push pin
- Pencil, eraser unused
- Plastic straw
- Paper plate
- Modeling clay
- Black marker
- Compass
Instructions
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1
Cut the manila folder into an arrowhead measuring 5cm long and an arrow tail measuring 7cm in length.
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2
Cut the ends of the straw making a 1cm slot through which to slide the arrowhead and tail.
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3
Fix the arrowhead and tail securely in the straw with a dab of glue. Wait for this to dry.
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4
Push the push pin through the mid-balance point of the straw and into the eraser of the pencil, making sure the straw can freely rotate around this point.
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5
Fashion a base for the wind direction arrow from the modeling clay and set the sharp end of the pencil securely in the clay.
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6
Divide the paper plate into four points equidistant from one another and mark the points as North, South, East and West.
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7
Attach the model clay base to the center of the paper plate. Use the compass to determine where north is and align the north on the paper plate accordingly before testing which direction the wind is coming from.
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1
Tips & Warnings
The wind direction arrows need to be set in a high place in order to catch an uninterrupted breeze.
If there is a very strong wind, a more sturdy model of weather vane would be recommended.
