Hurricanes pose a threat to any homeowner, and especially to residents of mobile trailers. These structures usually offer little resistance against hurricane-strength winds, but homeowners always seek new ways to protect property during violent storms. Test the wind resilience of a stockade by constructing a scaled model barrier. Dig post holes and drive posts three feet below ground level. The corners face into the direction from which the most prevalent wind is expected to blow and divide wind force before it reaches the home. Build stockade walls by tightly stacking planks and securing to posts with screws. Fill the yard with styrofoam peanuts to use as wind movement indicators. Direct a shop fan at the model and test the stockade at low and high speeds. Record the results when the simulated wind is directed at right angles to a side and toward a corner of the stockade.
Advanced high school or college students should be assigned to build a tornado machine, while elementary and middle school children observe similar effects in a bagless vacuum with a clear collection bin. Use permanent markers to color-code ten stryrofoam peanuts and add to six cups of identical peanuts. Shake gently to mix colored peanuts in total volume. Place peanuts in a vortex machine or vacuum and turn on power. Track movement of the colored peanuts and discuss the motion trends observe as a class as objects approach the outer walls of a funnel compared to the motion of objects in the center of the tornado.
Observe the process of rain changing to snow or sleet during cold weather and strong wind updrafts with a box fan, large bird cage, styrofoam peanuts with no water-resistant coating and a towel. Lay the box fan flat and rest the edges on two sawhorses or chair backs so the air pull is not impeded. Cover the surface of the fan with styrofoam peanuts. Remove the bottom tray of the bird cage and place it over the peanuts and fan. Saturate the towel in water and spread over the top of the cage. Turn the fan on low and watch the motion of the peanuts. Record how much time passes before the "snow" begins to fall and "stick" to the ground.
Compare the relationship between wind direction and object projection with an oscillating fan and colored styrofoam peanuts. Place the oscillating fan on the floor in front of a low surface, such as a coffee table. Color ten styrofoam peanuts yellow, ten blue and ten red with a marker and number each peanut one through ten. Line the yellow peanuts up in a single row on the left edge of the fan in order, with the first peanut closest to the fan. Place the row of blue peanuts centered directly in front of the fan and the red peanuts on the right edge. Turn on the fan at lowest power and slowest oscillation speed. Record the movement and distance traveled by the peanuts during each oscillation.