Click on the yellow dots to reveal the place names.
Hi, I'm Vaila. I live in Weisdale,
Shetland with my mum
and my dog, Finn.
Haroldswick
Baltasound
Uyeasound
Gutcher
Ulsta
Toft
Brae
Vidlin
Symbister
Aith
Walls
Scalloway
Lerwick
Sumburgh
Next
Click on certain items in the picture to reveal what Vaila’s hobbies are.
Can you guess what my
hobbies are from the
items in my room?
Vaila loves to read. Her favourite books are all about science and wildlife.
Vaila likes to go for walks and jump in puddles.
Vaila loves to draw animals, especially otters.
Vaila uses her telescope to look at the stars.
Vaila likes listening to music.
Back
Next
Valia loves walking her dog Finn with her mum. Finn enjoys catching his frisbee. Vaila and her mum like to look out for wildlife. Click on wildlife that Vaila and her mum have spotted.
The otter is known as Draatsi in the Shetland dialect.
The Large White is Shetland’s only resident butterfly.
The grey seal is larger than the common seal.
The ‘Tammy Nories’ flap their wings 400 times a minute.
Back
Next
Shetland can be a very windy place to live. Vaila likes how the wind makes things move. Mum sometimes worries about staying safe when the wind blows fiercely. Click on items in the picture that are affected by the wind.
Ready, Finn?
Vaila throws Finn’s frisbee. It is caught by a huge gust of wind. WHOOOSH!. Click the frisbee.
Wow, the force of the
wind made the frisbee fly!
Hello there!
Vaila and her mum see a woman wearing a hard yellow hat. They say hello. The woman's name is Shona and she is a wind turbine engineer. Click on each wind turbine to get more information.
I’m checking that the wind
turbines are working and
making electricity.
What are
you doing?
Wind power is a renewable source of energy, which means that it will not run out.
A wind farm is a group of wind turbines in the same area.
As one of the windiest countries in Europe, wind turbines are perfect for our climate.
Back
Next
They watch the wind turn the blades round and round. How can they make electricity? Shona shows them on her tablet. Click on the tablet to answer a question from Shona.
Come and
have a look
How do
they work?
Question Time
- Have you seen a wind turbine before?
- How do you think a wind turbine works?
Next
Back
Next
Shona holds out her tablet for Vaila and her mum to see. Click on each part of the turbine to find out its name and what it does.
The blades are connected to a rotor.
The wind turns the blades.
The gear box changes the speed of the blades from slow to fast.
When the wind blows the blades spin, they turn the shaft slowly.
The nacelle houses all the different parts.
The turning shaft gives power to a machine called a generator. The generator makes electricity.
Wind turbines are tall towers topped with blades.
When the wind blows the blades spin, they turn the shaft quickly.
Back
Next
Shona asks Vaila to help her name all of the different parts of the wind turbine. Click on each part of the turbine to reveal its name.
Yes! Let me try.
I must check that each
part is working. Can you
name all the parts Vaila?
Rotor
Blades
Gearbox
Low-speed shaft
Nacelle
Generator
Tower
High-speed shaft
Back
Next
Shona asks Vaila to help her describe what the different parts of the wind turbine do. Drag the correct definition to the right part name.
Do you think you can tell me what
each part does? Have a look at the
engineer's manual to help.
Yes! I can match
up what each
part does!
Definition
This is made to hold the rotor blades off the ground for the best wind speed.
These catch the wind and turn the rotor.
This connects the blades to the workings of the turbine.
This connects the rotor to the gear box.
This is connected to the gear box and drives the generator.
This changes the speed of the blades so they are fast enough to make electricity.
This converts mechanical energy into electricity.
This houses all the workings for the turbine.
Back
Next
Vaila has another question about turbines. Click on the tablet to call Asim the meteorologist.
Let’s call Asim, he is a
meteorologist. He helps
us find the best places to
put our wind turbines.
Where is the best
place to put a
wind turbine?
Hello
An anemometer measures the wind speed in different places. The stronger and faster the wind, the more electricity the turbine makes. This is one of the ways that they decide where to put the wind turbines. Click markers to find out the wind speed.
Hi Asim!
Hi Vaila, we are looking
at the best place to build
our next windfarm.
Would you like to help?
16
km/h
40
km/h
25
km/h
10
km/h
Back
Next
After Valia says goodbye to Asim, Shona shows Vaila another picture. Click on items to show the direction the electricity travels in.
We do that with cables,
like the ones you have at
home but much bigger.
How do we get the
electricity to my house?
Vaila's mum thinks of something. Click on each part of the house to see some items that use electricity.
Can you think of any
items at home that use
electricity, Vaila?
Let me think…
Hair dryer, lamp
Computer
Shower
Kettle, fridge, microwave
TV
Back
Next
Vaila is excited to share all the new facts she has learned with her friends. Click on the rooms to see how we can save energy.
Wind turbines are a good
source of clean energy.
But we still have to try
and save energy if we can.
Insulating your house helps to keep the heat in.
Remember to turn off any lights when you leave the room.
Taking a quick shower uses less energy than having a long bath.
Washing clothes at lower temperatures uses less energy.
Switch off your TV and other appliances when not in use.
Back
Next
Vaila and her mum thank Shona for telling them all about the wind turbines. Click on the name of the inventor.
Wind power is so cool! I
wonder who invented
wind turbines?
See if you can find out
more about a man
called James Blyth.
On their way home, Vaila and her mum visit the library to find out more about James Blyth. Click on the books to find out more.
James Blyth was born in Scotland in 1839.
In 1887 James Blyth built a wind turbine to power the lighting at his summer home in Marykirk, Scotland.
James Blyth offered to let the village use the turbine to power their streetlights but the villagers said no as they feared the mysterious power of ‘electricity’.
Back
Next
Vaila finds another book about different jobs she could do one day. Click on the images to find out more.
Climate scientist
Electrician
Marine biologist
Web designer
Mechanic
Astronomer
Back
Next
At bedtime Valia turns off all the electrical things in her room to save energy. She falls fast asleep, dreaming of her windy day's adventure. Click on Vaila to see what she is dreaming about.
