How is electricity made?
Electricity is rarely found ready-made in nature; a generator makes it at a power station. Inside a generator are magnets and wires; when the magnets spin, current appears in the wires. A turbine, a giant pinwheel, spins the magnets. The kinds of power station differ by what turns the turbine. In a thermal station coal or gas is burned, water turns to steam and spins the turbine. In a hydroelectric station falling water spins it. In a wind station the wind spins it. Solar panels change sunlight straight into electricity.
Model “Wind pinwheel”: cut a square of paper from the corners towards the centre (not all the way), fold every second tip to the centre and, with an adult’s help, pin it to a pencil eraser. Blow on it and watch it spin: does stronger blowing make it faster? Imagine the pinwheel as a turbine. Safety: only an adult handles the pin and fixes it securely.