Ditch Water Wheel
A small paddle wheel that spins in a stream, hose runoff or a bucket pour.
STUFF YOU'LL NEED
- • 2 plastic lids (same size)
- • 8 plastic spoons or cut bottle scoops
- • 1 wooden dowel
- • 2 forked sticks or a scrap wood frame
- • Waterproof tape
TOOLS
- • Scissors
- • Hot glue (adult)
- • A bucket of water
SAFETY
- ⚠ Never build alone at moving water. Bring an adult.
- ⚠ Stay out of irrigation ditches unless an adult says it's safe.
HOW IT WORKS
Water pushes the paddles. The paddles push the axle. Now you have rotation you didn't have to make yourself.
This is a turbine. Every hydroelectric dam on earth is this idea, scaled up and made of steel.
BUILD STEPS
- 1
Mark the centers
Find and mark the exact center of both plastic lids.
HINT: Trace the lid on paper, fold the circle twice — that crossing is the center.
- 2
Glue the paddles
Glue 8 spoons evenly between the two lids, all scoops facing the same way.
WATCH OUT: Hot glue is hot. Adult job.
- 3
Add the axle
Push the dowel through both center marks. It should stick out on both sides.
- 4
Build the stand
Set the axle ends into two forked sticks or a scrap wood frame.
- 5
TEST
Pour water onto the top paddles and watch it go.
TEST: Time 10 seconds. Count the spins. Write the number down.
IF IT ISN'T WORKING
- It won't spin
- Paddles are facing the wrong way. All scoops must face the same direction.
- It wobbles
- The dowel isn't centered. Re-mark the center of each lid.
EXPERIMENT WITH IT
- • Add more paddles. Faster or slower?
- • Tie a string and a paperclip to the axle and lift something. That's work.
NOW INVENT SOMETHING.
What would YOU change?
