Hydroelectricity in North Cascades National Park: Water Wheel Engineering Project

Engage your middle and high school students with this comprehensive digital hydroelectricity project inspired by North Cascades National Park. This resource includes a research activity, step-by-step project guides, and a real-world STEM engineering design application. Students will learn about renewable energy while building and experimenting with their own waterwheel model. Perfect for classroom and homeschool environments.

North Cascades National Park is located in the northeast corner of Washington state and it is known for its dramatic mountain landscapes as well as the Skagit River, which has a significant story to tell about how we have used the river's energy to generate electricity for the city of Seattle through the Skagit River Hydroelectric Project.

Bring renewable energy to life in your classroom with this hands-on water wheel design challenge—a highly engaging engineering activity where students design, build, test, and refine their own model hydro-turbines. Rooted in real-world energy systems in North Cascades, this activity gives students a tangible way to understand how kinetic energy from moving water is converted into electrical energy, and why turbine design matters for efficiency and sustainability.

In this activity, students begin with using their devices to research the answers to the provided questions related to the Skagit River Hydroelectric Project in Washington. Then, they will work in a small group to draw out a design of a water wheel. Their design comes to life as they work to build their design.

Afterwards, they will test it using the stipulations provided and they will collect and record data in the provided tables. After evaluating their design, they will redesign their model and retest, comparing their results to the first tests. Finally, they will answer the provided concluding questions to bring everything together from their research questions to their design and tests.

What makes this resource especially teacher-friendly is its flexibility and clarity. It includes clear step-by-step procedures, suggested materials that are inexpensive and easy to source, facilitation tips for guiding students through design iterations, and a simple rubric that emphasizes both the engineering process and student participation. Teachers can implement it in a week or expand it into a multi-week design lab depending on their schedule and depth of focus. It also works well in both science and STEM elective settings.

Most importantly, students genuinely enjoy it. The activity transforms abstract energy concepts into something they can see and measure in real time, which increases engagement and retention. The competitive yet collaborative nature of turbine optimization keeps students invested, while the iterative design process helps them experience authentic scientific thinking. This is the kind of lab that not only meets standards—but becomes a memorable highlight of the unit.

This product includes:

1. Teacher Intro Directions and Materials Needed  

2. Teacher Procedure Directions

3. Teacher Prep Directions

4. Student Packet-Short reading, data tables, research questions, analysis questions, etc.

5. Project Rubric 

6. Student Packet Answers and Suggestions

7. Optional Parent Letters

8. Teacher Tips for Success

9. List of Ideas Materials Students Could Use

To do this activity, students will need:

• Pencil

• Stopwatches for each group

• 1,000mL beaker for each group

• Water source (will need 2,000mL per group)

• Testing stations (areas where students can pour/drain water, such as a sink, large container, or you can go outside)

• Copy of “Hydroelectricity in North Cascades National Park” packet for each student

• If Inside: Potential water clean up materials (mop, towels, etc.)

• Optional: Adhesive materials such as tape or hot glue gun during testing days.

Do you want to teach about the National Parks every week? Check out this National Park-of-the-Week Slides activity to engage students in the parks each week!

Check out my other National Parks resources!

Also, check out my Youtube Channel for FREE informational videos about the national parks along with FREE video guides for your students!

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If you have any questions, feel free to email me at edventureswithmrsd@gmail.com.

Thank you!