STEM Education Series
Hand Crank Generator
Make electricity with nothing but muscle power! This wooden generator turns every crank of the handle into light. Inside, a set of gears spins a motor fast enough to generate electricity, and the LED glows brighter the faster it turns. Stop cranking, and the light goes dark. No batteries are needed, just a steady hand and a bit of energy, making it a hands-on way to see how power plants produce the electricity used every day.
Hand Crank Generator
The Big Idea
Generators turn motion into electrical energy.
- Ages
- 10+Adult supervision required.
- Renewable Energy
- Circuitry
- Mechanical Design
- Engineering
Safety
- Contains small parts. Not suitable for children under 3.
- Adult supervision required.
What’s in the Kit
- All materials to build one Hand Crank Generator
- Full color, step-by-step instructions
What you add
Nothing. Every material needed to build and run the Hand Crank Generator comes in the kit.
Real-world connection
Where Does Electricity Come From?
Most of the electricity that powers homes and schools comes from generators. Whether a power plant runs on wind, flowing water, or steam, the idea is the same. Magnets and coils of wire move past each other, and that motion creates an electric current. This process is called electromagnetic induction. Each turn of the crank puts that process to work, as the gears spin the motor and the motion becomes enough electricity to light an LED.
For classrooms
The Hand Crank Generator is a great fit for classrooms, after-school programs, and camps. Each kit builds one generator and arrives individually packaged with all materials and instructions included.
Purchasing for your school or program? Request a quote.