Mill

High school (ages 12+)
Making & Design

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/mill

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the primary function?Mechanical processing of materials through crushing, grinding, or shaping
2. What is the historical power sources?Wind, water, and animal power
3. How did windmills and watermills work?Windmills use wind to spin sails that turn a wheel, while watermills use flowing water to turn a waterwheel. Both give power to grind grain or run other machines.
4. Why were mills important for people in the past?Mills made food and other goods faster, so more people could live in towns. They also helped start early factories like sawmills and paper mills.

Mechanical Processing: The use of physical force or machinery to alter the form or state of materials.
Kinetic Energy: The energy possessed by an object due to its motion, harnessed by waterwheels and windmills.
Industrial Revolution: A period of profound technological, socioeconomic, and cultural change, heavily influenced by advancements in milling and power generation.
Millstones: Large, precisely shaped stones used in traditional mills for grinding grains and other materials.