Wind Power Wonders: Learning from William Kamkwamba
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Wind Power Wonders: Learning from William Kamkwamba

Grade 3Social Studies5 days
★★★★★
3.0 (1 rating)
This project, designed for 3rd-grade social studies students, revolves around learning from the story of William Kamkwamba, a young inventor from Malawi who created a windmill using limited resources. Students explore challenges and resourcefulness by engaging in activities such as reading 'The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind', participating in an 'Inventors' Challenge Day', and creating storyboards that recount Kamkwamba's journey. The project aims to teach students about perseverance, innovation, and the impact of education on problem-solving, while linking these concepts to their own community challenges.
William KamkwambaInnovationResourcefulnessEducationCommunity ChallengesPerseverance
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Inquiry Framework

Question Framework

Driving Question

The overarching question that guides the entire project.How can we, like William Kamkwamba, use limited resources to address and solve challenges in our community?

Essential Questions

Supporting questions that break down major concepts.
  • What challenges did William Kamkwamba face and how did he overcome them?
  • How did William Kamkwamba's invention impact his community?
  • What can we learn from William Kamkwamba's story about perseverance and innovation?
  • How does the environment and available resources influence technological advancements?
  • Why is education important in creating opportunities and solutions to problems?

Standards & Learning Goals

Learning Goals

By the end of this project, students will be able to:
  • Identify and recount the story of William Kamkwamba, focusing on key details and the central message.
  • Analyze the traits, motivations, and actions of William Kamkwamba and how they led to his success.
  • Evaluate the impact of William Kamkwamba's invention on his community and the broader implications of his work.
  • Explore how technology and innovation can arise from limited resources and how this applies to local community challenges.
  • Understand the importance of education in fostering innovation and creating solutions to real-world problems.

Common Core Standards

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.2
Primary
Recount stories, including fables, folktales, and myths from diverse cultures; determine the central message, lesson, or moral and explain how it is conveyed through key details in the text.Reason: Students will read and recount the story of William Kamkwamba, identifying key details and determining the central message, lesson, or moral of his experience.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.3
Primary
Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events.Reason: Students will describe William Kamkwamba's traits, motivations, and how his actions contributed to the outcome of his invention and its impact.

C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards

D2.Eco.1.3-5
Secondary
Compare the benefits and costs of individual choices.Reason: Students will consider the choices William Kamkwamba made when faced with limited resources, analyzing the benefits and costs of his decisions.

Next Generation Science Standards

NGSS.3-5-ETS1-1
Supporting
Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.Reason: Students will define the problem that William Kamkwamba solved, considering constraints and resources available, mirroring NGSS design problem identification.

Entry Events

Events that will be used to introduce the project to students

Inventors' Challenge Day

Kick off the project with a challenge where students must come up with inventions using limited resources (e.g., only recycled materials). This mirrors William's resourcefulness and encourages students to think creatively and critically.
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Portfolio Activities

Portfolio Activities

These activities progressively build towards your learning goals, with each submission contributing to the student's final portfolio.
Activity 1

William's Storyteller Hour

Students will read the story of William Kamkwamba or listen to an audio version and recount it using a storyboard, focusing on the central message and key details.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Read the story 'The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind' or listen to its audio version.
2. Identify key events in the story and discuss them as a class.
3. Create a storyboard that outlines these key events, focusing on the central message and details.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA detailed storyboard illustrating the story of William Kamkwamba.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAligns with CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.2 by helping students recount stories and determine the central message.
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Rubric & Reflection

Portfolio Rubric

Grading criteria for assessing the overall project portfolio

William's Storyteller Hour Rubric

Category 1

Story Comprehension and Retelling

This category assesses how well students have understood and retold the story of William Kamkwamba through their storyboards.
Criterion 1

Accuracy of Events

Accuracy and completeness of key events depicted in the storyboard.

Exemplary
4 Points

Storyboard accurately and comprehensively depicts all key events from the story, showcasing a deep understanding of the narrative.

Proficient
3 Points

Storyboard accurately depicts most key events but may miss minor details or have slight inaccuracies.

Developing
2 Points

Storyboard depicts some key events but omits several crucial details or includes inaccuracies.

Beginning
1 Points

Storyboard depicts few or no key events accurately, demonstrating minimal understanding of the narrative.

Criterion 2

Clarity and Sequencing

Clarity and sequencing of events in the storyboard.

Exemplary
4 Points

Events are clearly sequenced and logically connected, effectively conveying the narrative flow.

Proficient
3 Points

Events are mostly sequenced logically, but some transitions may be unclear or slightly disjointed.

Developing
2 Points

Sequencing of events is unclear or confusing, hindering the flow of the narrative.

Beginning
1 Points

Events are presented randomly with no logical sequencing, making it difficult to follow the narrative.

Criterion 3

Central Message/Theme

Representation of the central message/theme in the storyboard.

Exemplary
4 Points

Storyboard effectively conveys the central message/theme of the story through visuals and captions, demonstrating insightful interpretation.

Proficient
3 Points

Storyboard conveys the central message/theme of the story, but the interpretation could be more insightful or impactful.

Developing
2 Points

Storyboard partially conveys the central message/theme, but the representation is unclear or lacks depth.

Beginning
1 Points

Storyboard does not effectively convey the central message/theme of the story.

Criterion 4

Visual Appeal & Creativity

Visual appeal, creativity, and overall presentation of the storyboard.

Exemplary
4 Points

Storyboard is visually engaging, creatively designed, and presented neatly with attention to detail.

Proficient
3 Points

Storyboard is visually appealing and generally well-presented, but some areas could benefit from more creativity or attention to detail.

Developing
2 Points

Storyboard lacks visual appeal, creativity, or neatness, impacting the overall presentation.

Beginning
1 Points

Storyboard is visually unappealing, lacks creativity, and is poorly presented.

Reflection Prompts

End-of-project reflection questions to get students to think about their learning
Question 1

What key lessons did you learn from William Kamkwamba's story that you can apply to your own life?

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Question 2

On a scale of 1 to 5, how well do you think you understand the importance of innovation and resourcefulness in addressing community challenges, as demonstrated in the story of William Kamkwamba?

Scale
Required
Question 3

Which of the following aspects of William Kamkwamba's story inspire you the most?

Multiple choice
Required
Options
His perseverance and determination
The impact of his invention on his community
His ability to work with limited resources
His achievements despite educational challenges
Question 4

How did the 'Inventors' Challenge Day' activity help you understand the concept of using limited resources to create solutions?

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Optional
Question 5

Why do you think education is important in fostering innovation and creating solutions to real-world problems, as observed in William Kamkwamba’s journey?

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Required