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Energy - Windmills










In a graduate class that I am taking about teaching physical science to children we have to present a lesson plan to our peers. Yesterday one of my classmates (thank you Marianne Blake!) presented a lesson on energy conversion. She shared the book The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind and the YouTube video I have embedded.

She had also presented another video about William Kamkwamba fom Amazon (6 minutes long) - HERE.

She teaches in school with a very high poverty rate and felt her kids would be able to relate to the true life story and tie into what they are learning about energy transformation.

The story is very touching and both videos and the book could easily be incorporated into a science lesson (or in an integrated ELA lesson) . I have another friend who has children build windmills with her fourth grade class and I'm going to be passing on these resources for her to use in preparation of that lesson (Mrs. Parker this is for you!).

I have also included another book that I found in our school library about a Danish island of Samso whose residents worked together for energy independence.

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Comments

Mrs. Kennedy said…
This story is available online through wegivebooks.org. Its a great resource that I use in my class. You could read the story on individual computers or together on the smartboard. Christine
October 21, 2012 at 7:37 PM
The OTHER end of the Reading Rope said…
Very inspirational! Our school is a high poverty school as well as a STEM school. I can't wait to share this with my team mates. Do you have any sources you recommend for building windmills with students?
October 21, 2012 at 7:40 PM
Eddie said…
Oh that was wonderful! Thanks for sharing.
October 22, 2012 at 7:00 AM
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