This is a book review of The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind. This is an example of a book that would be good to use during book clubs or a whole classroom group study.
Science in general has always been a fascination of mine, this may have stemmed from my childhood in rural America living on a ranch. However, I have used science as a catalyst over the years to teach literacy. I have yet to find a student who is not curious about something within science. When I was looking for a book about STEM education the book, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer, jumped off the shelf at me. The title screams STEM education. STEM Education is learning about subjects within the disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. STEM education is taught through an integrated approach; one that offers hands-on and relevant learning experiences. The book is non-fiction and suggested for ages 10 and up or about Grade 5.
The book is about a boy, William Kamkwamba and how his creativity brought life-long changes for the small nation of Malawi, Africa. The book, written in first person, recalls how his family adjusted their lifestyle to survive during a famine. William describes the setting and culture of Malawi. He also describes the effects on humanity during a famine. He discusses how he recognized the need to develop ways to overcome the lack of rain that caused the famine. William describes how he used exploration to develop a contraption to collect and reissue electricity. He also describes the resources and individuals that helped him to obtain his goal of providing water year-round.
