The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind

William KamkwambaNonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2009

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

Download PDF

Introduction

Before Reading

Reading Context

During Reading

Reading Questions & Paired Texts

Answer Key

After Reading

Discussion/Analysis Prompt

Activities

Essay Questions

Exam Questions

Exam Answer Key

Introduction

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

Genre: Nonfiction; memoir
Originally Published: 2009
Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 850L; grades 9-12
Structure/Length: Prologue, 15 chapters, and epilogue; approx. 290 pages; approx. 10 hours, 4 minutes on audio
Central Concern: The author reveals in his memoir the struggles he faced against superstition, drought, famine, and corruption in his attempt to construct a windmill for his Malawi village.
Potential Sensitivity Issues: Famine; poverty

William Kamkwamba, Author

Bio: Born in Dowa, Malawi in 1987; along with his parents and six sisters, grew up on the farm of extended family members; forced to stop attending school due to famine conditions and an inability to pay school fees; pursued the study of science independently and constructed a windmill for the farm to provide electricity to his family; completed other projects such as clean water initiatives and a village irrigation system; graduated from Dartmouth with a degree in Environmental Studies; has become a presenter, writer, playwright, TED Fellow, Global Fellow with IDEO.org, and innovator
Other Works: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, Young Readers Edition (2016)
Awards: Alex Award from the American Library Association (2010)

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Unit: