Indiana Wesleyan University

Elementary Education Lesson Plan

CAEP 2018 K-6 Elementary Teacher Preparation Standards
By Jillian Findlay

UNIT BIG IDEA: Stories Have Power

LESSON RATIONALE: In this lesson, the power of stories and the power of science combine
and ask students to think critically and use their inquiry to answer a driving question. This lesson
is important for my 5th graders because it has a greater purpose. By sharing the story of William
Kamkwamba, a Malawian innovator and engineer, the students may be inspired to solve other
real-world problems using their own innovations as they design windmills in this inquiry-based
exploration.

READINESS
I. Goals/Objectives/Standard(s)
A. Goal(s): Students will participate in an inquiry-based investigation of designing and
using materials to engineer and test a prototype of a windmill.
B. Objective(s):
a. Through planning and engineering a prototype, students will be able to determine
and answer the driving question, “How can you create a windmill that can move
when it comes in contact with wind?”
b. Students will be able to collaborate in groups to design and construct a prototype,
analyzing and redesigning their prototype as necessary.
C. Standard(s): 3-5.E.3: Construct and perform fair investigations in which variables are
controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype
that can be improved.
II. Management Plan:
A. Materials:
● Book: “The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind” by William Kamkwamba
● “William and the Windmill” video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzlgyDAMupw
● Windmill Challenge packet
● Straws
● Craft sticks
● Foam cups
● Styrofoam cups
● Rulers
● Tape
● Paperclips
 ● Rubber bands
● Index cards
● Electric fan
● Items to inspire student creativity
B. Time: approx. 60 minutes
1. Anticipatory set: 8 minutes
2. Mini lesson: 12-15 minutes
3. Independent/ group work time: 25 minutes
4. Closure: 5 minutes
C. Space:
1. Anticipatory set & mini lesson: Students will be on the carpet at the front
of the classroom.
2. Independent/ group work time: Students will be spread across the room
working in their small groups.
3. Closure: Students will be back in their assigned seats.
D. Behavior:
1. Listening: Students are expected to be engaged in all activities, listening
with their ears and eyes, keeping their hands to themselves, and sitting
nicely.
2. Using Materials: Students will be expected use materials such as scissors
and straws correctly and responsibly.
3. Volume Level: Students are expected to engage in conversation without
interrupting others as to keep the volume down during whole group
discussions/ activities. During independent/group work, students may talk
at an appropriate volume with their engineering groups.
4. Based on behavior, students will be given the opportunity to clip up on
the behavior chart, earning “owl bucks.” For misbehavior, students will be
told discretely to move their clip down on the clip chart.
E. Technology: Students will be allowed to use their laptops to research windmill
examples.

III. Anticipatory Set:

● Gather the students to the carpet at the back of the classroom.
● Have you ever imagined what life would be like if we didn’t have electricity? Have Mrs.
VanPatten turn off the lights. What would your life be like? How would it be different?
Allow for student response. Well today we are going to read this book...wait..I can’t see
to read the book! Mrs. VanPatten, would you mind turning the lights back on? Thanks!
Whew! I am so thankful we have electricity! Aren’t you? Well, as I was saying, I am
going to read this book to you, “The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind” by William
 Kamkwamba. As I read, I want you to pay close attention to how William took a problem
his village was facing, and did something powerful to fix it!
● Read book aloud to students.
● Wow! What a story! What do you all think of it? What was your favorite part or detail?
● Other questions for discussion/ grand conversation: What did electricity and the creation
of the windmill mean for William, his family, and his village? What might his
accomplishment mean for the world? What do you think motivates people like William to
attempt the unthinkable? How would you describe him to someone who's never heard of
his achievement?
● Well, we are going to learn a little bit more about William in just a bit and you are even
going to be able to design your own windmills and test them out!

IV. Purpose: Today we are going to learn more about the engineering of windmills. This is
important to learn the art of engineering because with practice, someday you could become an
innovator and solve real-world problems much like William.

PLAN FOR INSTRUCTION

V. Adaptation to Individual Differences and Diverse Learners:
A. Remediation:
1. The groupings of students will be very intentional as to accommodate for
students who struggle with reading and written communication. These
students will be will be in groups with students who are stronger in those
areas. These students will still be able to engage in meaningful
investigation and the engineering activity without the pressure of reading
the directions independently or writing the corresponding packet
questions.
2. Show students who are struggling a video and/or different pictures of
windmills. This will give them the background knowledge they need to
better understand how windmills work.
B. Enrichment: Have students who need an extra challenge to create a freestanding
windmill.

VI. Lesson Presentation (Input/Output)

Mini Lesson/ Guided Practice (whole group):
● Now, we are going to watch a short video that shares a little bit more about William’s
story. As we watch, I want you to pay close attention to how William designed his
windmills. Play “William and the Windmill” video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzlgyDAMupw
● Now that we know a lot about William’s windmills, who can tell me what a windmill is or
what they know about how windmills work? Allow a few students to share. Yes! A
 windmill is a machine with sails that is powered by the wind. As we saw in the book and
video, windmills have been used to create energy such as electricity, and even grind up
food!
● Well today you are going to be working in groups to complete today’s challenge. Show
students the Windmill Challenge Packet. If you look at the front page, you can see our
driving question which reads, “How can you create a windmill that can move when it
comes in contact with wind?” And it will be our goal today to answer this question! Let’s
flip to the next page and read the problem statement together, “You have just learned
about the story of William Kamkwamba and you are an inspired engineer trying to make
a more efficient way to provide electricity for William’s village. Your windmill design has
the potential to make the cost of electricity less expensive for William’s friends and
family. After learning about William and his accomplishments, you found out that
windmills help provide a great source of energy. Your job is to build a windmill that can
generate energy and can move when it comes into contact with wind!”
● Now, lets flip over to the next page and go over the directions. Here you can see the list
of materials that will be available for your groups to use to construct the windmills. But
look carefully at the specifications: You must create a windmill that can move on its’
own, but it does not have to be free standing. This means, the blades of the windmill must
be able to turn by the wind, and its okay if your windmill must be held in order for it to
work.
● So in just a minute, we are going to head back to our seats and spend a few minutes
brainstorming individually and then you are going to wait for further instructions so that
you can gather with your group members and start building!

Independent/ Group Work:

● Instruct students to look at the individual design page in their packets, and sketch out a
windmill design there. Give them 2-3 minutes to complete their sketches.
● Arrange/ assign the class into small groups of 3-4.
● Encourage students to take 5 minutes and discuss a plan for their group windmill
prototype. They should draw inspirations from one or more individual designs.
● Give each group 20 minutes to create their windmills.
● Once they’ve finished, groups will use an electric fan to test their windmills.
● Students will then answer (as a group or independently) the reflection questions at the
end of the packet. If students have time, they can sketch a redesign of their windmills.

VII. Check for understanding:

● During the mini lesson I will ask questions depending on the content or student actions.
● I will listen to students’ responses, both verbal and nonverbal to determine if the
student(s) are understanding the task at hand.
● I will observe students planning, constructing and testing their windmills.
 VIII. Review learning outcomes / Closure: Direct students back to their seats. Ask students
to reflect with their group on the following questions: Were you successful in this challenge?
Why or why not? What was the most difficult part of this challenge? If you were to do this again,
what would you change?

PLAN FOR ASSESSMENT

● Formative:
○ Asking questions during the mini lesson; observing students design and build
their windmills; closing questions.
● Summative:
○ Collecting students’ windmill packets, assessing their level of understanding and
reflection.

REFLECTION AND POST-LESSON ANALYSIS

1. How many students achieved the lesson objective(s)? For those who did not, why not?
2. What were my strengths and weaknesses?
3. How should I alter this lesson?
4. How would I pace it differently?
5. Were all students actively participating? If not, why not?
6. What adjustments did I make to reach varied learning styles and ability levels?
7. Were the students able to answer the driving question, even if their windmill did not succeed?
8. Was each student able to reflect on their experiences (in their packet or orally) by the end of
the lesson?

REFLECTION QUESTIONS ANSWERED BELOW

 Windmill Engineering Challenge

Driving Question: How can you create a windmill that can move
when it comes in contact with wind?

Group Members:
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________

Problem Statement
You have just learned about the story of William Kamkwamba and you are an
inspired engineer trying to make a more efficient way to provide electricity for
William’s village. Your windmill design has the potential to make the cost of
electricity less expensive for William’s friends and family. After learning about
William and his accomplishments, you found out that windmills help provide a
great source of energy. Your job is to build a windmill that can generate energy
and can move when it comes into contact with wind!

Student Directions
Materials:
● Straws
● Craft sticks
 ● Styrofoam cups
● Styrofoam balls
● Rulers
● Tape
● Paperclips
● Rubber bands
● Index cards

Directions (Specifications): Create a structure that can produce energy. The

structure must move on its’ own, but does not have to be free standing.

Constraints: Must be made out of the materials given. The windmill blades must be
able to move on its own.

Name: __________________

Engineering: Draw and

label your design.
Student Challenge Reflection Sheet
Were you successful in this challenge? Why or why not?

What was the most difficult part of this challenge? Why?

What can you improve next time?

What was the best idea your group came up with during this challenge?
What did you learn about construction and engineering during this challenge?

If you were to do this again, what would you change?

Engineering: Draw and label your redesign.

Windmill Examples
REFLECTION AND POST-LESSON ANALYSIS
1. How many students achieved the lesson objective(s)? For those who did not, why not?
 All students who participated in this lesson achieved the lesson objectives! All three
groups collaborated well to design a windmill that spun when they tested them, answering the
driving question, “How can you create a windmill that can move when it comes in contact with
wind?” While building, students were also using their critical thinking skills as they planned and
redesigned aspects of their windmills when necessary.
2. What were my strengths and weaknesses?
This lesson was a blast! One of my biggest strengths during this lesson were my
“teachable moments.” I have seen my growth in being able to take situations like a student’s
question or struggle and think on my feet to react and respond effectively. This excites me
because I know now that with this skill, I will be able to build on students’ curiosities in order to
plan activities and lessons for the future. Another strength from this lesson was giving my
students the proper materials and enough support for their inquiry and critical thinking to soar. I
was so impressed by how well all three groups collaborated together and shared their ideas. They
were not afraid to fail and the delight on their faces when their windmills worked was priceless!
My weakness of this lesson was my teacher voice. I love grand conversations and simply
having student discussions, hearing their curious thoughts and ideas. However, during my
anticipatory set, my students were being very chatty. They were slightly on topic, but it was no
longer one conversation, but several at once and the noise level was rising. I began to lose my
voice among theirs and struggled to gain back control of their chatter. As I continue to grow as a
teacher, I truly aspire to keep my gentleness and sometimes goofiness, but still have the power to
hush the room and re-focus in on the students’ learning and the topic at hand.
3. How should I alter this lesson?
If I were to alter this lesson I think I would consider my students’ social identities more.
The students had so many different ideas on how to build their windmill, that I am sure they all
could have built their own individual windmills or at least with one partner. So with that in mind,
I would create smaller groups. Another aspect would be my closure. By the end of my lesson, the
students were buzzing with excitement and accomplishment, however, I did not take the
opportunity to fully summarize their learning and bring it back to the initial purpose of the lesson
which was for the students to see themselves as engineers and how they can impact the world
much like William did.
4. How would I pace it differently?
I would not pace this lesson differently
5. Were all students actively participating? If not, why not?
Yes! As for my group, there was one student who was sitting off to the side, disengaging.
I was able to move her the other side of the table where she was given tasks by her other group
members so she could be an active participant and feel empowered as being apart of the group.
6. What adjustments did I make to reach varied learning styles and ability levels?
For the groupings of students, I collaborated with Mrs. VanPatten because we wanted
them to be very intentional as to accommodate for students who struggle with reading and
written communication. Each of the three groups were very diverse in ability levels and had an
appointed scribe for filling out their engineering packet. No matter their ability level, all students
were able to engage in a meaningful investigation and engineering activity without the pressure
of reading the directions independently or writing the corresponding packet questions (besides
scribe). I also provided the group leaders (teachers) with different pictures of homemade
windmill in case students got stuck or needed a better understanding of how windmills work.
7. Were the students able to answer the driving question, even if their windmill did not
succeed?
Yes, because all the groups’ windmills worked successfully!
8. Was each student able to reflect on their experiences (in their packet or orally) by the
end of the lesson?
Yes, all students were able to reflect on at least 3 of the packet questions as a group
discussion, and the appointed scribe wrote down the thoughts from the group members.