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One Book, One Seaford

Dear Seaford School Community,

We are excited to kick off our Seaford district wide reading project, One Book, One Seaford! This initiative was designed to encourage a sense of community, while we are united together through the Seaford School District community yet separated in our homes during this time of COVID-19. Our book will be The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, a remarkable true story about human inventiveness and its power to overcome crippling adversity. It will inspire anyone who doubts the power of one individual’s ability to change their community and better their lives.
 
The book is about a boy in Africa who was determined to make life better in his village. William Kamkwamba was born in Malawi, a country where magic ruled, and modern science was mystery. It was also a land withered by drought and hunger. But William had read about windmills, and he dreamed of building one that would bring to his small village a set of luxuries that only 2 percent of Malawians could enjoy: electricity and running water. His neighbors called him misala—crazy—but William refused to let go of his dreams. With a small pile of once-forgotten science textbooks; some scrap metal, tractor parts, and bicycle halves; and an armory of curiosity and determination, he embarked on a daring plan to forge an unlikely contraption and small miracle that would change the lives around him.
 
Every family in the Seaford community will receive a copy of this book. There is a reading calendar included to guide weekly reading installments and provide thoughtful questions. We are asking that you make time to read this book together as a family over the next several weeks and participate in the discussion questions on the calendar. Not only is reading aloud at home valuable because it better prepares your child to be an effective reader, but it is also a fun, worthwhile family activity.
 
We encourage everyone to visit our webpage dedicated to this project to locate additional resources and activities to accompany the book including a TED Talk featuring William KamKwamba himself. With the One Book, One Seaford program, we aim to build a community of readers in the Seaford School District. Everyone – students, staff, and administrators will be participating, and we can all be BlueJays stronger together!
 
Sincerely,
 
Corey Miklus, Ed.D
Superintendent
Seaford School District
 
#DreamChasers
 
Reading Guide
 
 
TED Talk 
William KamKwamba: How I Harnessed the Wind
 

Incredible and inspiring. At the age of 14, William Kamkwamba, with very little education or resources, motivated by poverty and famine, created a windmill to power his family’s home. As he looked at his life, he felt that what he was living was a fate he couldn’t accept. So rather than live the life he was “destined” to live, he decided to change it.

 

Not only is this story about courage, drive and innovation, it will also help kids gain perspective about what others in the world are facing on a daily basis.

He closes with these words of wisdom:

 

“I would like to say something to all the people out there like me, to the Africans, and the poor who are struggling with your dreams. God bless. Maybe one day you will watch this on the Internet. I say to you, trust yourself and believe. Whatever happens, don’t give up.”

 
 
Choice Board for The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind 
 
A choice board is a graphic organizer that allows students to choose different ways to learn about a particular concept or topic.  We prepared a choice board of activities to compliment The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind.  We hope you enjoy doing the activities at home!
 
 
Stem Challenge  - Build a Windmill
 
 
Make a Perseverance Pinwheel