SUGGESTED TIME:
20 minutes
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
- Listen to a read aloud to improve understanding of English sentence structure and comprehension
- Ask and answer questions to understand the meaning of a text
- Determine the central message, lesson, or moral of a story and explain how it is conveyed through key details in the text
- Demonstrate comprehension of the word understanding
- Demonstrate understanding of standard English sentence structure and grammar
- Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions
REQUIRED MATERIALS:
VOCABULARY:
- Understanding: I seek knowledge and try to learn the truth. I think about other people’s views that might be different from mine.
ELA COMMON CORE STANDARDS MET
Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words or phrases in a text relevant to a grade 4 topic or subject area.
Describe the overall structure (e.g., chronology, comparison, cause/effect, problem/solution) of events, ideas, concepts, or information in a text or part of a text.
Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.10
By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poetry, in the grades 4-5 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.1.B
Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and carry out assigned roles.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.1.C
Pose and respond to specific questions to clarify or follow up on information, and make comments that contribute to the discussion and link to the remarks of others.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.1.D
Review the key ideas expressed and explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion.
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.4.1.F
Produce complete sentences, recognizing and correcting inappropriate fragments and run-ons.
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.4.2.A
Use correct capitalization.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.4.2.D
Spell grade-appropriate words correctly, consulting references as needed.
Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.4.3.A
Choose words and phrases to convey ideas precisely.
CHARACTER AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL (CSED) NATIONAL STANDARDS MET
Offer examples of caring and compassionate behaviors (at home, in school, in the community)
Provide an example of a friend or role model who demonstrates caring and compassion
Intellectual Character A1
Describe why it is important for learners to be curious
Intellectual Character A2
Understand the skills (being prepared, focused effort, diligent practice, attention to detail, etc.) that enable someone to acquire or polish a skill
Intellectual Character B1
Explain how a particular historical or contemporary person practiced curiosity
Explain why it is important for everyone to serve and contribute to their family, school, community, nation, globally
Describe how a person will likely feel when being bullied or left out of an activity or group
Explain a time when you put yourself in “someone else’s shoes” in order to understand their perspective and point of view
Explain what empathy means (e.g., the ability to sympathetically understand and personally identify with the emotional states, needs and feelings of others)
LESSON PROCEDURE
- Tell students that we will learn about a real person who demonstrated the character strength of understanding.
- Play the video: Official film trailer for The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by Netflix (~2 min)
- Play the video: William and the Windmill by Toronto Star (~3 min)
- Read the book: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer or
- Play the video: Read aloud of The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by Mrs. Monnon’s Class (~5 min)
- Have students write the answers to the worksheet questions.
- Have students share their answers with a partner.
- Invite all students to participate in a class discussion about their answers to the worksheet questions.
EXTENSION ACTIVITIES - SUGGESTIONS
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Watch the film version of The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (2019) – Not Rated, Running time: 1 hour, 53 min
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Ask students about the differences between the book and the film.
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Ask students whether they thought the book or the film told the story more effectively, and ask them to give reasons to support their answer.
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Talk with your students about times that you have seen people demonstrating understanding. You could give examples of family, friends, and/or historical or current public figures.
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Talk with your students about times you have demonstrated understanding, despite hardships.
GRADE 4 UNIT 8 WORKSHEET 2: LEARNING UNDERSTANDING FROM A NONFICTION TEXT
Understanding: I seek knowledge and try to learn the truth. I think about other people’s views that might be different from mine.
ACTIVITY:
- What was the problem that William and his community faced?
- What did William want to understand?
- How did William use his understanding to solve the problem his community faced?
- What is something that you want to understand?
- How can you use your understanding of this thing to help yourself and others?
Prohuman K-12 Curriculum © 2025 by Prohuman Foundation is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.
To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
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