Do we have the power to change the world?
People | Place | Problem | Possibilities |
William Kamkwamba
Oxford Citizens |
Malawi, East Africa
Oxford, UK |
A famine meant that Kamkwamba had to drop out of school.
Sustainability of cities |
Invention of a wind turbine to power his home.
The power of human-centred design to solve problems. Ways to make Oxford more sustainable. Learning from other cities. |
Synopsis
The project starts with a narrative built around William Kamkwamba of Malawi, East Africa. Forced to leave school through famine and poverty, Kamkwamba continued his education at his local library. He read a book called, ‘Using Energy,’ and had the courage to use his learning to build a makeshift wind turbine to power his village. Kamkwamba’s story shows us that human-centred design is a powerful way to solve problems. Through the study of geography, we then look at the concept of sustainability and wonder how sustainable our own lives are, how sustainable Oxford is as a city, including where wind turbines have been used to create power, and how it compares to sustainable cities around the world. Through the project we explore the changes we can make in our personal lives, in our school and that Oxford needs to make in order to become a more sustainable city. In art, we study the work of David Hockney and how he uses nature as inspiration.
Knowledge Organiser
Knowledge Organiser_Y3_4_Do We Have The Power To Change The Worldpptx
Trips out/Visitors In
Visits to Oxford and the local area to carry out Geography fieldwork.
Learning Exhibition
Years 3 and 4
Year 5
Year 5 presented amazing TED talks at TEDEbbe2023 on the subject of Sustainability.