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Iqbal and His Ingenious Idea: How a Science Project Helps One Family and the Planet
Last updated Monday, April 4, 2022
Author: Elizabeth Suneby
Illustrator: Rebecca Green
Date of Publication: 2018
ISBN: 1771387203
Grade Level: 3rd (GLCs: Click here for grade level guidelines.)
Date(s) Used: Apr. 2022
Synopsis:
It's monsoon season in Bangladesh, which means Iqbal's mother must cook the family's meals indoors, over an open fire. The smoke from the fire makes breathing difficult for his mother and baby sister, and it's even making them sick. Hearing them coughing at night worries Iqbal.
So when he learns that his school's upcoming science fair has the theme of sustainability, Iqbal comes up with the perfect idea for his entry: he'll design a stove that doesn't produce smoke!
With help from his teacher, Iqbal learns all about solar energy cooking, which uses heat from the sun to cook - ingenious! Has Iqbal found a way to win first prize in the science fair while providing cleaner air and better health for his family at the same time?
The artwork by Rebecca Green, filled with details of everyday life in a Bangladesh village, beautifully evokes a sense of place and culture.
| Note to readers: |
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This book takes place in Bangladesh. You may want to show where that is on a map or globe. Explain a bit about “third-world countries” that aren’t as advanced and suffer from poverty and instability.
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Familiarize yourself with the content by reviewing the “About Clean Cookstoves” info on page 16
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| Discussion topics for before reading: |
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Ask if they know what a science fair is – where students can come up with great ideas to solve problems and win awards.
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Talk about “sustainability” – how to use energy responsibly and help the environment
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Talk about how they prepare meals at home. Do they use an oven? A microwave? Imagine if they had to cook over an open fire. What kind of problems would that cause?
Vocabulary:
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Abba – father
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Amma - mother
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monsoon – a season (May – September) in southeast Asia that can bring extraordinarily heavy nonstop rainfall and strong winds
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sustainability – doing things in a way that saves natural resources and does not damage the environment and living things
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veranda – a large outdoor porch with a roof
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Ramadan – a holy month for Muslims, when many fast (don’t eat) between sunrise and sunset. This year it started the evening of Friday, April 1st and will end in the evening of Sunday, May 1st in the United States
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propane gas – fuel that can be used for cooking (you may have seen it with a bbq or camping stove)
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rain drumming on the tin roof – the sound of heavy rain falling on metal
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gadgets, contraptions – a mechanical device for a new purpose
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solar – from the sun
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Ek, dui, tin… - one, two three …
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erosion – the earth is worn away by water, wind, etc
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turbine – a machine powered by rotating blades
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Eid al-Fitr – Muslim holiday that ends Ramadan, means “festival of the breaking of the fast,” which will occur on the evening of May 1st
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semai – a sweet dish made from noodles, milk, sugar, raisins, nuts and spices
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| Discussion topics for during/after reading: |
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Why is there so much smoke? How is it affecting the family?
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Have you heard of solar power? Have you seen solar panels on roofs?
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Be sure to point out the benefits of the solar cooker on p. 9
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Discuss the other excellent projects: erosion reduction, wind turbine, compost container … how will these help the environment?
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Notice the students in Iqbal’s class are all boys. Most schools in Bangladesh are single-gender.
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| Craft ideas: |
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You can actually make a solar cooker from a pizza box. See page 16
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Use the sun’s power for other fun activities. For instance, put smaller pieces of different crayons in dixie cups, cover with plastic and set on top of foil outside on a hot sunny day. They will melt into multicolored crayons.
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Make a decorative umbrella from a paper plate: Just cut the plate in half to make and decorate the top of the umbrella. Use the other half to cut out a handle. You can hang strings and paper raindrops from the umbrella.
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Check our craft ideas on Pinterest!
https://www.pinterest.com/readingtokids/april-2022the-wonders-of-science-technology//
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Check this website for more suggestions: http://readingtokids.org/ReadingClubs/CraftTips.php
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| Special activities: |
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Talk about other ways they can practice sustainability: less waste, less pollution
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This book talks about traditions and foods of Ramadan. The students can share how they celebrate holidays with special traditions and foods.
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Google-search images of Bangladesh cookstoves to show students real-life examples.
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*Note: These craft ideas are just suggestions.
You can use them, but you don't have to use them.
You can expand upon them, or add your own twist.
Remember, though, that the focus of your time should
not be on the development and execution of a craft;
the focus should be on the read-aloud and the
enjoyment of the book!
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