One Hen

Inspirational, Revolutionary, Memorable, Empowering, Impressionistic

One Hen by Katie Smith Milway
Illustrated by Eugene Fernandes

Published by Kids Can Press Copyright 2008

2009 Children's Choice Winner 

This true story told by author, Katie Smith Milway, shows readers the power and determination of one small boy, Kojo, who lived in Ghana, Africa.  This story begins with a simple loan Kojo requests to buy a hen.  The single hen quickly shows Kojo that he can buy more hens and use the money from the eggs he sells to go to school and college.  Eventually he creates a poultry farm that he can pass down to his family.  His farm is so successful that neighboring countries contribute to the selling and manufacturing of his product.  The taxes Kojo pays as a entrepreneur improves conditions for his country because the government is able to build roads, schools, and health clinics.  In this memorable story, Kojo recognizes the power of microfinance and how investing his money in other ways can help not only change life for Kojo's own family, but begin to alter his community, his town, and his country.

Reading Level: Lexile Framework 810L, Grade 3/4

Suggested Delivery: Read Aloud

Description: Non-fiction, Diversity

Electronic Resources:
Book Website
This is a link to the official One Hen interactive website, designed for children.  Students can navigate to a summary of the text, view a video of Kwabena, take quizzes that check for understanding, and interact with activities such as a maze or memory game.  The site also gives students information about real people and their lives in Africa.  This source also has lesson plans for teachers and other activities and information that parents can access. 

Kid Can Press
This is a link to the publishing company of One Hen.  Located on this site is a book trailer, a link to a PDF teaching guide, and information about the author and illustrator.

Key Vocabulary:  Capital Resources, Entrepreneur, Loan, Natural Resources, Opportunity Costs, Scarcity

Teaching Suggestions:

1. Use the text to in math to explore how loans work and the actual calculations required to successfully establish the business Kojo created. 
2. Use the text to in social studies to compare and contrast life in Ghana versus America.  How are people's lives different?
3. Use the text to explore geography.  Have students identify on a map where Ghana and other parts of Africa are in relation to the United States.

Comprehension Strategies

Pre-Reading- Display the key vocabulary words.  Have students conduct word sorts to categorize these terms.  Explain the connection of the terms to their financial denotation.  This is key because most of these terms may be unfamiliar, but understanding their denotation is essential to the inferential and literal comprehension of the text.

During Reading- Have students complete a sequence chart to organize the events in the text.  Students should recognize the steps Kojo followed in order to achieve his success at the end.  For example, students should record that Kojo used a loan to buy one hen.  After the hen laid eggs, he sold those and bought more hens.  Have students complete the sequence chart with as much detail as possible to demonstrate their understanding of the process.

Post-Reading- Have students contact the real Kojo
(Kwabena Darko) by email.  More information about Darko is in the end pages of the text.  Students can ask Darko questions about the process to extend their comprehension.  Some suggested questions include:

1. How did you feel when you realized you had made such a difference?
2. Were you ever afraid your business might not be successful?
3. What did you really expect was going to happen when you bought that first hen?

Students could also contact the author, Katie Smith Milway and ask her why she chose to write this book.

Writing Activity: Students can pretend that they are like Kojo and they also want to make a difference.  They can write a persuasive letter to a bank owner asking for a loan.  In their letter they should explain what they will use the loan for and how it will gradually benefit more and more people the way that Kojo's single hen eventually changed his community.

Milway, K. S., & Fernandes, E. (2008). One hen: how one small loan made a big difference. Toronto: Kids Can Press.