Wonder Woman and Women’s History
A couple of years ago, I went to see the newest Wonder Woman movie starring Gal Gadot, and I surprised myself by tearing up. I had no idea how much it would mean to me to see an intelligent, capable, and curious woman (who also happened to be a superhero) on the big screen. I loved that despite her not having much prior experience with human civilization, she was portrayed not as ditzy, but as a woman with a hunger to make sense of the world and a desire to right injustices. As a lifelong learner/education fan, I felt a renewed passion to ensure that students of all backgrounds felt represented in the stories we tell.
That’s why celebrating Women’s History Month means so much to me. I appreciate that each year our nation sets aside March to recognize the accomplishments and history of women, which often go overlooked. I encourage educators to find and share inspiring stories that may not be included in traditional text books, and to help our students continue to see themselves in the stories we tell.
As we head into March, I wanted to share some lesson ideas with anyone looking to explore women’s history in more detail.
Some of My Favorite Untold Stories from 306
For many students, hearing about the accomplishments of women can unlock and expand their own possibilities and futures.
In 306: African American History, students learn about Dr. Mae Jemison, who pursued a major in engineering at Stanford at 16, served as a Peace Corps doctor in her mid twenties where she made a huge, life-saving call in her first couple of weeks there, and eventually became the first Black woman in space. Curious what she’s up to now? Find out here.
In 306: Continuing the Story, students will discover how Madame C.J. Walker became the first female millionaire in the US by starting her own business. Do you and your students know what product she produced and marketed, or what the goal of the “Walker System” was? Get started to learn more.
Do you know the name of the first Black woman to earn a medical degree in the United States? Find out when Dr. Rebecca Crumpler got her start and medical degree as well as where she spent her career as a doctor in 306: Continuing the Story. Access the lessons.
Ready-Made Lessons for March and Beyond
Getting access to the stories of women who showed resilience, innovation, creativity and determination just takes a few simple steps: Set up your free EVERFI teacher account and select 306 from the drop down. Click “Catalog” to add both 306 resources, and click “Create Class” to share the lessons with students
Extension Lessons to Help Students Explore Careers in STEM, Medicine or Business
In addition to sharing the stories of women trailblazers, equipping students with the skills they need to enter growing industries can make a huge impact on what types of roles they see themselves in.
Grades 7-10
Add Venture: Entrepreneurial Expedition to your lesson plans to allow students to explore what it means to be an entrepreneur. You’ll definitely enjoy seeing their outside the box thinking and unexpected ideas when students share the food truck proposal and marketing plan they’ve created along the way. Access Venture here.
Grades 4-7
Check out Future Goals – Hockey Scholar to help students connect the same math and science concepts from class to the world of sports. They’ll see how to apply the scientific method to the engineering the most effective hockey stick and understand how mastering the states of matter can ensure the ice is ready and teams can play safely and securely on the ice. Get students started.
Grades 7-10
Check out Endeavor: STEM Career Exploration to ensure students can experience a day in the life of coding, engineering, or running medical machines. Students like kicking it off with a work-style personality quiz, and then the interactive simulations for each of the STEM roles. Teachers like that it shares so many STEM career options and the pathways to get there along the way. Add Endeavor to your dashboard.