When planning lessons, teachers work hard to ensure students can build connections to everyday life. An incredible way to do this during March is to use picture books for Women’s History Month. Honestly, there are many great incorporations between strong women and academic subjects. Focusing on women in STEM creates so many incredible lessons to tie everything together.
Importance of Women in STEM
If you ask a person to describe a scientist, many will explain a male. Sadly, there is still a belief that scientists are only males. Therefore, it is essential to teach students how gender does not dictate interests, passions, and careers. By incorporating women in STEM fields when teaching, students will see powerful females. Hopefully, they will see how females never gave up to achieve their goals.
Dinosaur Lady: The Daring Discoveries of Mary Anning, the First Paleontologist
Author Linda Skeers and illustrator Marta Álvarez Miguéns created a beautiful story about dinosaurs and female scientists.
Mary Anning always enjoyed walking the beach in search of shells and fossils. Additionally, she loved climbing over crumbling cliffs and rocky peaks to look for new specimens. Honestly, Mary Anning just loved exploring outside! One day, something interesting stood out to Mary. After looking closer, she found dinosaur bones!
After this discovery, Mary fell in love with science. However, she didn’t just follow it. She created the study of paleontology! Unfortunately, Mary did not receive the credit she deserved due to being a woman. Thankfully, Mary did not let the doubts of others stop her from discovering information about the natural world.
This inspirational story is the perfect way to honor women scientists during Women’s History Month. While learning about fossils, students will also see gender does not define careers.
Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean’s Most Fearless Scientist
Author Jess Keating and illustrator Marta Álvarez Miguéns created a story about a woman who dreamed, discovered, and inspired.
From the second Eugenie Clark saw sharks at the aquarium, she fell in love with them. She instantly knew she wanted to study these creatures. Unfortunately, Clark quickly realized that many people view sharks as ugly and scary. Sadly, she also realized people assumed she could not be a scientist due to being a woman.
Thankfully, Eugenie did not let negative perspectives stop her from achieving her goals. Instead, she earned multiple college degrees while making many discoveries about sharks. Her hard work earned her the nickname of Shark Lady. Thankfully, her passion showed the world that sharks should be admired and women can do anything.
Shark Lady Unit
Since students will love seeing Clark’s determination and perseverance, check out the Response to Literature Unit. It will help students identify story elements, analyze examples, and write a response. The thirteen lessons help ensure strategies guide students through each stage of the writing process.
There are so many incredible women in STEM to study during Women’s History Month. By using the above picture books for women’s history, students will feel inspired by all the perseverance and grit.
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