March is Women’s History Month. This is a great time to bolster your students’ confidence as a learner and as a leader. We have made progress in our country in guaranteeing gender equality, but we still have a ways to go.
The Need for a Women's History Month
Women make up 50% of our society, Just like we learn about presidents and inventors in our nation’s history, we need to study key women figures in our past. Our curriculum needs to reflect our students.
It was Alice Keeler who said, “The person doing the work is doing the learning.” With this in mind, once you set the curriculum it’s the students’ turn. Your students can dive into founding mothers, first women’s careers, and young people who changed the world.
Founding Mothers
Everyone has heard a lot about the founding fathers. However, there were also women present. These women played just as vital roles in shaping America. They weren’t just observers. They were influencers, and they lived long before instagram!
These women were they active participants. Studies should include:
- Abigail Adams
- Phyllis Wheatley
- Mercy Otis Warren
- Deborah Sampson
- Dolley Madison
Women Leaders in Career
Women’s role in the family has changed over time. In 1900, the only place a woman was welcome to work was in the home. Doors were closed to them. They were discouraged to try for careers deemed as “men’s work”. The women who opened new avenues for their gender worked hard, and were the best in their field.
Great women to study:
- Elizabeth Blackwell, first women doctor
- Amelia Earhart- first women pilot to cross ocean
- Sandra Day O’Connor, first women on supreme court
- Sally Ride, first woman in space
- Jeanette Rankin, first woman in congress
Young Women Trailblazers
You don’t have to be an adult to make a difference. Girls also need to study young role models in society. Highlighting these young people helps students see themself as part of society, and therefore history.
Some young women of note:
- Anne Frank
- Malala Yousafzai
- Ruby Bridges
- Greta Thunberg
- Naomi Wadler
Resources for Women's History Month
The more interactive the activities, the better the learning in the primary grades. It is so helpful to give your students choice and a voice in their reports. Whether it be a biography poster, a time-line or a brochure, students will benefit from resources at their reading level, and a form of output that plays to their strengths.
Click on the cover on the left to check out a differentiated resource for 1st grade.
I hope you got a new idea!
Happy teaching!
