How can we celebrate International Women’s Day in a way that inspires students and connects with the curriculum? One powerful way is by highlighting Women in STEM Lesson Ideas that blend science, technology, engineering, and math with the achievements of pioneering women. Many students don’t realize the immense contributions that women have made to STEM fields, and this day provides a meaningful opportunity to introduce them to trailblazers whose work has shaped the world. This blog will share influential women in STEM and engaging lesson ideas to help students explore their stories.
Teaching International Women’s Day
Recognizing International Women’s Day in the classroom is essential because it:
- Encourages students, especially girls, to pursue STEM careers.
- Highlights the historical barriers women have faced in STEM fields.
- Provides role models that students can look up to.
- Connects social justice themes with scientific discovery.
By incorporating STEM-focused lessons into International Women’s Day, educators can promote inclusivity while reinforcing important science concepts.
Women in STEM
Here are 10 inspiring women in STEM that students should learn about:
Canadian Women in STEM:
- Roberta Bondar (Canada) – Canada’s first female astronaut and neurologist.
- Donna Strickland (Canada) – Nobel Prize-winning physicist known for her work in laser technology.
- Ursula Franklin (Canada) – A metallurgist and physicist whose work impacted engineering and social science.
- Molly Shoichet (Canada) – A biomedical engineer specializing in regenerative medicine.
Global Women in STEM:
- Marie Curie (France/Poland) – Pioneer in radioactivity and the first woman to win a Nobel Prize.
- Katherine Johnson (USA) – Mathematician whose calculations were crucial to NASA’s early space missions.
- Rosalind Franklin (UK) – Played a key role in discovering the structure of DNA.
- Ada Lovelace (UK) – Regarded as the world’s first computer programmer.
- Mae Jemison (USA) – The first African American woman in space and a physician promoting STEM education.
- Jane Goodall (UK) – Revolutionized the field of primatology with her work on chimpanzees.
Women in STEM Lesson Ideas
Engage your students with these Women in STEM Lesson Ideas that combine inquiry, creativity, and hands-on learning. Each activity helps students build different skills such as research, writing, teamwork, and oral communication.
Biography Research & Presentation
Students can choose a famous woman in STEM to research and present their findings. They can create a visual poster, a slideshow, or even a short video showcasing the scientist’s contributions and impact. This activity allows students to develop research and written communication skills while also practicing their oral presentation abilities.
Write a Play and Perform It for the Class
In this activity, students will collaborate to write and perform a short play about a famous woman in STEM and her groundbreaking achievements. This exercise strengthens teamwork, creative writing, and performance skills while immersing students in the real-life challenges and successes of women in science.
Design an Instagram Account for the Scientist
Students will create a fictional Instagram profile for a woman in STEM, designing posts, captions, and hashtags to reflect her life and discoveries. They can use digital tools or paper templates to build out the profile. This project develops digital literacy, research skills, and creativity as students consider how to make learning engaging through social media.
Women in STEM Timeline Activity
Students will work independently or in groups to create a chronological timeline featuring key contributions from different women in STEM. This can be done digitally or on a large wall display. By organizing historical breakthroughs, students develop research, organization, and history analysis skills while visually mapping out women’s impact in science and technology.
Creative Writing: STEM Storytelling
Encourage students to write a short fictional story imagining what it would be like to work alongside a famous woman in STEM. They can set their story in the past, present, or future, incorporating real scientific discoveries into their narrative. This activity supports writing, creativity, and historical understanding while allowing students to apply what they’ve learned in an imaginative way.
Podcast Interview Project
Students will script and record a fictional podcast episode where they act as both the interviewer and a famous woman in STEM. This activity encourages students to research thoroughly, develop strong scriptwriting abilities, and enhance their oral communication skills. Teachers can facilitate this by providing recording tools and guiding students on structuring engaging interviews. This is one of my favourite women in STEM lesson ideas!
Film a Video as a ‘Day in the Life’ of a Woman in STEM
Students will create a short video acting as if they are a famous woman in STEM, documenting her daily work, challenges, and achievements. This engaging project enhances research skills, video editing abilities, and oral communication as students immerse themselves in the lives of these trailblazing women.
Teaching Coding to Encourage Girls in STEM
Introducing coding in the classroom is a fantastic way to spark an interest in STEM among young girls. Coding encourages problem-solving, logical thinking, and creativity, all while providing real-world applications. Many teachers feel uncertain about where to begin with coding, but the good news is that you don’t need to be an expert to get started.
To help educators gain confidence in teaching coding, check out this insightful podcast episode featuring Dena from @misstechqueenyoutube. In this episode, Dena shares practical strategies for introducing coding into your classroom, simplifying complex concepts, and engaging students in meaningful STEM activities.
By incorporating coding into your lessons, you can help break down barriers for girls in STEM, showing them that they belong in technology and programming fields just as much as anyone else.
For a structured way to teach coding, check out the Scratch Coding Boot Camp Activity Package. This comprehensive package is perfect for teachers with little or no coding experience, offering step-by-step guidance on introducing Scratch coding to students.
International Women’s Day Lesson Ideas
If you’re looking for more ways to integrate International Women’s Day into your curriculum, consider:
- Hosting a Women in STEM panel discussion with guest speakers.
- Organizing a STEM career day highlighting female professionals in science and technology.
- Creating an art and STEM showcase where students illustrate famous women in STEM.
- Discussing gender equality in STEM careers and brainstorming ways to encourage more diversity.
Conclusion
Bringing Women in STEM Lesson Ideas into the classroom for International Women’s Day is a fantastic way to inspire students, celebrate achievements, and promote gender equity in science and technology.
By incorporating biography projects, hands-on experiments, and interactive storytelling, teachers can create engaging STEM lessons that honour the contributions of trailblazing women.
