9 Inspiring Women to teach about in class

International Women’s Day celebrates the achievements of women all around the world. It is also a day to raise awareness about the challenges and inequalities that women still face, and to promote gender equality and women’s rights.

The History of International Women’s Day
International Women’s Day has a long history dating back to the early 1900s. The first National Women’s Day was observed in the United States in 1909, and it quickly spread to other countries. In 1910, an International Women’s Conference was held in Copenhagen, Denmark, where it was proposed that a special day should be set aside each year to celebrate the accomplishments of women and advocate for women’s rights. The first International Women’s Day was observed on March 19, 1911, in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland.
In 1975, the United Nations officially recognized March 8 as International Women’s Day, and it has been celebrated globally ever since. Each year, International Women’s Day has a different theme, and events and activities are organized all around the world to raise awareness about women’s issues and celebrate women’s achievements.
The theme of International Women’s Day 2023 is #DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality’.

Why International Women’s Day Matters
International Women’s Day is an important opportunity to recognize the progress that has been made towards gender equality, and to celebrate the achievements of women in all areas of life, including politics, business, sports, arts, and science. It is also a day to acknowledge the work that still needs to be done to achieve full gender equality.
Despite progress in recent years, women still face significant challenges and inequalities around the world. Women are underrepresented in leadership positions and they are often denied access to education and healthcare.
International Women’s Day provides a platform to raise awareness about these issues and to call for action to address them. It is a day to celebrate the contributions of women to society and to honor the women who have fought for gender equality in the past, while also recognizing the work that still needs to be done to create a more equal world for future generations.

How can we  integrate International Women Day into elementary education? 
On International Women’s Day, classrooms can engage in a variety of activities to honor the achievements and contributions of women throughout history. Women have contributed to various fields, such as science, mathematics, art, and politics, among others, and have played a significant role in shaping the world as we know it today. It is interesting to know what has motivated these inspiring women to dedicate their lives to different causes?

A simple way of integrating Women’s day into the classroom is through a word search activity. This activity can align with  CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.4.4. In the Amelia Earhart word search activity, students must accurately read and recognise the words related to Amelia Earhart’s life and accomplishments. Furthermore, this activity can also help build vocabulary skills, as students are exposed to and learn new words related to Amelia Earhart and aviation. For more vocabulary building techniques in class you read this blog.

Other activities could involve contextual clue and word search activities to help students learn more about the lives and accomplishments of famous women such as Amelia Earhart and  Ruth Bader Ginsburg. For example, students could use contextual clues to guess the meaning of unfamiliar words related to Ruth Bader Ginsburg Click here to get the free activity bundle. 

Writing prompts can be a great way to get students thinking critically and creatively. Some possible prompts include asking students to imagine what it would be like to be Malala Yousafzai for a day or to write a timeline of the major events in the life of Kenyan environmental and political activist Wangari Maathai.

Students could gather information about Amelia Earhart’s aviation career or Dr. Chien-Shiung Wu’s contributions to nuclear physics using primary and secondary sources. These writing activity are  linked to the  Standard: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.10 – Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.

These writing prompts encourage students to think about the challenges these women faced and how they overcame them. They highlight the ways in which these women’s actions have made a lasting impact on our world. Students are encouraged  to look at different eras and cultures to get a more comprehensive understanding of challenges faced by women.

From fighting for women’s rights to making groundbreaking discoveries, these women have inspired and paved the way for future generations.In honor of International Women’s Day, let’s take a look at nine inspiring women who changed the world.

Marie Curie: Marie Curie was a Polish physicist and chemist who conducted pioneering research on radioactivity and discovered the elements radium and polonium. She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize and the only woman to win two Nobel Prizes in Physics and Chemistry. Click here for more worksheet on Marie Curie!

Frida Kahlo: Frida Kahlo was a Mexican artist and feminist icon who’s self-portraits expressed her identity and life experiences. Her artwork has inspired generations and influenced the development of modern art.

Amelia Earhart: Amelia Earhart was the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. She was also a noted author and women’s rights advocate.

Malala Yousafzai: Malala Yousafzai is a Pakistani activist who advocates for girls’ education and women’s rights. She is the youngest ever Nobel Prize winner for her work in promoting female education.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg: The late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a trailblazer for women’s rights and an advocate for gender equality. She served on the court for 27 years and her legacy continues to inspire women to fight for their rights.

Chien Shiung Wu: Chinese-American physicist known for her groundbreaking work in experimental physics and for being the first woman to lead a physics department at a major research university.

Wangari Maathai: Kenyan environmental and political activist who founded the Green Belt Movement, an organization focused on planting trees, empowering women, and promoting sustainable development.

Valentina Tereshkova: Soviet cosmonaut who became the first woman to travel to space aboard the Vostok 6 mission in 1963. She later became a prominent political figure in Russia.

Jacinda Ardern: Powerful role model for women around the world as the first female Prime Minister of New Zealand. Her compassionate leadership style and progressive policies have earned her global acclaim.

Overall, these activities can help students develop important skills such as critical thinking, reading comprehension, and research skills while also celebrating the achievements of women throughout history.