Curated OER
Female Movers and Shakers in History
Students research famous women in history. In this history instructional activity, students explore women that made an impression in the world and create a timeline of what they did that was important and when they did it.
Curated OER
Outstanding Women
Research the lives of famous women in this social studies instructional activity. Middle schoolers use various sources to research a famous woman and create a presentation about the accomplishments of the woman. They can find the central...
Curated OER
Famous Women in American History: Rose Freedman
Fourth graders read about Rose Freedman, a famous American woman. In this famous women in American history lesson plan, 4th graders read a story about Rose Freedman, answer comprehension questions, and complete an associated worksheet....
Smithsonian Institution
Women's Role in the War Effort
Did you know that many women were Confederate spies during the Civil War? The resource focuses particularly on the important role women played for both the Union and Confederacy. It uses exercises such as a discussion, video, analyzing...
NPR
This Isn't Right: A History of Women in Industry
Women were in the workplace long before Rosie the Riveter pushed up her sleeve. Learn about the working options available to women during the Industrial Revolution, the Progressive Era, and the Great Depression with a lesson that...
NPR
This Isn't Right: Women Reform Leaders
The 20th century saw many new possibilities open up to women in America, thanks to many well-known female historical figures — and some women who are not as famous but who are equally accomplished. Learn about the women who contributed...
Curated OER
Where are the Famous Women in History?
Young scholars investigate sexism in history by identifying important women from the U.S. In this women's equality lesson, students discuss why they remember more men in the history of the U.S. than women. Young scholars...
NPR
Women in Early Film Lesson Plan
The role of women in the early film industry, both on screen and behind the scenes, is the focus of a resource that asks class members to analyze movie posters and DVD covers from the 1910s and 1920s. Using examples drawn from the...
Curated OER
My Birthday Connection
Focus on famous women using this lesson. Learners choose a famous woman to research, complete a fact sheet, and discuss their results. While incomplete, this lesson could be used as an outline for a more in-depth exploration.
Curated OER
The Women’s Suffrage Movement
A set of lessons about the women's suffrage movement will bring history to life for your middle schoolers. Learners study primary documents, learn about famous suffragettes, and compare the suffrage movement to current events...
University of California
Equal Rights? The Women's Movement from Suffrage to Schlafly
If you've never heard of the Equal Rights Amendment, it's probably because there isn't one in the United States Constitution. Delve into the contentious history behind the ERA, its founders and supporters, and reasons for its political...
PBS
Women's History: Glass Windows; Glass Ceilings
Discover stories about women's history in beautiful stained glass windows. The second in a three-part series teaches scholars about a famous artistic style of stained glass windows and the influential women that used art to impact...
NPR
Chinese American Women Lesson Plan
The National Women's History Museum provides a plan designed to accompany their online CyberExhibit, Chinese American Women; a History of Resilience and Resistance. After examining a series of primary and secondary source documents,...
PBS
Women's History: Parading Through History
Want to teach your pupils about debate, effective speech techniques, propaganda, and the women's movement? The first in a sequential series of three, scholars analyze real propaganda images from the the historic women's movement, view a...
Curated OER
Mother's Day lesson plan
Middle schoolers research character traits of famous women in history, compare those traits to those of his/her mother or guardian, and create Mother's Day cards, on which they list traits their moms share with famous women in history...
Curated OER
Famous Women Trading Cards
Second graders research the accomplishments of famous or important women in history. They write 5-7 research questions. Using information from the research, they design trading cards that highlight the accomplishments of the women they...
National Woman's History Museum
How Do We Remember and Honor the Contributions of Women in Public Space?
Public art, especially monuments and memorials, are designed to celebrate and honor those who have made significant contributions to a community or even an entire nation. Here's a instructional activity that asks scholars to consider who...
National Woman's History Museum
Unsung Voices: Black Women and Their Role in Women's Suffrage
Reclaim perspectives often left out of the narrative about the suffrage movement with an activity that lifts up the voices of African American women. Using primary sources and biographical details of Fannie Barrier Williams' life, young...
Arizona Department of Education
American History Impact of the Women’s Movement
Take a look at important images that depict the women's suffrage movement, the support for the Equal Rights Amendment, and wage equity for women over the last two centuries. As class members work through a lesson on...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Fly Girls: Women Aviators in World War II
Explore contributions of Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) during World War II with an engaging history lesson. Middle schoolers examine portrayals of women in World War II posters and newsreels, compare and contrast them with...
American Institute of Physics
Women and the Manhattan Project
The Manhattan Project was a massive undertaking involving multiple sites and thousands of scientists and technicians. To gain an understanding of the women who participated in the project, groups select an oral history of a woman...
National Woman's History Museum
Defying British Rule: Women's Contributions to The American Revolution
Primary and secondary sources are the focus of a instructional activity that showcases the important role women played during the American Revolution. Pairs review sources and discuss their findings. A close-reading of an informational...
Curated OER
Sandra Day O'Connor
No unit on important women in history would be complete without a lesson on Sandra Day O'Connor. After reading background information about the first female Supreme Court justice, middle schoolers engage in several activities addressing...
PBS
Women with Character Who Inspire Lesson Plan
Angelique Kidjo and Kerry Kennedy are the focal points of a lesson plan designed to shed light on inspirational women during Women's History Month. Scholars discuss and examine the lives of two women then showcase a woman in their lives...