Women’s History Month

Grades 9 & 12, Social Justice

Mester 3

Monday February 29, March 7, March 14

INSTRUCTIONS
Purpose: / *To reinforce the importance of Women’s History Month
Time: / Three advisory periods of 30 minutes
Materials: / Pen/pencil, friendly letter format handout
Assignment: / Research and Presentation
ESLRS: / Critical thinker/ Effective Communicator

Background information on Women’s History Month please read to students:

Before the 1970’s, the topic of women’s history was largely missing from general public consciousness. To address this situation, the Education Task Force of the Sonoma County (California) Commission on the Status of Women initiated a “Women’s History Week” celebration in 1978 and chose the week of March 8 to coincide with International Women’s Day.

The celebration was met with positive response, and schools began to host their own Women’s History Week programs. The next year, leaders from the California group shared their project at a Women’s History Institute at Sarah Lawrence College. Other participants not only became determined to begin their own local Women’s History Week projects but also agreed to support an effort to have Congress declare a national Women’s History Week.

In 1981, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Rep. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) cosponsored the first Joint Congressional Resolution proclaiming a “Women’s History Week.”

In 1987, the National Women’s History Project petitioned Congress to expand the celebration to the entire month of March. Since then, the National Women’s History Month Resolution has been approved every year with bipartisan support in both the House and Senate.

Information obtained from: http://www.womenshistorymonth.gov/index.html

February 29: Introduce students to Women’s History Month and to their assignment.

Assignment: Choose a woman from the list provided to research. Take note of their: Early life & Education, Career highlights/ Legacy, Obstacles they overcame, Accomplishments in Historical Context and any Honors/Awards they have received.

The 9th and 12th grade list will be different so that there is no overlap.

March 7: In small groups prepare a brochure/flyer/poster with the information gathered. Make sure to also answer the following questions; why did your group choose this career/ person? What have you learned on a personal level, or how has this person inspired you? What did you like the most about your person/ career? You will be presenting during the mixer next week.

March 14: 9th & 12th grade mixer:

During the mixer, both 9th grade and 12th grade students will take turns presenting their poster and talking about the woman they have researched. As a follow up we suggest having the students write a reflection on Friday.

Suggested List

Career / 9th Grade Advisory / 12th Grade Advisory
COMPUTERS/TECHNOLOGY / Jennifer Pahlka (born 1969) / Reshma Saujani (Girls Who Code)
PILOT / Katie Higgins / Amelia Earhart
POLITICS/ SECRETARY OF LABOR / Hilda Lucia Solis
(born October 20, 1957) / Frances Perkins Wilson
(April 10, 1880– May 14, 1965)
ENTERTAINMENT / Eva Jacqueline Longoria
(born March 15, 1975) / Lucille Désirée Ball(August 6, 1911 – April 26, 1989)
MEDICAL / Elinor Catherine Hamlin (born 24 January 1924) / Helen Brooke Taussig(May 24, 1898 – May 20, 1986)
LAW/ CIVIL RIGHTS / Sonia Maria Sotomayor(born June 25, 1954) / Vilma Socorro Martínez(born October 17, 1943)
WRITER / Sandra Cisneros
(December 20, 1964) / Betty Friedan
(Feb 4, 1921 – February 4, 2006)
ARTIST / Judy Baca
(September 20, 1946) / Dorothea Lange (May 26, 1895– October 11, 1965)
FIRST LADY / Michelle Obama (also lawyer and writer) / Eleanor Roosevelt (also a politician, diplomat and activist)
SENATOR / Barbara Boxer / Elizabeth Warren
SCIENTIST / Marie Curie (7 November 1867–4 July 1934) / Lucy Jones
CIVIL ENGINEER / Julia Morgan (January 20, 1872 – February 2, 1957) / Patricia Valoy

Mixer Match for March 14th

9th Grade Class 12th Grade Class

Chin B127 / Junio B104
Magana B214 / Harrigan B313
Perez-Roman B207 / Vasquez B219
Law A208 / Rajpoot B220
McConville B206 / Scott C202