Many schools observe Women's History Month as a way to highlight contributions women have made in the past. This lesson encourages you to help students explore the positive impact of girls and women on their own lives and communities today.
Materials
Procedures
Ask students to think about two women or girls in their lives whom they like and admire — classmates, friends, family members, teachers or clergy, for example. Next, ask students to draw pictures of these women and girls on separate sheets of paper and to write a sentence or descriptive words about why they were chosen,
such as, "Misha shares toys and plays with me" or "Dr. Susan is the smartest person I know! She helped me build a robot." For younger students, teachers can transcribe students' verbal comments.)
Ask students to share their drawings with the whole class. Discuss what their selected women and girls have in common. In addition to their success (academic, career, service or otherwise), draw out elements that promote tolerant behaviors based on care and respect. Students should add a sentence or phrase identifying one thing they can learn from their selected women or girls, such as, "It's good to share" or "Hard work and studying pays off!"
Hang student drawings on the wall, under a banner reading "What We Learn from Women and Girls." Throughout the month, refer to the wall when students exclude or bully others or deviate from classroom rules, reminding them of appropriate behaviors taught by the women and girls they admire. At month's end, encourage students to give their artwork to the women and girls they selected.