Posted by Megan Habel on Mar 01, 2016
5 Activities to Honor Women's History Month
Celebrate Women's History Month with your class!
To honor Women’s History Month (March), we’ve compiled a few activity ideas that will help young learners better understand women’s role in history. Along with the activities, we’ve suggested a few related book titles for inspiration.
1. Make a modern recruitment poster for women
Women in history have made insurmountable contributions to the war effort. Some were nurses who saved lives on the battlefield while others ran businesses and cared for their families while their husbands were at war. Take advantage of Women's History Month by teaching your students about the continued importance of women's efforts in all aspects of life. Then, have students create a recruitment poster where they detail the qualifications of a woman in today's world to contribute to our country. It can be focused on the war effort or beyond, that’s entirely up to you!
Books to help you get you started:
- America's Women: 400 Years of Dolls, Drudges, Helpmates, and Heroines by Gail Collins
- A Train in Winter: An Extraordinary Story of Women, Friendship, and Resistance in Occupied France by Caroline Moorehead
2. Create a federal holiday for a woman.
Recognize specific women and their accomplishments! First, ask your students to choose a female in history who has made an impact on society. Next, each student should create and present a poster board that demonstrates why the selected woman deserves to be recognized by a federal holiday. Make sure your students set a date for the holiday and incorporate suggested celebration activities!
Books to help you get you started:
- Women Who Changed the World: 50 Amazing Americans by Laurie Calkhoven and Patricia Castelao
- Wheels of Change: How Women Rode the Bicycle to Freedom (With a Few Flat Tires Along the Way) by Sue Macy
3. Create a scrapbook that highlights the accomplishments of women in history.
Assign each of your students a woman to showcase on his/her page. Each page should include photos, descriptions, and some artistic flair that will help your students remember these women’s lives and accomplishments. Once completed, you can keep the scrapbook in the classroom for everyone to enjoy!
Books to help you get you started:
- Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart by Candace Fleming
- Who Was Rosa Parks? by Yona Zeldis McDonough
4. Read a passage written a famous female author every day in March.
To honor the many iconic female authors who have contributed to the world of literature, take some time each day to read passages written by female writers out loud. Then, discuss why the passage has stood the test of time with your class. If you’re feeling particularly crafty, create a calendar with each quote of the day and hang it up in your classroom!
Books to help you get you started:
- I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
- Emma by Jane Austen
5. Learn about the different female occupations throughout history.
Who doesn't like to dress up? Since women have impacted a vast amount of occupations throughout history, teach students about workplace contributions made by females. Assign each student a profession to study. Then, have your students research a woman who has impacted that particular occupation. At the end of the month, ask each of your students to dress up as someone who occupies their assigned occupation and present their research to the class!
Books to help you get you started:
- Who Says Women Can't Be Doctors?: The Story of Elizabeth Blackwell by Tanya Lee Stone
- Coco Chanel: An Intimate Life by Lisa Chaney
How are you celebrating Women's History Month with your class? Tell us your story by leaving a comment below!
