Since 2015, people around the globe have observed International Day of Women and Girls in Science on February 11th to celebrate, honor and inspire women and girls in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). While women remain underrepresented in the sciences, many women have made valuable contributions to the field of science for centuries. For instance, have you heard of Hedy Lamarr, an actress who also invented a radio technique that allowed for technologies like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi? How about Eugenie Clark, nicknamed “Shark Lady” for her contributions in shark behavior research? What about you, future scientist? What will you discover?
Celebrate International Day of Women and Girls in Science this February by doing a science activity or learning about a notable woman scientist!
Based on the popular podcast, The Lost Women of Science features 10 groundbreaking women scientists whose impact has been overlooked or downplayed. With experiments to try at home and rare photographs sprinkled throughout, this well-cited chapter book anthology is great for a curious mind or a school history project.
Corn, the crop of the Midwest! Did you know that corn was a key crop for researchers studying the basic understanding of genetics? In Seeds of Discovery, readers will learn about how Barbara McClintock founded modern genetics.
In 1993, Ellen Ochoa became the first Latina astronaut to go to space. Ellen Takes Flight tells the inspiring story of Ochoa’s journey to NASA, from her mastery of the flute as a child to director of the Johnson Space Center.
Who knew that pond scum could inspire a five-year-old girl to become a budding ecologist? That’s exactly where Ruth Patrick started her love of science, despite hardly any women in the field. Learn about how Ruth Patrick discovered biodiversity to start addressing water pollution in Magic in A Drop of Water.
Can you really make ice cream in a bag with ingredients from your kitchen? Do you know how to make an egg bouncy? Try one of these at-home experiments to unleash your inner scientist this February 11th in How Do You Become A Mad Scientist? If you want more at-home science experiments, check out other science activity books here!
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