6 Ideas for Women's History Research!

As we embark on Women's History Month, why not hunt down a classroom partner to meet the Common Core Anchor Standard:  Research to build and present knowledge.   Here are five essential questions to help spawn a great project.   Just layer technology or another way to "present knowledge," and you will have a student-centered research activity aligned with the new SS C3 standards, ISTE standards, AASL standards, and CCSS Standards!  




EQ: If you were to award a Nobel Prize for Women's Influence, to whom would it be given? Why?  [Build an EBC - Evidence Based Claim- and support your nominee with reasons and real impacts.] Be ready to plead for your nominee at our "Circle of Influence." {With this choice, influence is the focus, not necessarily fame.  This gives the students opportunity to be creative and choose lesser-known people such as Marjorie Merriweather Post, Admiral Grace Hopper, or Anne Hutchinson}

EQ: How could we build a timeline for Woman Change Agents?  Please note when, where and why they were of influence.   For each women on your change-agents timeline, write a paragraph in the first person voice of this person addressing our modern-day culture.   We will be building a wall of fame.   {With this choice are examining change over time...}

EQ: If you could testify at a mock-19th Amendment hearing, what would you say?  We will be voting on whether to pass the 19th amendment. Who will you choose to be and what argument will you bring to the table? We need all voice represented.  You must speak with authority and credibility, based upon your thorough deep research.  {We need many voices: Lesser, Garnett, Minor, Stanton, Anthony, and others you discover.}

EQ: Who do you believe impacted women's role in our culture or history the most?  Research and build an EBC to support your choice.  Be ready to share your knowledge.  {With this choice we are taking a persuasive-evidence angle...}

EQ:  How have women "come a long way baby?" Examine "women's roles" in culture during three centuries of your choice.  Build a storyboard with primary source photos, legislative changes, avatars (or others) and document the women's story of suffrage. 

EQ:  So what would you include in a Women's Evolution Journal? - Use the Social Studies "lenses," build a portrait of women's evolution--ending with the 19th Amendment passage in 1920: Culture, politics, economics, geographical, time (era), and {With this choice we are using the SS lenses as a focus} 

Weave together a few of the choices above and brainstorm a good new end-product such as either a real-life "wall of fame," virtual wall of fame, discussion and debate, or trial for the 19th Amendment Legislative vote.