She Did It First:

Studying Groundbreaking Women Throughout History

Bessie Coleman, Aviator

Student Activities Packet

Women’s History Month
March 2018

Name: _________________________________

Teacher: _______________________________

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 Table of Contents
Directions: Use this checklist to track the lessons that you complete.

❏ Overview and Guiding Questions

❏ Key Vocabulary
❏ Lesson 1: Bessie Coleman, Aviator
❏ Lesson 2: Women in Sports
❏ Lesson 3: Women of the Supreme Court
❏ Lesson 4: Danica Roem, Transgender Lawmaker
❏ Culminating Project
❏ Planning Page
❏ Rubric

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Overview

How does change happen in the world? Someone always has to take the first
step. In this lesson set, you will learn about women who did it first -- such as the
first Latina Supreme Court justice and the first woman to coach professional
sports. In each lesson, you will learn how groundbreaking women were able to
beat the odds to achieve their goals. At the end of the lesson set, you can create
a final project focusing on a groundbreaking woman of your choice.

Guiding Questions

Keep the following questions in mind as you read articles and complete the packet.

1. What are some characteristics that groundbreaking women have in

common?

2. Why can it be more difficult for women to achieve their goals, compared to
men? How has this changed over time? What additional challenges do
women of color face?

3. What actions are women taking today to make life better for themselves and
other women? What can we learn from these women?

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 Vocabulary

Directions: Use this Cognitive Content Dictionary (CCD) to track these key
vocabulary words throughout the lessons.

Word Prediction Definition Draw It

Groundbreaking

Sexism

Discrimination

Inspire

What other key vocabulary words stand out to you throughout the lessons?

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 Lesson 1: Bessie Coleman
Objective: Students will be able to ask and answer questions
about a nonfiction text.

Overview

Imagine that you had a big, important dream, but everyone around you told you it
was impossible because of your gender and the color of your skin. This is what
happened to Bessie Coleman. In this lesson, you’ll learn about how Coleman became
a “groundbreaking woman” and why she said that “the air is the only place free from
prejudice.”

Comprehension Questions

● What do you already know about “groundbreaking women”?

● What made Bessie Coleman a “groundbreaking woman”?

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 Part 1: Activate Background Knowledge

Directions:
Write out your answer to the questions below.

1. Write the name of a woman who you think is “groundbreaking.” What did she achieve?
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2. What are some ways that women or girls are treated unfairly (now or in the past)?
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 Part 2: Read and Respond

Directions: After reading the article about Bessie Coleman, complete the 3-2-1
activity below.
Write 3 things you learned about Bessie
Coleman.

Write 2 questions you still have about

Bessie Coleman.

Write 1 connection that you can make to

the article. (The connection can be to
yourself, to a text, or to the world.)

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 Lesson 2: Women in Sports
Objective: Students will be able to write a fictional journal entry
inspired by a nonfiction text.

Overview

You probably know girls who play sports, or maybe you are a girl who plays sports
yourself. However, lots of important jobs in sports are still mostly held by men. In this
lesson, you’ll learn about women who are brave enough to start jobs as coaches and
sports announcers, even though not many women do these jobs.

Comprehension Questions

● What characteristics do the women coaches and announcers in the article

have in common?

Part 1: Compare and Contrast

Directions:
● Read the article about women sports announcers, and the article about women
coaches.
● Use the Venn diagram on the next page to compare and contrast the women
in the two articles. What characteristics do they have in common? How are
their jobs different?

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 Women Sports Women Coaches
Announcers
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 Part 2: Journal Entry

Directions:
● Choose a woman from one of the two articles you just read.
● Write a journal entry from the perspective of one of the women in the article.
● Think about the following questions:
o What kinds of challenges might she have to deal with in her day?
o What inspires her to keep going?

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 Lesson 3: Women of the Supreme Court
Objectives:
Students will be able to identify key characteristics of a successful women.
Students will be able to create an artifact demonstrating what they have
learned from a nonfiction text.

Overview

A “trailblazer” is someone who accomplishes something that is difficult to do. Because

of the trailblazer’s accomplishment, other people are able to achieve that same
thing more easily.

The Supreme Court of the United States has existed for over 250 years. However, in
all that time, only four women have served on the court! These women are all
trailblazers in their own way. In this lesson, you’ll become an expert on one of these
women, and consider how she was able to achieve her goals.

Comprehension Questions

● What challenges have women Supreme Court justices faced?

● What are the key accomplishments of these women?

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 Part 1: Note-Taking

Directions:
● Choose one of the three women Supreme Court justices from the text set.
● Use the space below to take notes on your justice.
o These notes will help you complete the poster project on the following
page.

Name of justice

Where did she

grow up?

Write two details

about her life
before she became
a justice.

What challenges
has she faced in
her life?

What are her

achievements?
What is she known
for?

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 Part 2: Poster Project

Directions:
● Use a poster or a large piece of paper to show what you have
learned about your Supreme Court justice.
● Make sure to include:
o A picture (find one online, or draw it yourself)
o The information from the notes you took on the last page
o Any other pictures or details that show why your justice is
important

You can use this space to sketch a rough draft of your poster.

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 Lesson 4: Danica Roem
Objectives:
Students will be able to identify key characteristics of a successful woman.
Students will be able to respectfully discuss ideas and reactions to a nonfiction
text with a partner.

Overview

Last year, Danica Roem became the first transgender person elected as a state
lawmaker in the United States. (If you are not sure what “transgender” means, you
will learn in the article about Roem.)

During her campaign, Roem said that she believes anyone with good ideas should be
able to run for office, no matter their gender, their race, or what they call
themselves. In this lesson, you’ll learn more about Roem and why her victory was so
significant.

Comprehension Questions

● Why is it important that Danica Roem won the Virginia election?

● What challenges did Roem face during her race, and how did she overcome
them?

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 Part 1: Vocabulary Focus

Directions: Read the article about Danica Roem.

• As you read, write down any words that are new to you.
• Make a prediction about what the word means.
o Use the context in the article to help you.
Check the definition using the dictionary or another resource.

Word Prediction Definition Draw it

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 Part 2: Say Something

Directions:
• Read the article about Danica Roem again, this time with a partner.
• Use the guidelines below to have a discussion with your partner
while you are reading.
o Read one section of the article together. You can take turns
reading out loud.
o When you are done with the section, say something to your
partner about that section. You can say what you learned,
what you wonder, what you predict, or something else.
• After reading, use the space below to write down 3 ideas,
questions, or details from your partner discussion. Be prepared to
share these in your class discussion.

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 Culminating Research Project:
Choose a Groundbreaking Woman

Objectives:
Students will be able to answer a central question through research.
Students will be able to create an artifact demonstrating the results of their
research.
Students will be able to present their artifact to the class.

Directions: For this project, you will choose a groundbreaking woman and
answer the question: What makes this woman groundbreaking?
Read the information below to learn about the expectations for your
Culminating Project.

Task Overview More Details

Step 1: Choose a groundbreaking ● You can choose a woman you read

woman to focus on.
Step 2: Complete further research on
your groundbreaking woman. Look for
information about:
● Her background
● Her inspiration
● Her achievements and struggles
● How she has helped other women
and girls
Step 3: Choose how you would like to
share your learnings with your class.
about in this unit, or another woman
you know about.
● Be sure to choose someone whose
work inspires you and whom you
would like to learn more about.
● Talk to your teacher about research
guidelines for your class.
● Note: if you cannot find enough
information on your groundbreaking
woman, pick someone else who is
easier to research.
• Pick one of the options for your final
project on the next page.

Step 4: Share your learnings with the ● Talk to your teacher about the
class. process for sharing your work.

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 Planning Page

1. Write the name of your groundbreaking woman here:

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2. How would you like to share your learnings with your classmates?
Remember, you should be sure to answer the question:
What makes this woman groundbreaking?
Circle your choice below:

Option 1: Write an essay or speech

Option 2: Create a PowerPoint presentation

Option 3: Draw a cartoon, a comic strip, or another labeled illustration

Something else: (fill in here, subject to teacher approval)

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Teacher Sign-off (before starting) _______________

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Optional Planning Space:

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 Rubric
This is the rubric that you will use to self-evaluate, and that your teacher
will use to evaluate your work.

Category 4 3 2 1
Information is Information is Information is mostly Information may
accurate, accurate and accurate and have some
Information comprehensive, and incorporates incorporates accuracy and
and content incorporates knowledge learned knowledge learned incorporates
knowledge learned from research. The from research. The knowledge learned
(Essay) from research. The importance and importance and from research. The
importance and significance of the significance of the importance and
significance of the people, event or people, event or significance of the
people, event or idea represented is idea represented is people, event or
idea represented is mostly clear. somewhat clear. idea represented is
clear. unclear.

All aspects of the Most aspects of the Some aspects of the One aspect of the
project were project were project were project is the focus
Effort and thoughtfully considered; project considered; project and gaps may exist;
creativity considered; project shows creativity and shows some project is somewhat
is original, shows communicates pride creativity and original and some
(Artifact) creativity, and in the completed communicates pride is reflected in
communicates pride product. some pride in the the completed
in the completed completed product. product.
product.

Class time is Class time is mostly Class time is used Class time is
maximized and used efficiently and and some time is somewhat used and
Time and ample time is time is dedicated to dedicated to minimal planning
management dedicated to planning and planning and and research is
planning and research. The research. The evident. Extension
(Overall research. The deadline is met. deadline is met. may have been
Project) deadline is met. necessary for
project.

Points:

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Project Notes:

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