SMITHSONIAN EDUCATION

Ten Education Resources to Explore this Women’s History Month

From videos to lesson plans and podcast episodes to coloring books, an educator from the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum shares her top picks for teaching and learning this Women’s History Month.

Playbill for "A Raisin in the Sun" with a black and white photo of playwright Lorraine Hansberry
Playwright and writer Lorraine Hansberry is one of many celebrated women featured in the education resources curated by the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum.  Playbill for A Raisin in the Sun, 2004. Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Kayla Deigh Owens. Playbill used by permission. All rights reserved, Playbill Inc.
Happy Women’s History Month! It’s a great time to explore intersectional histories, celebrate the women closest to you, and challenge limiting considerations of women’s contributions to American history. Below is just a sample of the stellar resources you can find at the Smithsonian. Discover articles, videos, lesson plans, and more that cross ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic boundaries.  

Five Popular Women’s History episodes from Sidedoor, a Smithsonian Podcast. Listen to lesser-known stories from across the Smithsonian’s museums and storage vaults. Stories range from introducing the life of Lena Richard, author, entrepreneur, and predecessor to Julia Child as a celebrity chef on television, to NASA spacesuit designers of the 1960s with innovative solutions that played a critical role in the first steps on the moon.

Women Making Change Video Series. Learn about stories of American women throughout history who fought for change, including the support of women's voting rights, labor movements, and health literacy in their communities and on the national stage.

Flights of Fancy Story Time: Bessie Coleman. Gather your little ones for story time with the National Air and Space Museum. After the story, stick around as educator Ann Caspari leads a craft activity to make biplane models out of paper towel tubes, paper and tape!

Coloring Our World and Coloreando Nuestro Mundo (en español) coloring books. Perfect for elementary students, explore biographies of extraordinary women, who made history by being courageous and creating solutions to problems big and small in these printable coloring books, available in both English and Spanish.

None
"Coloring Our World" is a coloring booklet for young learners that brings stories of American women throughout history to life, highlighting musicians, aviators, veterinarians, and more! Each page includes a short profile, alongside an opportunity to color in a portrait or relevant artifact of the featured woman.  Smithsonian

Latinas Talk Latinas Video Series. This series introduces viewers to the lives of Latinas, including entertainers, astronauts, and athletes told by curators, scientists, and educators across the Smithsonian.

Stamp Stories: Ruth Asawa. Learn about the fascinating life of Ruth Asawa, a Japanese American artist whose sculptures are featured on a set of postage stamps issued by the USPS in August 2020.

Women Making History Guide. Meet six American Indian women who have blazed new trails, led nations, and challenged the status quo as heroes, warriors, activists and advocates. 

How Did Kitty Cone Change Disability Rights? Video. Watch a short video featuring a student-led interview with National Museum of American History curator, Katherine Ott, on the life and legacy of disability rights activist, Kitty Cone. 

LGBTQ+ Women Who Made History. Read a short listicle of notable stories from Smithsonian collections, honoring LGBTQ+ women who have made remarkable contributions to the nation and helped advance equality in fields as diverse as medicine and the dramatic arts.

African American Women Medical Professionals Conversation Kit. Investigate and discover the importance of African American medical professionals in this standards-aligned lesson plan that highlights primary and secondary sources, alongside facilitation strategies for the classroom. 

To continue learning more about the history of women in America, visit https://womenshistory.si.edu/learn for education resources. 

Ashleigh D. Coren

Ashleigh D. Coren is the Head of Education for the American Women’s History Initiative, which is a part of the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum. Her team focuses on collections research, student and teacher programs, and public programming.