5 Fabulous Biographies of Women in STEM Fields

Each one of these women have a story that will inspire young women and men. They overcame obstacles--physical and social--to find success and fulfillment in STEM fields.  They made important contributions in their fields of study. 

Life in the Ocean: The Story of Oceanographer Sylvia Earle

Claire A. Nivola, author and illustrator

Publisher Summary:

Sylvia Earle was a biologist and botanist long before she even knew what those words meant.  As a child, she spend hours observing plant and animal life on her family’s farm, but it was when she moved to Florida and Sylvia discovered the Gulf of Mexico that she lost her heart to the ocean.  These early investigations inspired her along the path to becoming a prominent and compelling advocate for the ocean. 

Sylvia dives deep and reveals the wonders of an underwater world of whales, angelfish, coral reefs, and tiny creatures that glow in the darkest depth of the sea.  Whether she’s designing submersibles for exploration, living underwater for two weeks, or taking deep-water walks, Sylvia Earle has dedicated her life to learning more about, and urgently calling on all of us to protect, what she call “the blue heart of the planet.” 

Why It’s Fabulous:

Earle’s story is a celebration of curiosity, patience, and observation.  These are skills she practiced in her earliest years in her notebooks and sample collections.  She also sought information in the library to feed her unquenchable desire to know more. After earning a degree in science, she joined an expedition in the Indian Ocean (as the only woman).  Her STEM degree took her to many exciting places from a deep-sea laboratory off the U.S. Virgin Islands to a deep-seas station fifty feet underwater. She walked on the ocean floor, traveled 13,000 feet below the surface in a Japanese submersible, and swam with the whales.  As a world-renowned oceanographer and environmentalist, she taught people to care about and to protect the ocean.

The World Is Not A Rectangle:  APortrait of Architect Zaha Hadid

Jeanette Winter, author and illustrator

Publisher Summary:

Zaha Hadid grew up in Baghdad, Iraq, and dreamed of designing her own cities. After studying architecture in London, she opened her own studio and started designing buildings. But as a Muslim woman, Hadid faced many obstacles. Determined to succeed, she worked hard for many years, and achieved her goals—and now you can see the buildings Hadid has designed all over the world.

Why It’s Fabulous:

Hadid was inspired by her homeland of Iraq—ancient cities, rivers, dunes, and marshes.  As a young girl, she dreamed of designing her own city.  During her time in college, her imagination was the driving force behind her work and study of architecture.  After graduation, she rented a room in a old school building.  Along with some fellow visionaries, they drew and planned endlessly.  Her designs were not like anyone else’s. The buildings swooshed and zoomed and flowed and flew.  She believed the world is not a rectangle.  Despite many rejections, Hadid “made a conscious decision not to stop.”  Using nature as her inspiration, she created tall buildings like the marsh grass, a stadium that looks like a shell, and an opera house like a pebble in the sand. Eventually every room in the old school building was filled with people designing and planning her buildings.  Her belief in the impossible and her dedication allowed for her unique visions to come to life. Even after her death, her architect firm “[kept] their lights on” and “her flame blazing bright.”

The Watcher:  Jane Goodall’s Life with the Chimps

Jeanette Winter

Publisher Summary: 

At five years old, Jane was already a watcher.  Little Jane Goodall loved to watch all the animals in her world—the earthworms and insects, the birds and cats.  She loved to read about Dr. Dolittle, who could talk to animals. 

When she grew up, Jane followed her dream and traveled to Africa to study chimpanzees.  She watched them, she listened to them, and, in time, she became their friend. 

Why It’s Fabulous:

Goodall worked to earn the money to go to Africa.  Then, she bravely traveled across the ocean in hopes of finding an opportunity to study animals in their natural habitat.  She finally received a post to study chimps.  Out in the middle of the jungle, she heard their calls.  However, they stayed hidden.  Even after suffering from malaria—she was determined to wait it out.  Finally, after many months, they revealed themselves.  At first she acted uninterested and watched quietly.  Eventually, they trusted her.  She spent every day with them—observing and taking notes.  She revealed many things we did not previously know about chimps specifically and animals in general. Later when men began to kill and to kidnap them, she fought to save them.  She spoke for the chimps and against deforestation.

Marvelous Mattie:  How Margaret E. Knight Became an Inventor

Emily Arnold McCully, author and illustrator

Publisher Summary:

With her sketchbook labeled My Inventions and her father's toolbox, Mattie could make almost anything – toys, sleds, and a foot warmer. When she was just twelve years old, Mattie designed a metal guard to prevent shuttles from shooting off textile looms and injuring workers. As an adult, Mattie invented the machine that makes the square-bottom paper bags we still use today. However, in court, a man claimed the invention was his, stating that she "could not possibly understand the mechanical complexities." Marvelous Mattie proved him wrong, and over the course of her life earned the title of "the Lady Edison."

Why It’s Fabulous:

Mattie began inventing small things as a child by sketching, problem solving, and building.  She used her factory experience during the industrial revolution to make the lives of workers safer.  Through perseverance and hard work over a two-year period, she invented a complex machine from sketch, to prototype, to final product. She problem solved when things did not work out.  For instance, there was a problem in the initial testing of her first prototype.  Mattie worked to figure it out and to fix it.  She fought against sexist views, but she did not give up even when a man stole her idea.  Instead, she took him to court and won her case.  Rather than sell her invention, she opened up her own business.  Mattie spent her life inventing new machines and trailblazing for women in STEM fields.

Mary Walker Wears the Pants:  The True Story of the Doctor, Reformer, and Civil War Hero

Cheryl Harness, author

Carlo Molinari, illustrator

Publisher Summary:

Mary Edwards Walker was always an outspoken woman.  She was one of America’s first woman doctors, and she fought for women’s rights and gave speeches around the country.  But she could also make a statement just by walking down the street—wearing pants in a time when women always wore dresses!

When the Civil War struck, she set out to serve her country and treat wounded soldiers—not as a nurse, but as a doctor.  She faced extreme danger behind enemy lines and for her bravery she received the Medal of Honor, the highest a war veteran can receive.  She remains the first and only woman to ever hold this honor. 

A hero far ahead of her time, Dr. Walker encountered prejudice and ridicule as well as glory.  And she always insisted on living—and dressing—on her own terms. 

Why It’s Fabulous:
Dr. Walker volunteered when the Civil War began, doing anything she could from writing letters for wounded soldiers to raising money to help with medical care.  She wanted to do more.  She wanted to use her medical knowledge and skills.  Patriotic and determined, she followed the troops and helped in the makeshift battlefield hospitals.  Though her perseverance, she was finally appointed “to serve as an assistant surgeon in the U.S. Army, a first for the military and a first for women.”  While moving back and forth between enemy lines helping the wounded, she was taken as a prisoner of war for several months until being released in an officer exchange.  People laughed at her for her clothes, even after the war.  However, she stayed “true to her ideals.”  She wore her suit and her Medal of Honor with pride.  She wanted women to live and to think freely “unbound by a corset or her society’s expectations.”

The Lion Inside (Rachel Bright)

Title:  The Lion Inside

Author:  Rachel Bright

Illustrator:  Jim Field

Target Ages: 3 and up

Genre: Picture Book

Publisher Summary:

You do not have to be BIG and BRAVE to find your roar. 

Being little isn’t always easy.  But when Mouse sets off on a journey to find his roar, his discovers that even the smallest creature can have the heart of a lion.

First Lines: 

In a dry, dusty place

where the sand sparkled gold,

Stood a might flat rock –

all craggy and old.

And under that rock

in a tinyful house;

Lived the littlest, quietest,

meekest brown mouse.

Memorable Moment:

Yes, that day they BOTH learned

that, no matter your size,

We all have a mouse

AND

a lion inside.

Evaluation: 

The rhyming lyrical language along with the energetic illustrations make The Lion Inside an entertaining read out loud book.  There are plenty of thrills from the lion lifting a hippo to show off his strength to the mouse trudging through the scary landscape to face his fear.  Illustrator Jim Field shifts to different perspectives to give readers a full sense of the tension and action. 

The author Rachel Bright has created interactive opportunities.  There are fun sound words like eeek, roar, and squeak that children will want to mimic.  She utilizes the ellipsis to build suspense and to encourage children to guess (or remember) what will happen next. 

However, the best part of the story is message.   Mouse, a small and meek character, finds his voice while lion, a loud and proud character, learns to be more humble.   The ultimate lesson learned is that everyone has a little mouse and little lion inside. 

I recommend The Lion Inside for your next storytime.  This interactive and engaging text is sure to be a hit!

Ideas for Extension Activities at Home or Lesson Plans for Teachers:

• Comparison:  Compare and contrast the lion and the mouse.  An important area of comparison is how they both have a fear. 
• Rhyming Words:  Identify the rhyming words in each poetic stanza.  Brainstorm other words that rhyme with them.
• Alliteration:  Several lines have words that begin with the same sound.  See if the child/children can identify the matching words.
• Character:  Discuss how mouse learns to be bold by finding his voice and speaking out.   Talk about the right way of being bold and the wrong way (rude, showy, arrogant). 
• Literature:  Read a comparable story like Aesop’s “The Lion and the Mouse.”  Jerry Pickney has a picture book version.  
• Art:  Plan a fun craft project to make a lion and a mouse.
• Dramatic Play:  Children can act out the story using simple props:  Lion and Mouse masks. 
• Sound Words:  Identify sounds words (onomatopoeia) in the story, such as gulp, squeak, roar, grrrr, and eeek. 
• Science:  Read about the African savannah. 

Visit Susanna Hill for Perfect Picture Book Friday. 

Poetry Friday Round Up: Dear Wandering Wildebeest

Welcome to the Poetry Friday Weekly Round Up.  Join in by adding your link at the bottom of this post. To begin with, enjoy a couple poems from this collection:

Title:  Dear Wandering Wildebeest: And Other Poems from the Water Hole

Author:  Irene Latham

Illustrator:  Anna Wadham

Target Ages:  6 and up

Genre:  Poetry Collection

Publisher Summary:

“Spend a day at a water hole on the African grasslands.  From dawn to nightfall, animals come and go.  Giraffes gulp, wildebeests graze, impalas leap, vultures squabble, and elephants wallow. “

Sample Poems:

“The Watchman’s Song”

Call me sentry,

Call me guard.

I round the mounds

in the yard.

I stand up tall.

I scan the dirt.

I watch the town,

ears alert.

I sing my song:

peep peep peep,

It means, we’re safe!

Forage! Sleep!

But, if Jackal stalks

and closes in,

or if Hawk circles

yet again –

I’ll whistle-shrill.

That means: Duck!

Grrrr-bark-rrrrr-bark.

Don’t push luck!

Call me sentry,

Call me guard.

I round the mounds

in the yard.

“Tree for All”

Giraffes feast on my leafy crown;

my buffet never closes.

Rhinos doze beneath my broad branches;

my umbrella shelters and shades.

Baboons scramble up and down my trunk;

my playground delights all ages.

Owls nest in my hidden knothole;

my cradle cozies brand new wings.

Skinks sleep in my think spotted bark;

my camouflage keeps them safe.

Safari ants trail along my roots;

my roadways help build a city.

No grassland beasts can resist my charms;

I am a wild brush willow tree.

Evaluation:

Latham plays with words and poetic forms.  For instance, her titles are colorful and fun.  “Lifestyles of the Sleek and Sinuous” describes how the Black mamba snake lives while “Calling Carcass Control” explains the feeding habits of various animals. Many of the poems follow a traditional format with set stanzas and rhyme. Others are more creative. “Oxpecker Cleaning Service” is written as an advertisement while informing readers about this animal’s important role.  To highlight the difficulty giraffes have to get a drink, a free verse poem is written in outline form. 

While the poems can be enjoyed for their diversity and delightful imagery, this collection has educational value as well. It can supplement units on Africa, habitats, and animals in the science curriculum.  Sounds devices like rhyme and alliteration are plentiful.  These poems can be used to study diverse voices and personification.

The poems themselves are educational on their own. However, a short paragraph corresponds to each one providing additional background information for young readers to better understand the habitat and animals. 

This format can be an inspiration for poetry writing in the classroom or at home.  First, provide an informative prose paragraph on an interesting topic or assign students to pick their own. Then, allow students to write poems using the information. Encourage them to play with literary devices like personification and point of view as well as sound devices. This activity is also an opportunity to teach the difference between poetry and prose. While prose just “gives the facts,” poetry allows readers to experience the facts through vivid imagery and different points of view.

Anna Wadham’s illustrations are fantastic.  The soft colors and beautiful drawings give little glimpses into life on the African grasslands. 

Overall, Dear Wandering Wildebeest is a celebration of nature and diversity.  It is a must-read!  

Tiny Little Fly (Michael Rosen)

Summary of Tiny Little Fly (Michael Rosen)

As Tiny Little Fly dashes through the jungle, he encounters various large animals (elephant, hippo, and tiger).  Each animal becomes annoyed by the fly and determines to squash him.  However, each time “My, oh my, Tiny Little Fly” darts away.  In a last attempt to catch the fly, the enormous animals are left in mayhem and mud (shown in a 4-page fold out).  The fly wizzes off with a self-assured wink of the eye and a “Bye, Everyone, Bye.”  

Evaluation

In this whimsical narrative, a fly (tiny and ordinary) out smarts and gets the better of large African animals, which is sure to delight young readers. The illustrations are appealing. The muted background and minimal accents of the digitally enhanced pencil-and-gouache pictures focus on the exotic animals and fly.

This book is full of enjoyable, educational opportunities. There are several repetitive phrases like “My, oh my, Tiny Little Fly!” and “I’m going to catch that fly!” Children will quickly catch on and want to “read” along with you each time the phrases come up in the cyclical narrative.

Next, when each animal is introduced, the reader only sees part of it, giving children the opportunity to guess each one.  When you turn the page, a large-scale view of the animal spanning the two-pages is revealed. Guessing the animals is great for interaction, but it is also teaching an essential critical reading skill—prediction—that pre-readers will need later. 

Also, each sequence involves rhyming.  For instance, “Tiny Little Fly sees great big toes…Tiny Little Fly sits on Elephant’s nose.”  Children can practice saying and identifying the words as rhyming, but also it allows for children in later readings to predict what word comes next when they hear the first one, both reinforcing rhyming words and prediction skills. 

There are vivid action words in each sequence, such as “Swoop! Snatch! Swoop!”  These words are repeated twice in the story corresponding to the same animal each time.  Listeners can anticipate and participate in saying them with the prompts in the book. 

Tiny Little Fly is an ideal read-out-loud book for pre-school to kindergarten-aged pre-readers.  Children may also move from being active listeners to eventual readers with the simple, repetitive vocabulary and large print of this endearing picture book.

Extension Activities

• Reading:  Prediction, rhyming, and sight words.
• Science:  Learn about African Animals or insects such as the fly.  Discuss the differences between the mammals and insects. 
• Geography:  Identify Africa on a map and learn some additional facts about the continent. 
• Art:  Draw with pencil and then paint a large picture of one of the animals (older children) or give a stencil or cut out pieces to create a large scale version of an animal (younger).
• Story Retelling:  Give several children a part to practice in the story.  Then act it out. The audience can act as a chorus repeating the key parts.