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The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: Amazing Women in STEM Project

I am so pleased to be sharing another awesome new children's book! The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin is a wonderful picture book describing the childhood of the world renowned animal scientist and speaker, Temple Grandin, and how she overcame being different to become a successful scientist and writer. It is one of two picture books in the new Amazing Scientists book series.

In addition to sharing this new book with you, I have included a free "Amazing Women in STEM Research" printable that will be perfect for science and language arts projects in the elementary classroom or with the kids at home. To get you started on your project, also included in this post is a list of inspiring women in STEM with accompanying children's book suggestions.

This post contains affiliate links, meaning I will receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you) if you make a purchase after clicking a product link. Please see disclosures page for more details.

Temple Grandin, an Amazing Woman in STEM

I was very excited to receive my review copy of The Girl Who Thought in Pictures . I love so many things about this book! I love that The Girl Who Thought in Pictures is written in rhyming text, it makes for a lovely read aloud. The illustrations and the way the text is laid out is visually appealing to children as well. The book does an excellent job of describing some tough topics, Dr. Grandin's childhood, her autism diagnosis and how through it all she found things she loved and ways to become successful.

I think it is so important for children to find relatable role models in the sciences and The Girl Who Thought in Pictures does such a great job of illustrating Temple Grandin's signature quotes: "Different, not less." and "The world needs all kinds of minds." I think that all kids most likely experience feeling like they don't fit in at some point in their life, and it is wonderful for them to hear the message that even when you are different, you are needed, you can find supportive people, you can learn what works for you, and you can find success.

As well as a great read-aloud story, the book includes a timeline of Temple Grandin's life, a letter from Temple Grandin, highlights from an interview and detailed biographical information. It could definitely be used as a resource in an elementary biography or research project.

Here is a sneak peek:

I also love that this is just one of two books depicting a strong female role model in the sciences. The second book in the new Amazing Scientists book series is The Doctor with an Eye for Eyes: The Story of Dr. Patricia Bath, a groundbreaking ophthalmologist. I'm excited to see future additions to this book series!

Amazing Women in STEM Research Printable

Use this free 2-page "Amazing Women in STEM Research" printable to get your students or kids at home started on a research or biography project featuring a notable women in a STEM field. The list of women and related children's books below will have you well on your way.

Women in STEM

In addition to Temple Grandin and Patricia Bath, the following is a list of female scientists, mathematicians, computer coders, and engineers. No doubt you'll know some of these names, but others will most likely be new. They are all fascinating people! Accompanying each woman is a list of children's books about them.

Mary Anning (1799-1847)

An English fossil hunter and paleontologist, discovered a fantastic source of sea fossils from the Jurassic period.

Learn more:

Elizabeth Blackwell (1821-1910)

The first woman to receive a medical degree in the United States, and an advocate for future female doctors.

Learn more:

Annie Jump Cannon (1863-1941)

An American astronomer whose work cataloguing the stars led to the system of modern stellar classification.

Learn more:

Annie Jump Cannon, Astronomer

Rachel Carson (1907-1964)

Marine biologist, conservationist and writer, her influential book Silent Spring waned of the use of chemicals like DDT on the environment.

Learn more:

Eugenie Clark (1922-2015)

American ichthyologist known as "The Shark Lady", increased our knowledge of sharks and other fish, as well as worked to improve shark's negative reputation.

Learn more:

Anna Botsford Comstock (1854-1930)

American conservationist, teacher and artist, was a pioneer in the nature study movement.

Learn more:

Out of School and Into Nature: The Anna Comstock Story

Marie Curie (1867-1934)

Polish physicist and chemist who completed pioneering work in the field of radioactivity with her husband, Pierre. Won Nobel prizes in Chemistry and Physics.

Learn more:

Sylvia Earle (1935- )

American marine biologist, explorer, author, lecturer and National Geographic explorer-in-residence.

Learn more:

Rosalind Franklin (1920-1958)

Molecular biologist who was responsible for much of the research and understanding of the structure of DNA, despite the findings being published by James Watson and Francis Crick first.

Learn more:

Rosalind Franklin (Scientists Who Changed the World)

Jane Goodall (1934- )

British primatologist, the world's leading expert on chimpanzees, ethologist, anthropologist and UN Messenger of Peace. Also the founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and the Roots and Shoots program.

Learn more:

Margaret Hamilton (1936- )

American computer scientist and systems engineer. As Director of the Software Engineering Division of the MIT Instrumentation Laboratory she helped develop software for the Apollo space missions.

Learn more:

Grace Hopper (1906-1992)

Pioneer of computer programming, a computer scientist and United States Navy admiral.

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Mae Jemison (1956- )

NASA astronaut, engineer and physician. The first African-American woman to travel in space.

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Katherine Johnson (1918- )

African-American mathematician, or human calculator, who was critical to early NASA missions, such as Project Mercury and Apollo 11.

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Margaret E. Knight (1838-1914)

Called the "most famous 19th-century inventor" known for the flat-bottomed paper bag.

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Henrietta Leavitt (1868-1921)

American astronomer who discovered relationship between the luminosity and the period of Cepheid variable stars. Although she didn't get much credit during her lifetime for her discovery, it helped future astronomers measure the distance between Earth and other galaxies.

Learn more:

Ada Lovelace (1815-1852)

English mathematician and writer, known for being the first "computer programmer" as she created the first algorithm intended to be carried out by the first proposed computer.

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Caitlin O'Connell-Rodwell (1965- )

World renowned elephant expert, instructor at Stanford University Medical School, scientific consultant, author and co-founder of Utopia Scientific.

Learn more:

The Elephant Scientist (Scientists in the Field)

Maria Merian (1647-1717)

German naturalist, entomologist and scientific illustrator.

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Sally Ride (1951-2012)

American physicist and astronaut, the first American woman in space!

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Marie Tharp (1920-2006)

American geologist and cartographer, who along with Bruce Hezeen, completed the first scientific map of the entire ocean floor.

Learn more:

Solving the Puzzle Under the Sea: Maria Tharp Maps the Ocean Floor

Collections about Women in STEM

Buy a Book and Help a Good Cause

You may not be aware of this, but when you purchase a book published by The Innovation Press, like The Girl Who Thought in Pictures, you are not only getting a great book for the children in your life, but also helping others. For every 10 books sold, The Innovation Press donates one book to First Book, getting books into the hands of kids and schools in need.

Design an Insect Investigation with Zoey and Sassafras- NGSS Linked Activity

I am so thrilled to be sharing a new science-themed fiction book series: Zoey and Sassafras with you! I've found there are great non-fiction kid's books to spark a love of science, and wonderful fictional picture books that have themes that can be used in the science classroom. Zoey and Sassafras manages to do both!

Read on to find out more about this book, and how to use it to spark curiosity in science. You'll find the directions for a Next Generation Science Standards aligned insect investigation lesson as well as a free printable Zoey and Sassafras themed science journal. I guarantee this book series and activity will be a big hit with your students or kids at home!

This post contains affiliate links, meaning I make a small commission from purchases made from these links at no additional cost to you, please see disclosures for more details.

Zoey and Sassafras: Dragons and Marshmallows

Zoey and Sassafras: Dragons and Marshmallows is the first book in this fun series by Asia Citro. This illustrated chapter book, aimed at readers in Kindergarten through 4th grade, features a curious girl named Zoey and her cat Sassafras. Zoey loves science, insects and other animals. She's not only a strong female character, but also, incredibly relatable to any kid who loves investigating questions, getting down in the dirt, and a little bit of magic. The series is perfect for budding scientists, aspiring veterinarians and zoologists.

I fell in love with Zoey immediately because the story opens with her flipping over a big, mossy rock to investigate what creatures lie beneath it. She proceeds to build a bug circus with what she has found. Flipping over a rock in search of insects and other macro-invertebrates is something you could find me doing when I was a kid (and admittedly, you still might find me doing it today!).

Zoey and Sassafras are tasked with caring for some magical animals in the series. To do so, they must use scientific thinking. Skillfully woven throughout the story are examples of experimental design, science vocabulary, and scientific reasoning. There are examples of science journal entries throughout and a glossary of science terms at the end. You can read a sample of the first story here, but be warned, you'll want to know what happens next!

Since we love insects and other crawly creatures, we thought it would be fun to design some experiments just like Zoey does. So, grab your thinking goggles, because off we go!

Design Your Own Insect Investigation

The most important part of an insect investigation is understanding that you are working with living creatures, and that they must be treated with kindness, care and respect. Be gentle with anything you collect, and be sure to return it to where you found it before too long!

Insect Investigation Activities

Zoey and Sassafras printable science journal pages (they are free!)
a container or plastic terrarium
an insect box magnifier or magnifying glass
paper towels
flashlight or lamp
drinking straws or other natural tubes, like plant stems (for making a bug hotel, see below)

...and basically anything else you can come up with! Just remember to be gentle with your creatures!

Let's learn more about what insects need, just like Zoey and Sassafras had to do with their dragon in Dragons and Marshmallows. First, you'll need to collect some insects, bugs, worms or other small creatures. Look under rocks, small logs or pieces of bark. Dig in the soil. Where else can you find them?

(If you need creatures for a classroom project and/or live in an area where you can't access nature easily, you can investigate crickets purchased online or at the pet store, or even worms sold as bait! The same careful, respectful handling rules apply to these creatures.)

Experimental Question and Hypothesis

Time to start your investigation. Leave the experimental design open-ended for young minds to ponder. Here are some ideas for experimental questions:

Does my animal prefer light, or dark?
Would my animal like to live where it is damp or dry?
What types of food does my animal prefer?
What type of home would my creature like to live in?

What is your hypothesis? Be sure to make one before you begin!

Use these free printable Zoey and Sassafras science journal sheets to help organize your ideas and collect your data.

For more excellent STEM activities and extensions to compliment Zoey and Sassafras, check out the book's website here.

Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)

Kindergarten: K-LS1-1 (making observations of what animals need to survive)
2nd Grade: 2-LS4-1 (making observations to understand the diversity of life in different habitats)
2nd Grade: Take it a step further- include plant investigations! 2-LS2-1 (design an investigation to see if plants need light and water to grow)

Are you looking for other NGSS aligned lessons that deal with small critters? Check out one of my favorite curriculum books: More Picture Perfect Science and the "Wiggling Worms at Work" lesson. It uses 2 great children's books: Diary of a Worm, and Wiggling Worms at Work.

Disclaimer: I received a review copy of Zoey and Sassafras: Dragons and Marshmallows in exchange for an honest review. Zoey and Sassafras character art is used with express written permission from Marion Lindsay and The Innovation Press.

Who Are the "Underground Astronauts"?

Can you imagine finding the discovery of a lifetime, but not being able to retrieve it? When cavers found ancient hominid fossil remains while exploring in South Africa, they knew they were on to something. Problem was, they knew they didn't have the archaeological skills needed to excavate the find. The researcher who did have the skills was too big to squeeze into the ridiculously tight crevices that lead to the cave...what were they to do?

As you have most likely seen or read, the National Geographic Rising Star expedition team studying the "Cradle of Humankind" near Johannesburg, South Africa, put out a call for skilled archaeologists with caving skills who were petite enough to fit into these small spaces. 6 highly qualified candidates emerged to take on the task, and they all happened to be women. This crew of ladies painstakingly excavated the site in a once and a lifetime opportunity and brought to the surface the skeletal remains of several new members of our family- Homo naledi.

"Comparison of skull features of Homo naledi and other early human species" by Chris Stringer, Natural History Museum, United Kingdom (10 September 2015). "The many mysteries of Homo naledi". eLife 4: e10627. DOI:10.7554/eLife.10627. PMC: 4559885. ISSN 2050-084X.. Licensed under CC BY 4.0 via Commons

These women had to crawl through spaces so tight it prevented them from wearing safety gear. Some sections were only 10 inches high and required what they call the "superman crawl" with one arm down by the side and one outstretched in front like superman flying. They took 6 hour shifts underground, working for a few weeks and eventually retrieved 1,500 specimens from the cavern.

"Homo naledi 2" by Lee Roger Berger research team. Licensed under CC BY 4.0 via Commons

Let's find out more about each of these remarkable female scientists! When you have an adventure story like this it is a golden opportunity to inspire young scientists and adventurers. Who are the 6 "underground astronauts" of the Rising Star Expedition?

Elen Feuerriegel

Elen is a paleoanthropology PhD student at the Australian National University in Canberra, Australia. She is interested in how early humans used tools, and specifically the muscle and bone structure of those people. She has been interested in the human body and forensic anthropology since she was a teenager. She loves to inspire kids and hopes to teach as well as continue working as a paleoanthropologist.

Learn more about Elen here:

K. Lindsay (Eaves) Hunter

Lindsay has a passion for paleoanthropology but also science outreach. The focus of much of her research has been in the evolution of the trunk portion of skeletons in the genus Homo. During the Rising Star expedition Lindsay was a PhD student at the University of Iowa. Lindsay is also a writer and is very interested in introducing anthropology to young students. She has moved to South Africa to live with her husband, Homo naledi fossil co-discoverer Rick Hunter, and continue to research.

Learn more about Lindsay here:

Marina Elliott

Marina is a postdoctoral fellow in the Evolutionary Studies Institute at the University of Witswatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa. During the excavation Marina was getting her PhD at Simon Fraser University in Canada. She has taken part in several expeditions in inhospitable areas such as Siberia and Alaska, as well as her recent excursions into the treacherous cave in South Africa.

Her research focuses on the stories that human fossils can tell us about the life of that person and the archaeology of burial practices. As scientists believe the cache of Homo naledi fossils found by the Rising Star expedition were most likely intentionally left in the cave as part of a burial practice, her expertise will continue to be indispensable in studying this new branch of our family tree.

Learn more about Marina:

Alia Gurtov

Alia is a PhD student at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. She is trying to answer the question of whether people 1.8 million years ago were eating differently based on season. She examines animal teeth for scratches and wear which would indicate what season they were butchered during by our ancient relatives. Her love of playing in the dirt and ancient peoples made the Rising Star expedition a dream come true, but it is only one of the amazing excavations she has taken part in. She is a Leakey Foundation grant winner and has studied extensively at famed Olduvai Gorge in addition to many other sites.

Learn more about Alia:

Hannah Morris

Hannah is a PhD student at the University of Georgia. She is an archaeologist who studies how humans interacted with plants historically. She has worked on archaeological digs with the American Museum of Natural History and founded a paleoethnobotanical consulting service called Chena Consulting Services. In addition to her archaeology work she also has taught workshops for middle school students.

Learn more about Hannah:

Becca Peixotto

Becca is a PhD student at American University in Washington D.C. She is an archaeologist who studies the Great Dismal Swamp, along the Virginia-North Carolina border. This is an area that became part of the Underground Railroad and where escaped slaves took refuge. Little is known about these settlements and Becca is interested in solving this mystery. In addition to her work as an archaeologist, she is also a wilderness and outdoor educator.

Learn more about Becca:

These little blurbs just scratch the surface of these amazing women. I found myself enthralled as I learned more about them. I hope that they inspire you, your children and students as well!

Learn more:

Cycle for Science, a Cross Country Science Adventure!

Elizabeth Case and Rachel Woods-Robinson just wrapped up an amazing journey. These young scientists and cycling fanatics biked close to 4,000 miles across the United States this summer and taught science classes along the way. You may have read about them previously in my post, "Science Teaching Toolbox: Girl Power! Getting (and keeping) Girls Interested in Science" or my DOGOnews article, "Cycle for Science: A Cross Country Adventure with a Mission".

These ladies are an impressive duo who are passionate about sharing science with young people and showing that anyone can be a scientist. The classes they taught as they journeyed across the country were focused on solar energy and building a solar powered model bicycle, called the "Sol Cycle" Check them out in action in this YouTube video:

In addition to the cycling and teaching portion of their project they will be spotlighting great teachers and sharing teaching practices. Cycle for Science will continue to be a great resource for science teachers looking for hands-on education ideas long after this summer. For more information about these resources and to read all about their travels check out their website here. You might also enjoy reading their guest blog posts for the Department of Energy found here.

Science Teaching Toolbox: Girl Power! Getting (and keeping) Girls Interested in Science

images: NASA, Yvonne in Willowick Ohio

I have had the great fortune of teaching science from Preschool to 6th grade at a small school. I'm often told by students that I am currently teaching (and those that have moved on to Upper School science) that gym and science are their favorite classes. Science ranks next to gym! Not too shabby, right? I'm not trying to toot my own horn here, much of this is the result of the attitude and support of the community I teach in. So what is the secret in my humble opinion?

This post contains affiliate links, please see disclosures for more information.

Although I can base this on nothing more than my own experience, I think the key to keeping girls, and all children interested in science, can be narrowed down to 6 basic ideas:

1. Starting Early
We have a strong Early Childhood program at my school. From the very beginning I introduce the idea that a scientist is someone who asks questions and then experiments to find out. If you are curious- you are a scientist. Keeps it simple, right? I also think it is helpful that the first experience these little guys and gals have in science is a female teacher, they see right off the bat that I don't look like the mad scientist depicted in the cartoons.

I have used a couple of children's books with great success for many years that depict male and female, child and adult scientists. What is a Scientist? by Barbara Lehn uses photographs of children engaging in science investigations.

The text explains how these children are investigating questions they have about every day experiences. The second book is called Scientists Ask Questions by Ginger Garrett. This one uses photography once again and shows a wide variety of scientists asking questions and then using scientific ideas to find answers.

2. Breaking down stereotypes

If I could banish the lab coat, I would. I know there are some contexts when a lab coat is necessary, but seriously, how many jobs in the vast array of science fields actually involve wearing a lab coat?? Here is an experiment to understand your student or child's understanding of a scientist. Give them a piece of paper and ask them to draw a scientist. Does their picture involve a crazy haired man? Someone in a lab coat? Bubbling beakers? I've done this for many years, often several years in a row.

When I first started, I got a lot of beakers and Einstein-esque crazy hair. During the Harry Potter days a lot of the scientists were making "potions". Now, I am finding, after several years of hearing that we are all scientists as long as we are curious and asking questions, my students are drawing me, or even more thrilling...they draw THEMSELVES. I think it is key to point out that you don't have to be a professional scientists to be a scientist! It's also important to point people who are "real" scientists when you have the opportunity and note what they look like. Kids are never too little to have these discussions! It is all in how you present it.

I was recently inspired by this enterprising Mom of two girls who is working to break down stereotypes. These are the small steps we can all take to see our girls as scientists.

You can purchase a "This Girl Asks Why" t-shirt here.

3. Authentic experiences

If you keep experiences in the classroom real, pertinent, timely and hands on, all students benefit, especially girls who might not be encouraged to try such things otherwise. If you like reading my news articles to bring current events into your classroom, you probably are already doing these things. Are there local citizen science initiatives you can involve your students in? I try to incorporate citizen science projects into my curriculum because it gives kids a chance to feel empowered by contributing directly to current science. Check out my earlier posts that include information on these authentic science experiences:

Sally Ride EarthKam: Be Part of an International Space Station Mission

Weather: Authentic Science- Not Just Small Talk!

The Great Backyard Bird Count and Other Winter Citizen Science Projects

PenguinWatch and Other Ways YOU Can Be a Scientist

It is easier for students to envision themselves in science careers if they have had experiences seeing what actually science feels like.

4. Age appropriate role models

There are many great woman scientists, many of which are finally being recognized for their accomplishments. Although I have much greater admiration for the Rosalind Franklins and Barbara McClintocks of the world now that I am an adult, kids can't always relate to grown ups. If there are ways to connect your students with young people in the sciences they will benefit from it.

Does your local University or Community College offer any outreach programs? Do you know someone with a college age child or recent grad in a science field? Get them into your classroom! Introducing kids to legends in science is important, but when you can connect them to someone they can actually talk to, that is not really that much older than them, it can make a huge impact. For several years I had science students with a college outreach program come help teach science classes once a week. I did not need the help teaching the classes, but my students loved having them come, and that was the value of the program. There were actually a higher percentage of females in the program than males. My students got to ask them questions and have informal conversations that they might not have had otherwise.

One year we were also lucky enough to bring some of our middle school students to have a pizza lunch with college biology students who were getting ready to present their senior projects. We were worried that our kids wouldn't ask questions and it would be an awkward event- it was exactly the opposite. The college students and middle school students really hit it off and were asking each other great science questions. Our students got a taste of what being in the sciences beyond grade school was like.

http://www.shareitscience.com/2015/07/cycle-for-science-cross-country-science.html

Here are two young ladies that are great science role models for our girls. Cycle for Science is a project that tackled stereotypes in science and give students examples of young women in science fields. Two young, female scientists are traveled across the country by bike and taught science classes along the way. Check out my post on their project "Cycle for Science: A Cross Country Science Adventure!". Visit their website for more information.

5. Modeling and Encouraging

The power is in your hands- seriously, it is! If we want to see change in our girls, we have to model it for them. Kids are looking to us to guide them. i.e. If your little girl is way into spiders, then you'll probably have to get over your fear of spiders to encourage her. I have had parents, who otherwise want their children to excel in science refuse to have certain science projects completed at home because they were too messy or involved something "too gross".

In order to protect my students I won't go into details here, but my point is this- if your student or child is excited about it, as long as it is safe, you need to encourage it. I have had students (mostly girls now that I really think about it, and girls who continue to be successful as they become young adults) bring in some of the craziest (and coolest) stuff to science class. I always let them share with the class, regardless of my agenda for the day. Starch from pasta, fish heads, dead butterflies, fungus, a rock collection, coyote bone, a cat skull, caterpillars, salamanders, newspaper articles, etc. (True story) If you want them to embrace science, you have to embrace their interest.

I can honestly say I never felt any push back from anyone about going into the sciences, and I truly believe it had 100% to do with supportive parents and teachers.

6. Empowering Materials

Provide examples and materials that empower girls and all students in your classrooms. Students need to see current scientists in action, not black and white photos or scientists who made great discoveries years ago.

I like to use the Natural Inquirer series from the USDA/Forest Service. This free journal focuses on recent research written in a digestible way for upper Elementary and Middle School students. Each article features a bio about the scientists involved. You can get free issues or read online by visiting their website.

I would also encourage searching current science news and then learning about the head researchers mentioned in the articles. Often they are women and they are studying fascinating things. A good place to start is the Student Society for Science website.

You can also use materials that encourage STEM learning for all. I use K'nex building systems with my third grade and the girls are just as interested in building as the boys, in some cases they just don't have the opportunity to build things like this at home. Companies like GoldieBlox are focusing on empowering girls in STEM fields. You might have seen their commercial that ended up going viral.

The GoldieBlox kits such as GoldieBlox and the Spinning Machine are building systems that include a book about Goldie to encourage girls in engineering. Other cool building kits are littleBits which are circuitry and electronics sets with an infinity of possibilities. Snap Circuits is another circuitry system which gives the option of creating over 101 different electronics with sensors and lights. I have a student who brought her Snap Circuits set in to school and everybody was hooked!

Now let's go make it happen! Do you have a great resource or idea for empowering girls in STEM to share with others? Comment below or e-mail me at shareitscience@gmail.com

Women and girls in science resources: