Book Review: She Can STEM

March is Women’s History Month, so it’s a great time for kids and adults alike to learn more about women in history that we should already know about.

Talking about women in STEM is popular because it’s a field that’s only going to continue to grow and girls aren’t always exposed to it as a career option for them, or they don’t see stories about women in STEM they can aspire to.

The book She Can STEM by Liz Lee Heinecke introduces readers to 50 women in science from throughout history to show that women have always been a part of biology, chemistry, ecology and physics.

Each person highlighted is given a two-page spread, with a full-page illustration and a page long biography exploring their role in science, where they lived and how scientists do similar work today. There’s also a STEM related idea for readers to try.

For example the first woman in the book, Tapputi-Belaktikallim, was the manager of a royal household in ancient Mesopotamia, who also made perfume for the royal family, making her the world’s first known chemical engineer. The experiment asks readers to crush flowers to release their essential oils, which would have been done to make ancient perfumes.

Some of these scientists are people you’ve probably heard of, like Marie Curie, Rachel Carson and Rosalind Franklin, but most of them are names you probably don’t know (unless you’re a scientist). To name a few chosen at random:

Mary Agnes Chase, an expert in grasses who traveled the world and documented more than 20,000 species of grass
Ruby Payne Scott, an Australian radar expert whose research on sunspots and radio astronomy helped scientists discover black holes and understand the effect solar storms have on earth
Oceanographer Sylvia Earle, the first woman to lead the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration, she’s also the person who has walked deepest in the ocean while untethered
Valerie L. Thomas, whose illusion transmitter was the forerunner of today’s 3-D technology
Aparajita Datta, an Indian ecologist whose work showed that hornbill birds were largely responsible for seed dispersion within their habitats, which has led to efforts to protect the birds
Raychelle Burks, a chemist who developed a chemical sensor similar to the fictional tricorders used on Star Trek

While the biographies of each scientist are brief, they give readers a jumping off point for further learning and scientific experimentation of their own. They might also open up your mind to areas of scientific inquiry you didn’t even know existed, like olfactory chemistry, crystallography and the study of termites.

About the book: 112 pages, hardcover, published 2024 by Quarto Books, suggested retail price $19.99.

Learn about Women Artists

Lots of Americans seem to think that May 5 is Mexican Independence Day, but that holiday actually falls on Sept. 16.

May 5 is the celebration of the Battle of Puebla, in which the Mexicans defeated the French in 1862. Independence Day marks the beginning of their fight for independence from Spain in 1810. That was the day of what’s known as El Grito de Dolores, or the cry of Dolores, for when the Catholic priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla rang the church bells at his church in Dolores and declared that Mexico should be free from Spanish rule.

They would fight for their freedom until 1821 when they finally gained independence.

Fabulous Classroom has a little of the history and ideas for celebrating the holiday for all age groups. There’s also a link to a good video in that post about the real story of Mexican Independence Day.

Twinkl also has a good tops about the history and different activities, discussion ideas, crafts and foods that can be incorporated into lessons at school or used at home.

I also found a few pins that no longer link to a website but include good information on Mexican Independence Day, including some questions for students to answer based on the reading. You can find more printables and questions for kids from TX Homeschool Mama on Etsy (also available in Spanish).

You can find a lot more paid resources about Mexican Independence Day at Teachers Pay Teachers.

Mexican flag crafts are a fun option for celebrating Mexican Independence Day (though the current iteration of their flag has only been in use since 1968). Kids Activities Blog has a free Mexican flag printable and a few different ideas for decorating it including dot markers and torn tissue paper.

You can also find some great Mexican crafts at Red Ted Art. The post includes all sorts of Mexican inspired projects including Day of the Dead crafts, Frida Kahlo pinatas and upcycled musical instruments. I love the giant paper flowers they shared from Honestly WTF.

Have you read?

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