Celebrations began in 1987 as a week honoring women who made significant impacts on our society. Presentations and essay contests were held. After much liking of these celebrations, former president Jimmy Carter officially recognized women’s history week in 1980, designated to be celebrated the week of March 8th. After much deliberation and advocating from women’s groups in 1987, the week-long celebration would now be recognized for an entire month, creating what we now know as Women’s History Month. 

History may be hard for students to grasp without engaging visuals or relatability to the time period. We have found that visuals and storytelling is the best way to get an important message across in our classrooms, including history! It is also proven that storytelling is one of the most effective ways to teach history and can increase the enjoyment and personal connection to the time period. For this reason, we recommend sharing stories with your students about various time periods, whether it be through verbal communication, a musical, a movie, or a book. 

Our educators are looking forward to celebrating Women’s History Month in our classrooms.  As it continues to be proven every day, women are essential to the founding of our nation, society, and culture, just as they still are today. Because March is also National Reading Month, we’ve come up with a list of books to read in your classroom this month for any age. 

Here is a list of powerful and popular storybooks we recommend to enjoy in your classroom this March: 

• She Persisted: 13 Women Who Changed the World by Chelsea Clinton (Ages 4-8). This picture book will introduce your students to incredible women of all ages who never gave up when the world told them to step aside. Learn about women who made a difference in history as well as women who are making a difference today. 

• Mae Among the Stars by Roda Ahmed (Ages 4-8). Learn about Mae Jemison in this out-of-this-world story of the first African American woman to visit outer space. Students will be inspired to chase their dreams, no matter the size, after reading this beautiful picture book. 

• Malala’s Magic Pencil by Malala Yousafzai (Ages 4-8). This story captures Malala’s childhood wish for a magic pencil that could change how things were in the world, but she learns she can make the changes she wants in the world herself. Learn Malala’s story of persistence, hope, and the right to education in this book written for young readers. 

• Before She was Harriet by Lesa Cline-Ransome (Ages 4-8). A “lyrical” biography about Harriet Tubman before she became a conductor of the underground railroad. This book has won various awards including a Junior Library Guild Selection and a Booklist "Top of the List" selection. 

• Kamala Harris: Rooted in Justice by Nikki Grimes (Ages 4-8). Journey with Kamala as she goes from fighting for rights in her school to fighting for the people of our country. This picture book told in verse will introduce the story behind the woman who became the first Vice President of the United States.

• Brave Girl: Clara Lemlich and the Shirtwaist Makers by Michelle Markel (Ages 4-8). Introduce students to the story of Ukrainian immigrant Clara Lemlich, her struggles as a shirtwaist factory worker, and how she led the “largest strike of women workers” in our history.

• Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean's Most Fearless Scientist (Ages 4-8). Dive into this story about scientist Eugenie Clark who, against what everyone else believed she could do, changed people’s perception of one of the most feared creatures: sharks!

• The Youngest Marcher by Cynthia Levinson (Ages 5-10). You’ll meet Audrey Faye Hendricks, the youngest activist to ever be arrested, in this lovely picture book. After learning of Audrey’s experiences with activism in the 1960s, your students will know they are never too young to make a difference in their communities. 

• The Story of Jane Goodall: A Biography Book for New Readers by Susan B. Katz (Ages 6-9). The animal lovers in your classroom will adore discovering the scientist who made ground-breaking research with chimpanzees in Africa, exploring how she became the scientist she always wanted to be. 

• Are You an Echo?: The Lost Poetry of Misuzu Kaneko by Misuzu Kaneko (Ages 7-10). Beautiful poetry, side-by-side with the original Japanese poems, tells the story of legendary poet Misuzu Kaneko. Her poems are known to reflect her personal questions about life, nature, and hardships. This multicultural picture book will introduce students to a historical figure while also experiencing the art of poetry. 

We have some more challenging reads that we recommend for your older students: 

1. The Skylark’s War by Hilary McKay (Ages 10+). In the early twentieth century, Clarry Penrose longs to make her life her own, even if it's against what everyone expects of her. Through humor and heartbreak, students will learn what it means to open their own doors in life. This book is a Boston Globe Best Book of 2018. 
2. The Girl Who Drew Butterflies by Joyce Sidman (Ages 10-12). The artists in your classroom are bound to enjoy this story while perhaps inspiring your other students to get creative, even about things we don’t necessarily always consider “beautiful.” This illustrated biography captures the life of Maria Sibylla Merian, one of the first female entomologists, and her love for insects. 
3. Ahimsa by Supriya Kelkar (Ages 8-12). Ten-year-old Anjali is forced to learn what it means for her and her family to fight for freedom through ahimsa: the ancient Indian principle of non-violence against living things. Her life is turned upside down as her family follows Mahatma Gandhi's call to the freedom movement. Does she keep going?
4. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (Ages 12+). A classic novel about four young women, all with different personalities, coming of age in financial and spiritual poverty. Your students are bound to relate to these characters despite the distance in time.
5. Under a Painted Sky by Stacy Lee (Ages 12+). Take a journey to 1849 with Samantha and Annamae, a Chinese American and runaway slave. To survive, they disguise themselves as boys on the Oregon trail where they meet allies and discover friendship, but the past will come crawling back to them inevitably. This is an ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults Pick. 

Recommended ages and summaries were found through the publisher and Amazon.com.  

Women in history are critical to how we created modern society. Mobile Ed Productions, Inc. has a one-of-a-kind program that brings important women back from the past to meet your students right in their classroom. Using our Mobile Ed Time Machine, your students will get to meet various women who have changed the world while understanding how and why they did it. Through their personal stories, students will get a well-rounded historical background about various time periods while also giving them the confidence to change the world around them. 

In the Women in History program, students will learn about: 

• Clara Barton
• Florence Nightingale
• Madame Curie
• Amelia Earhart
• Helen Keller
• Anne Sullivan
• Harriet Tubman
• Annie Oakley
• Margaret Mead
• Eleanor Roosevelt

More details about this program can be found here. Contact our team anytime at info@mobileedproductions.com to learn more about our Women in History program. We are looking forward to connecting with you!