Math & Science Hall of Fame
Overview and Goals
The goals of our Hall of Fame series are to (1) remember and celebrate heroes of math and science from historically marginalized groups through STEM learning activities and authentic, personal stories, and to (2) connect our math and science heroes to content learning objectives so that it's easy and useful for teachers to implement. By celebrating these amazing role models, we also hope to help diverse students see themselves in STEM career paths!
Hall of Fame Lessons
Below are Hall of Fame lessons available to all of our district partners under the Sample Lessons tab:
Benjamin Banneker made significant contributions to our understanding of planetary movements and cicada life cycles. He was also the author of a series of almanacs for everyone from farmers to astronomers. This is a great Hall of Fame lesson for Black History Month — or any time of year. Make it a February tradition!
Katherine Johnson was a gifted mathematician who turned her passion for numbers into a star-blazing career at NASA, a Congressional Medal of Honor, and a feature film about her life and accomplishments. Despite the fact that it was unusual for a woman to excel in math and science at this time in American history, Katherine Johnson blazed trails for women today who are interested in pursuing STEM careers. Consider this lesson each March for Women’s History Month.
Sabrina Gonzalez Pasterski is a young scientist making breakthroughs in the field of theoretical physics. She is a first generation Cuban American, and a native of Chicago, Illinois. As a young budding scientist, Sabrina studied and built airplanes, learning how to fly from her father. By the age of 27, she became the first woman to graduate top of her class from MIT Physics, earn a PhD from Harvard, and have her research on the spin memory effect cited by Stephen Hawking! Introduce your students to Sabrina during Hispanic Heritage Month.
Planet Earth is an honorary member of our STEM Hall of Fame. After all, it is home to so many mathematicians and scientists. This lesson teaches students about the history of Earth Day (every April 22nd) and what students can do to help preserve our planet!
Dr. Jessica Ware is a rising entymologist, and proud member of the LGBTQ+ community. She spends time in nature, studying the habits of dragonflies in order to trace their evolutionary history. She spends her free time encouraging women of color, and from the LGBTQ+ community to join the world of science, and make a difference! We are celebrating Dr. Jessica Ware during Pride Month.
Matthew Henson was one of the few black explorers during the beginning of the 20th century. In 1910 he accompanied Admiral Robert Peary to the arctic, and due to his perseverance, unique circumstances, and knowledge of the Inuit culture and traditions, he soon become the first man, and first black man, to reach the North Pole! Explore Matthew Henson's journey during the Winter Holidays.
Our Reflections
Creating these lessons has also been a true gift for us and created many opportunities for our team to improve our own cultural and social awareness. Please stay tuned as we add to our STEM Hall of Fame throughout the year!
Where Do I Find Hall of Fame Lessons?
All of our district partners may access all of the Hall of Fame lessons by navigating to Lessons and then opening the Sample Lessons tab.
