Teaching Ideas

Selected Resources about inspirational women past and present!

Women in the Arts

  • Author Traci N.Todd details a pivotal moment in Nina Simone’s life as a musical artist in this Meet-the-Author Recording for Nina: A Story of Nina Simone.

  • Listen to this Meet-the-Author Recording with Margarita Engle about the brave 10-year-old girl who inspired Drum Dream Girl: How One Girl's Courage Changed Music.

  • Enjoy this audiobook excerpt from Legacy: Women Poets of the Harlem Renaissance.

  • Learn about rock n’ roll pioneer Janis Joplin in this Meet-the-Author Recording with Ann Angel for Janis Joplin: Rise Up Singing.

  • Hear about the groundbreaking architect behind the book in Victoria Tentler-Krylov’s Meet-the-Author Recording for Building Zaha: The Story of Architect Zaha Hadid.

  • Carmen T. Bernier-Grand shares her artist inspiration for Frida: ¡Viva La Vida! Long Live Life! in this Meet-the-Author Recording.

Women Making History

  • Alicia D. Williams talks about the inspirational and determined Shirley Chisolm in this Meet-The-Author Recording for Shirley Chisholm Dared: The Story of the First Black Woman in Congress.

  • Listen to this author interview with Chelsea Clinton about She Persisted: 13 American Women Who Changed the World.

  • Debbie Levy describes how Ruth Bader Ginsberg disagreed in order to make a difference in this Meet-the-Author Recording for I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark.

  • Check out these printable trading cards from Finish the Fight!: The Brave and Revolutionary Women Who Fought for the Right to Vote.

Women Innovating

  • Learn five facts about this “hidden figure” in history in this book trailer for Reaching for the Moon: The Autobiography of NASA Mathematician Katherine Johnson.

  • Watch this video book reading of Classified: The Secret Career of Mary Golda Ross, Cherokee Aerospace Engineer.

  • Spark curiosity with this Meet-the-Author Recording with Tanya Lee Stone for Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream, about the women who set the stage for female space explorers.

  • Listen to this Meet-the-Author Recording with Teresa Robeson for Queen of Physics: How Wu Chien Shiung Helped Unlock the Secrets of the Atom to learn about a groundbreaking scientist who overcame gender and racial discrimination.

  • Author Sam Maggs discusses a diverse, fascinating group of women in this interview about Wonder Women: 25 Innovators, Inventors, and Trailblazers Who Changed History.

Women Standing Up!

  • Learn about the young Ukrainian immigrant who led the largest strike of women workers in U.S. history in this book trailer for Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers' Strike of 1909.

  • Check out the author interview and ​​video book trailer for Dolores Huerta: A Hero to Migrant Workers to learn about this labor and civil rights activist.

  • Watch the video book trailer for Shaking Things Up: 14 Young Women Who Changed the World to see the 14 rebels who dared to make a difference.

  • Hear about the first American woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in this Meet-the-Author Recording with Tanya Lee Stone for The House That Jane Built: A Story about Jane Addams.

  • Listen to Beth Anderson discuss the young African American teacher who took a stand for equal rights on transportation one hundred years before Rosa Parks in this Meet-the-Author Recording for Lizzie Demands a Seat!: Elizabeth Jennings Fights for Streetcar Rights.

  • Activist for female education Malala Yousafzai talks about finding her voice in this video book trailer for Malala’s Magic Pencil.

  • Check out titles from the She Persisted Series about women like Claudette Colvin, Ruby Bridges, Sonia Sotomayor, and others who stood up and spoke up for change!