March is Women’s History Month, something we take seriously at the Neighborhood, along with all our other holidays (even “Talk Like a Pirate” Day…AArrrggghh!).
It seems like we’re not the only site getting in on the act. A typical Google search finds thousands of sites that have something to say about the holiday. To that end, I’ve whittled it down to a list of websites you may find helpful when teaching about the importance of women in American history (as always, tell them Mr. D sent you):
National Women’s History Project - Here’s a good place to start. The NWHP has a great clearinghouse house for anything and everything related to women’s studies. Biographies, articles, lesson plans, resources, primary documents…you name it.
Women’s History Month from the Library of Congress – I guess you could call this the “official” page of the month. Another one-stop shopping center of materials, but with the awesome powers of the Library of Congress, the National Parks Service, the National Archives, and the National Endowment for the Humanities backing it up.
Women’s History Month – History.com – History (which is what the History Channel calls itself nowadays) has also gotten into the act, just in case those shows about lumberjacks, truckers and pawnbrokers made you forget the original purpose of the network. As expected, History’s site is a bit more multimedia, with streaming videos, links to photo galleries of famous women, etc. Does have a nice summary on the history of the holiday, though.
Women’s History Month – Time for Kids - A little more kid-friendly than the other sites, TFK did a good job highlighting important women as well as the struggles for women’s rights, such as the suffrage movement and the 1970s feminist movement. A really nice feature is “Name that ‘Toon” which takes political cartoons from past and present, asking the readers to supply their own captions.
Women Who Changed History – Scholastic – Scholastic‘s site is more of a research starter for students who can’t seem to find the right woman for their biography. It includes the bios of women past and present, summaries of important movements, and quizzes/games for students to learn more.
Women’s History and Heritage Month – Smithsonian Magazine – Designed for older students and scholars, Smithsonian Magazine’s site features nuanced, scholarly articles on aspects of women’s history often overlooked by conventional sources, such as women artists of the Hudson River School, philanthropist Melinda Gates, Harriet Tubman’s spirituality, and a re-examinaton of Victorian womanhood.
National Women’s History Museum - Yet another omnibus site for the holiday, but with a concrete purpose. The mission: to build a museum on the National Mall in Washington, DC dedicated to women’s history (a worthy cause, indeed). Worth a look, even if you’re overloaded with materials.
Women’s History Month – Biography Channel – A favorite offshoot of A&E, the Biography Channel sure made it easy for students to research their favorite heroines for that big assignment. Even if all the information isn’t there (and it probably isn’t), there’s enough story starters to get your kids on the right track.
Women’s History Month – The New York Times - The New York Times Education section has also gotten into the act, with resources, articles, lesson plans and printouts to be used in the classroom. Their resources are worth a look, since they must use their vast archive of periodicals as a source.
Women’s History Month – ABC Teach – I don’t like putting pay sites on here, but the free part of ABC Teach is important, in that it has templates and worksheets that will help you plan your Women’s History Month activities. DON’T BOTHER with the “member’s only” stuff – you can get that at the other sites for free.