Women’s History Month is a time to highlight and celebrate the achievements, struggles, and resilience of women throughout history. At Fishtank ELA, we are committed to bringing powerful and inspiring stories to students all year round. However, March offers a distinctive chance to shine a spotlight on women and their important stories, encouraging meaningful discussions in the classroom.
To support educators in this effort, we have curated a selection of texts from our Elementary, Middle, and High School ELA units that showcase the leadership, activism, and contributions of women from diverse backgrounds and periods.
Elementary School Highlights
In elementary school, students are introduced to trailblazing women who have shaped history through their courage, advocacy, and leadership. 1st Grade students learn about pioneers in the women’s rights movement through Movements for Equality, reading She Was the First! by Katheryn Russell-Brown, Kamala Harris: Rooted in Justice by Nikki Grimes, and Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers' Strike of 1909 by Michelle Markel.
In 2nd grade, the People Who Changed the World unit introduces students to physicist Wu Chien Shiung in Queen of Physics, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor in Sonia Sotomayor: A Judge Grows in the Bronx by Jonah Winter, and education activist Malala Yousafzai in Malala Yousafzai: Warrior with Words by Karen Leggett Abouraya.
3rd grade students explore Indigenous women who have made lasting impacts on their communities in Honoring Indigenous Peoples, reading Native Women of Courage by Vincent Schilling. 4th grade students examine the essential roles women played in America’s founding through Great Women of the American Revolution by Molly Levite Griffis in the Examining Our History: The American Revolution unit.
Finally, in 5th grade, students explore the contributions of Black women in the fight for justice through Let It Shine: Stories of Black Women Freedom Fighters by Andrea Davis Pinkney in Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans. Students learn about the stories of young women who participated in sit-ins, marched for voting rights, and desegregated schools
Middle School Highlights
As students enter middle school, they will continue to explore the voices and experiences of women throughout their units. 6th grade students, for instance, will read Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina by Misty Copeland in the Expressing Yourself: Women in the Arts unit. Copeland's memoir details her groundbreaking journey as the first African American female principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre and provides students with an example of the dedication, resilience, and barriers women face in the pursuit of their passions.
In Advocating for Change, 7th grade students delve into the history of labor rights movements in Uprising by Margaret Peterson Haddix. The novel follows the lives of three young immigrant women working in the garment industry, shedding light on the dangerous working conditions they endured and their courageous fight for better labor protections. The novel offers a lens into early 20th-century activism and the role of young women in shaping workers’ rights. In addition, 7th graders read The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros, which captures the experiences of a young Latina girl growing up in Chicago. Students explore themes of identity, gender roles, and cultural expectations, fostering a discussion about how women navigate spaces that often seek to define them.
8th grade students take a deep dive into global activism by analyzing the work of Greta Thunberg in Facing Calamity: Climate Change. By studying her speeches, students examine how young women’s voices can mobilize worldwide change and challenge leaders to take action. Additionally, they explore the autobiographical graphic novel Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi in Surviving Repression: Persepolis. This compelling memoir provides insight into growing up during the Iranian Revolution, offering a deeply personal perspective on gender oppression and the courage of women who resist repressive systems.
High School Highlights
9th grade students study the Mirabal sisters' resistance against dictatorship in In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez in the ¡Viva Las Mariposas! Voice and Agency unit. Students explore Essential Questions including “How does gender impact an individual's roles and responsibilities in society?” In the final writing assignment of the unit, students research courageous women who have made positive changes in their communities. 10th grade students read Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie in Flowers of Freedom: Voice, Defiance, and Coming of Age, which examines gender roles and resilience in post-colonial Nigeria.
Lastly, we're excited to share a preview of our upcoming 11th and 12th-grade units for the 2025-2026 school year, which will explore gender roles and womanhood through diverse characters.
11th grade students will examine themes of Black womanhood, love, and independence in Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston. 12th grade students will engage with Sula by Toni Morrison, Exit West by Mohsin Hamid, and Fun Home: A Graphic Memoir by Alison Bechdel, all tackling themes of friendship, migration, identity, and self-discovery.
Educators can use these selections to encourage thoughtful discussions and inspire students by sharing the remarkable achievements of women throughout history. Through exploring these stories, students will learn about the historical and ongoing fight for gender equality and recognize women's contributions as leaders, writers, and revolutionaries.
Stay up to date with timely texts and ideas for engaging students year-round on the Fishtank Blog and our social media accounts. We want to know how you’re celebrating women’s stories this month! Tell us your favorite texts to teach and activities for Women’s History Month.
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