The Library has an AMAZING collection of books featuring stories and information written by and about people from varied backgrounds, races, ethnicities, life experiences, and viewpoints. We love to share selections that demonstrate the range of our collection all year and we encourage you to explore these books with us!
This month, we are highlighting activities and books in our collection by and about women from the past and in present-day. Check these out below and join us at one of our programs, which feature information and stories in celebration of Women's History Month.
READ: Finish the Fight! By Veronica Chambers
Who was at the forefront of women's right to vote? We know a few famous names, like Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, but what about so many others from diverse backgrounds--black, Asian, Latinx, Native American, and more--who helped lead the fight for suffrage? It's time to celebrate the names and stories of the women whose stories have yet to be told.
Use your library card or apply for a card online to access the digital library!
Questions to think about while you read:
- It took 72 YEARS for women to get the right to vote--the organized effort began in 1848 and it became law in 1920. What would you do if you worked on something that you knew you may not see happen? How would that make you feel?
- Which of the women featured in the book do you most admire? Why? What qualities do you share?
- As you learn about the obstacles women faced in the struggle for voting rights, what do you think? Was it fair? Identify a frustrating point in the timeline for women's voting rights. What would you do in that situation?
PLAY: Women's History Month Crossword Puzzle
Can you correctly answer the questions about pioneering women and write the answers in the grid below? Print out your own copy here.
Hint: these are the names (in no order), and remember, spelling is important in a crossword!
Amelia Earhart, Sacajawea, Mother Teresa, Harriet Tubman, Marie Curie, Jane Austen, Helen Keller, Susan B. Anthony, Joan of Arc
Answer key is here.
From: Learning Liftoff
EXPLORE: Be a fossil hunter!
This activity is inspired by Mary Leaky, Mary Anning, and Ruth Mason, who all discovered and studied fossils (click on their names for books that will tell you more about them!). Do you know what a fossil is? It's the remains or traces of plants or animals that lived a long time ago. Mary Leaky studied fossils of ancient humans and Mary Anning and Ruth Mason studied dinosaur fossils. We can learn a lot from fossils, and because of these women's research, we know a lot more about how ancient humans and dinosaurs lived.
Follow the directions below with some adult help to make and "discover" your own fossils!
Supplies:
- 2 c. flour
- 1 c. salt
- 1 c. warm water
- Food coloring (optional)
- Toy dinosaurs, plant leaves, etc. (to make impressions)
- Sand or potting soil
- foil roasting pan (or large, fairly deep container)
- Spoon, paintbrush, tongs, etc.
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
- Mix together flour, salt, and water. Knead the dough for 2 minutes, or until it's firm. If desired, add some food coloring to the dough to make the fossils look old.
- Create dinosaur bones and/or fossil imprints with the dough. There is no right or wrong way, just have fun--be silly and creative! You can use stamps or dinosaur toys, actual plant leaves, or any other tools you like. Put the finished bones & fossils on a baking sheet.
- Bake the bones & fossils for 30 minutes; remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
- “Bury" the fossils in a roasting pan filled with sand or soil.
- Carefully "excavate" the fossils using tools like spoons or tongs and use a dry paintbrush to remove sand or soil.
- Identify the fossils: what are they? If they are bones, what animal did they come from? What body part? If they are impressions, are they footprints? Shells? Plants? Be a good scientist and document your findings!
Adapted from: ParentingChaos.com
JOIN: Attend a program!
View all school-age programs and events offered this month.
Registration is required for all programs; if space allows, walk-ins will be admitted. Use the link in the program information to register.
