Women's History Month

Before the 1970's, the topic of women's history was largely missing from general public consciousness. To address this situation, the Education Task Force of the Sonoma County (California) Commission on the Status of Women initiated a "Women's History Week" celebration in 1978 and chose the week of March 8 to coincide with International Women's Day.

The celebration was met with positive response, and schools began to host their own Women's History Week programs. The next year, leaders from the California group shared their project at a Women's History Institute at Sarah Lawrence College. Other participants not only became determined to begin their own local Women's History Week projects but also agreed to support an effort to have Congress declare a national Women's History Week.

In 1981, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Rep. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) cosponsored the first Joint Congressional Resolution proclaiming a "Women's History Week." In 1987, the National Women's History Project petitioned Congress to expand the celebration to the entire month of March. Since then, the National Women's History Month Resolution has been approved every year with bipartisan support in both the House and Senate.

Maryland Voluntary State Curriculum Standards

Reading: 1.1.4 -- The student will apply reading strategies when comparing, making connections, drawing conclusions about, and synthesizing significant ideas between print and non-print text.

Composing: 2.3 -- The student will locate, retrieve, and use information from various sources to accomplish a purpose. 2.3.2 -- The student will use various information retrieval sources (traditional and electronic) to obtain information on a self-selected and/or given topic.

Standard 5.0 History: 4.F Describe the changing social and economic role of women and the impact of the woman's suffrage movement.

Assign your students to address the following essential questions for critical thinking (you can add, delete, or substitute others if appropriate). These questions will motivate and guide students to create reports or presentations that integrate original thought and help develop their critical thinking skills. Students should use and cite at least three resources from Researcher in written reports of 150-200 words or presentations of two to three minutes.

1. Who were three of the most significant leaders of the women's rights movement and why?
   
   
2. Why were women denied equal rights in the past and still are today?
   
   
3. In what ways did the lack of equal rights and political influence affect the overall progress of our country?
   
   
4. What strategies used by women were the most effective in gaining rights and why?
   
   
5. What additional rights do women demand today, and do you think they are justified?
   
   
6. How do women's rights in the U.S. compare to women's rights in other developed countries of the world?
   
   
7. Why does researching the struggle for women's rights have value for all students?

Pathfinder: Type "Women's History" in the Subject Heading search box > click Search > click History, Women link.

Here are some links to new ProQuest models that students can use for their PowerPoint (issues and essential questions) or written reports.

On November 4, 2008, the United States will hold its 55th election for president and vice president. Prior to this date is the primary season, which commenced in early January in Iowa and New Hampshire and culminates in the party conventions in late summer to select each party's nominee for president. The candidates leading in the Democratic race are Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. The Republican contenders are former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee and Senator John McCain.

Researcher has created a special Leading Issue to help teachers and students better understand democracy in action. Just as in all Leading Issues, students are given three phases to support their understanding and develop their critical thinking: Overview, Issues, and My Analysis. My Analysis includes the unique Researcher five-step process that ensures that students address the essential questions for critical thinking in their analysis. This analysis can integrated into a choice of four productions that are supported by unique models for teachers and students: Research Paper; Mini-Research Paper; PowerPoint Presentation; or a Mini-Debate.

Pathfinder: Click the icon for Election 2008 in the Pro vs. Con section > Click the My Analysis tab > Follow the five-step directions.

Assign your students to address the following essential questions for critical thinking (you can add, delete, or substitute others if appropriate). These questions will motivate and guide students to create reports or presentations that integrate original thought and help develop their critical thinking skills. Students should use and cite at least two articles and one website in addressing the essential questions. Assign either a written report of about 150 words or an oral report/presentation of about two minutes.

1. Why does researching the struggle for women's rights have value for all students?
   
   
2. Why were women denied equal rights in the past and still are today?
   
   
3. Who were four of the most significant leaders for women's rights and why?
   
   
4. What are two additional rights that women demand today, which is the most important, and why?

Pathfinder:

• Select the Subject Headings search option:
  
  
• Type "Women's History" and Search
  
  
• Click the link Women, History
  
  
• Note: Results include 15 Articles
  
  
• Click the WebFind Sites tab
  
  
• Note: 30 websites on this topic
  
  Here are some links to new ProQuest models that students can use for their PowerPoint (issues and essential questions) or written reports.

Assign your students to address the following essential questions for critical thinking (you can add, delete, or substitute others if appropriate). These questions will motivate and guide students to create reports or presentations that integrate original thought and help develop their critical thinking skills. Students should use and cite at least three resources from SIRS Decade topics in written reports of 150-200 words or presentations of two to three minutes.

• Why does researching the struggle for women's rights have value for all students?
  
  
• What attitudes by men were factors in denying women equal rights in the past?
  
  
• Historically, how did women continue to prove their competence in non-traditional areas?
  
  
• Who were the three most significant leaders of the women's rights movement and why?
  
  
• What strategies used by women were the most effective in gaining rights and why?
  
  
• What additional rights do women demand today, and do you think they are justified?
  
  Pathfinder:
  
  
  • Use the Decades icons to access the following resources:
    
    
  • Click 1910 > World War I: Women and the War Effort
    
    
  • Click 1910 > Activism and Women's Suffrage
    
    
  • Click 1920 > Women
    
    
  • Click 1940 > Women
    
    
  • Click 1960 > Sexual Revolution
    
    
  • Click 1970 > Gender Equality and Sexuality
  
  
  Once again, here are some links to new ProQuest models that students can use for their PowerPoint (issues and essential questions) or written reports.