Introduce your middle school students to the inspiring story of Katherine Johnson, a trailblazing mathematician whose calculations helped launch America into space. This engaging resource not only explores her groundbreaking contributions to NASA but also highlights her perseverance in overcoming barriers of race and gender, making it a perfect addition to your Black History Month or STEM-focused lessons.

Common Core Standards Addressed:

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6-8.2: Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development; summarize the text.

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6-8.3: Analyze how a text makes connections among individuals, ideas, or events.

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6-8.8: Evaluate arguments and claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant.

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6-8.1: Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.

• CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.RP.A.3: Use ratio and rate reasoning to solve real-world and mathematical problems.

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6-8.1: Engage effectively in collaborative discussions on grade-level topics and texts.

Why Teach About Katherine Johnson? Katherine Johnson’s story is an incredible opportunity to inspire your students while covering essential academic and life skills. Teaching about her allows students to:

• See the power of perseverance and resilience in overcoming societal barriers.

• Celebrate diversity and the contributions of women and African Americans in STEM fields.

• Make meaningful connections between history, math, and English Language Arts.

• Foster curiosity about science, technology, and problem-solving.

What's in it for You? This resource makes it easy to deliver high-quality, engaging lessons that align with Common Core Standards and enrich your curriculum. It provides:

• Cross-Curricular Connections: Seamlessly integrate STEM and history into your ELA lessons, saving planning time.

• Engagement for All Learners: The interactive content captivates reluctant readers, ADHD students, and high-achievers alike.

• Ready-to-Use Materials: Includes detailed quizzes, answer keys with explanations, and thought-provoking activities.

• Real-World Applications: Students will explore Katherine’s contributions to space exploration while applying math and critical thinking skills in a meaningful context.

What’s Included:

• A compelling biography of Katherine Johnson, emphasizing her early life, education, and historical achievements at NASA.

• Interactive quizzes (10 multiple-choice questions, 5 matching questions, and 5 short-answer responses) with answer keys and explanations.

• A creative, real-world math problem inspired by Katherine’s love for logic and problem-solving.

• Discussion prompts and reflective activities on diversity, perseverance, and STEM careers.

• Guided exploration of Hidden Figures to connect her story with popular culture.

Why Teachers Love It: This resource helps you teach about a truly inspirational figure while building your students’ literacy, analytical, and problem-solving skills. By introducing Katherine Johnson’s story, you’ll inspire a new generation of thinkers, problem-solvers, and dreamers.

Get your students excited about learning while tackling essential skills with this dynamic and ready-to-use resource! Add it to your lesson plan today.