Looking for engaging Women in STEM activities for kids? Celebrate the achievements of famous women in STEM with hands-on science, engineering, coding, math, and art projects designed for the classroom or home.
These activities combine short, kid-friendly biographies with meaningful STEM challenges to help students build confidence, critical-thinking skills, and real-world connections.
Whether you’re planning lessons for Women’s History Month or building year-round STEM enrichment, you’ll find classroom-ready ideas below.
👉 Want everything organized and ready to go? Explore the complete Women in STEM Project Pack here.
Why Teach About Famous Women in STEM?
Learning about famous women in STEM helps students:
- See powerful real-world role models
- Understand how innovation shapes our world
- Build confidence in science and engineering
- Develop a growth mindset and perseverance
💡 Highlighting women in science and engineering encourages girls in STEM while inspiring all students to explore problem-solving and discovery.
Famous Women in STEM Featured Here
Below are the inspiring scientists, engineers, and innovators included in our Women in STEM activities:
- Margaret Hamilton – Computer science & NASA flight software
- Mae Jemison – Astronaut & engineer
- Katherine Johnson – NASA mathematician
- Evelyn Boyd Granville – Mathematics & satellite systems
- Mary Jackson – Aerospace engineer
- Marie Tharp – Oceanography & cartography
- Agnes Pockels – Surface chemistry
- Marie Curie – Chemistry & radioactivity
- Mary Anning – Paleontology
- Susan La Flesche Picotte – Medicine
- Jane Goodall – Primatology & conservation
- Amelia Earhart – Aviation pioneer
- Maria Sibylla Merian – Scientific illustration & insect life cycles
- Ada Lovelace, Barbara McClintock, and Sau Lan Wu (Included in Women in STEM Project Pack)
💡 Each woman below includes a hands-on project inspired by her real contributions to science and innovation. You’ll find additional famous women in our Women in STEM Project Pack.
Women in STEM Activities & Projects
Explore these hands-on STEM activities inspired by real women scientists, engineers, mathematicians, and innovators. 💡 Look for free printables for each activity!
🚀 Space & Aerospace Engineering
Write in Code with Margaret Hamilton
Learn how early NASA software powered the Apollo missions. In this hands-on binary code activity, students explore how computers communicate using 1s and 0s while connecting coding to real-world space history.
Build a Space Shuttle (Mae Jemison)
Design and construct a model space shuttle while learning about Mae Jemison, the first Black woman to travel to space. This engineering challenge introduces students to space exploration and problem-solving.
Build a Lunar Lander (Katherine Johnson)
Discover how mathematics helped land astronauts safely on the moon. Students design and test their own lunar lander while learning about Katherine Johnson’s groundbreaking calculations.
Wind Tunnel Project (Mary Jackson)
Explore aerodynamics and engineering design inspired by NASA engineer Mary Jackson. Students test how air moves around objects and refine their designs like real aerospace engineers.
🛰 Mathematics & Technology
Build a Satellite (Evelyn Boyd Granville)
Learn about applied mathematics and satellite systems while building a simple satellite model. This activity highlights how mathematics supports communication, navigation, and global technology.
🌊 Earth & Ocean Sciences
Map the Ocean Floor (Marie Tharp)
Create a topographical ocean floor map inspired by Marie Tharp’s revolutionary research. Students learn how mapping and data visualization changed our understanding of plate tectonics.
🧪 Chemistry & Physical Science
Magic Pepper & Soap Experiment (Agnes Pockels)
Investigate surface tension using a simple pepper and soap experiment. This activity introduces students to fluid science and the early work of Agnes Pockels in surface chemistry.
Make X-Ray Prints (Marie Curie)
Explore the science behind X-rays and radioactivity with a safe, hands-on classroom activity inspired by Marie Curie’s discoveries.
🐛 Life Science & Observation
Scientific Illustration Project (Maria Sibylla Merian)
Create detailed plant and insect illustrations while learning how Maria Sibylla Merian documented metamorphosis through careful scientific observation. This STEAM activity combines biology and art.
Study Animal Behavior (Jane Goodall)
Practice observation and data recording inspired by Jane Goodall’s chimpanzee research. Students learn how field scientists study animal behavior over time.
Fossil Discovery (Mary Anning)
Explore paleontology and fossil excavation inspired by Mary Anning’s discoveries. Students recreate fossil formation while learning about prehistoric life.
🩺 Medicine & Human Biology
DIY Stethoscope (Susan La Flesche Picotte)
Build a working model stethoscope while learning about one of the first Indigenous women to earn a medical degree. This activity introduces sound science and basic human biology.
✈️ Aviation & Innovation
Paper Plane Launcher (Amelia Earhart)
Explore flight and aviation engineering inspired by Amelia Earhart. Students design and test paper aircraft while learning about lift, thrust, and drag.
Art & STEAM Connections
Explore Women in Art
Discover how creativity and innovation intersect in the arts. Explore inspiring female artists and hands-on art projects that complement STEM learning.
FREE Women in Science Mini Guide
Start conversations about famous women in STEM with a printable mini guide designed for classroom or homeschool use.
👉 Download the free Women in Science Mini Guide here.
Women in STEM Research Worksheets
Add structured research and reflection pages to your lesson plans with printable Women in STEM worksheets designed for upper elementary learners.
Perfect for biography studies and STEM writing extensions.
Complete Women in STEM Project Pack
Want everything organized and ready to teach?
The Women in STEM Project Pack brings these inspiring scientists together in one structured, classroom-ready resource.
Inside you’ll find:
✔ 14 featured women in science, technology, engineering, and math
✔ Short, kid-friendly biographies
✔ Vocabulary support
✔ Guided discussion prompts
✔ Printable activity guides
✔ Hands-on STEM challenges
✔ Reflection questions to build critical thinking
Perfect for:
- Women’s History Month
- STEM Day activities
- Classroom research projects
- Encouraging girls in STEM
- Year-round science enrichment
This pack saves planning time while keeping lessons meaningful and connected to real scientific contributions.
👉 Explore everything included in the Women in STEM Project Pack here.
Included with the All-Access Pass.
Women in STEM FAQ
Who are some famous women in STEM for kids to learn about?
Margaret Hamilton, Mae Jemison, Katherine Johnson, Marie Curie, Jane Goodall, Maria Sibylla Merian, and many others made groundbreaking contributions to science and engineering.
How do you teach Women in STEM in the classroom?
Pair short biographies with hands-on STEM challenges so students can connect real discoveries to active learning.
Why is it important to highlight women in science?
Representation matters. Teaching about women in STEM shows students that innovation comes from diverse voices and experiences.
Are these activities appropriate for elementary students?
Yes. Most projects are designed for grades K–5 and can be adapted for older learners.
Explore More Women in STEM
This activity is part of our larger Women in STEM collection, featuring inspiring scientists, engineers, and mathematicians.
✔ Kid-friendly biographies
✔ Hands-on STEM investigations
✔ Easy-to-use printables
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👉 See everything included in the Women in STEM Project Pack here. Included with the All-Access Pass
