Lesson Title: Celebrating International Women's Day
Women's Day is more than just a date on the calendar—it’s an opportunity to engage students in meaningful conversations about gender equality, social progress, and historical achievements. On International Women’s Day, we recognize the contributions of women throughout history and to reflect on the ongoing fight for gender equality.
This lesson will introduce students to the origins and significance of Women’s Day, highlight key historical milestones, and engage them in an interactive Goosechase Scavenger Hunt to deepen their understanding and appreciation in a fun and collaborative way.
Inspire your students to recognize the past, celebrate the present, and take action for a more equal future!
Grade: 9 - 12
Subject: Social Studies, History
Learning Objectives:
- By the end of this lesson, students will:
- learn about the history and significance of Women's Day
- explore key milestones in women's rights
- participate in an interactive Goosechase Scavenger Hunt to reinforce learning
Materials:
- Mobile devices (tablets, phones, or laptops) with the Goosechase app installed
- Pre-designed Goosechase Missions
- Printed or digital resources on Women's Day history
- Projector or whiteboard for discussion
Preparation:
- Create an Experience on the Goosechase app with a series of Missions focussed on Women’s Day
- Develop Missions that require students to demonstrate their understanding of women’s history. Example Missions:
- Photo Challenge: Take a picture with a book written by a female author.
- Fact Check: Find and share a fact about a famous female leader who has the same hometown as you.
- Video Reflection: Record a short video discussing an inspiring woman you know in real life
- Word Association: List five words that describe the importance of Women's Day.
- Poll the Room: Ask three classmates what Women's Day means to them and summarize their responses.
- Find example Missions in the Goosechase Templates below.
- Adapt the difficulty of the Missions based on the proficiency levels of your students to keep the activity inclusive and engaging for everyone.
- Prepare hints or resources that might help students solve the Missions if needed.
- Divide students into teams and assign each team a mobile device with the app, or have students complete the scavenger hunt individually.
- Run your Experience during one class period or for the entire week.
- App Set-Up
- Dedicate time to ensuring all students have the Goosechase app downloaded and joined to the Experience to avoid any tech issues.
Lesson Plan Outline:
- Introduction
- Begin by asking students: "What do you know about Women's Day?"
- Explain that International Women's Day (March 8) is a global celebration of women's achievements and a call for gender equality.
- Provide background on its origins:
- Started in the early 1900s during industrialization and labor movements.
- First observed in 1909 in the United States.
- Officially recognized by the United Nations in 1977.
- Themes over the years have focused on equal pay, voting rights, education, and workplace equality.
- Key Historical Milestones
- Divide students into small groups and assign each a milestone to research and present briefly:
- Women’s suffrage movements (U.S., U.K., globally)
- The role of women in World War II
- The Equal Pay Act of 1963
- Women’s role in STEM and politics
- Recent movements (MeToo, Women’s March, etc.)
- Each group shares 2-3 key facts with the class.
- Divide students into small groups and assign each a milestone to research and present briefly:
- Goosechase Scavenger Hunt
- Read through Missions with students, emphasizing the importance of accuracy and critical thinking in their responses.
- Monitor progress and provide assistance as necessary.
- If working in teams, encourage them to strategize and collaborate to solve the Missions.
- Sit back and enjoy watching your students collaborate and demonstrate their learning.
- Debrief and Reflection
- Review the activity, discussing which missions were the most challenging or fun.
- Discuss how teams collaborated and solved problems together.
- Discuss: What did you learn? Why is Women's Day still so important today?
- Encourage students to reflect on how they can support gender equality in their own lives.
- Optionally, award prizes to the team(s) with the highest score.
Optional Post-Experience Activities:
- Written Assignment
- Have students select one influential woman of their choice to write about. They can present their findings to the class.
- Group Presentation
- Form small groups of students to research one influential woman. Students create a poster or Powerpoint presentation to present to the class.
Assessment
- Assess Written Assignments and/or Group Presentations
- Observe students' participation and collaboration during the Goosechase activities and whole-class discussions.
International Women’s Day: Past, Present & Future
Celebrate International Women's Day with this Experience that encourages students to appreciate women from the past, present, and future.
Want a copy of this lesson plan to use with your class?
What is Goosechase EDU?
Goosechase is an online platform that helps educators create and run interactive learning experiences in their classrooms and beyond. Sign up and try creating an Experience, or contact us to learn more about our school and district-wide solutions!
