Writing Prompts for Women's History Month
History and heritage months deserve celebration, and that’s something that I’ve always tried to prioritize in my classroom. As easy as it is to get wrapped up in a unit and lose track of the current world around us, I’ve found that reading my Daily Donut newsletter and intentionally setting up writing prompts, bell work, or a choice board for each month helps me keep a pulse on the bigger picture outside of my content tunnel vision.
Women’s History Month is a particularly exciting month to celebrate: there are so many brilliant, talented, and inspirational women to honor and that’s what this blog post is all about. The women here are women whose stories always push my students to write creatively, critically, and think about the world in a whole new way.
WHO ARE SOME WOMEN STUDENTS CAN WRITE ABOUT?
I’ve created this slide deck as a starting point based on the most successful prompts that I’ve used in my own classroom. There are dozens of more people that could be featured here, but I wanted you to have this to use as a starting point. Let’s explore some impressive women and the ways in which they can inspire student writing.
FRIDA KAHLO
Frida Kahlo was a Mexican artist who is widely recognized for her powerful and influential work that challenged societal norms and celebrated her Mexican heritage. Despite facing numerous physical and emotional struggles throughout her life, including a near-fatal accident that left her with chronic pain and disabilities, Kahlo used her art as a form of expression and liberation. Her paintings often explored themes of identity, gender, politics, and the human experience, and she became an important figure in the feminist and LGBTQ+ movements. Today, her legacy lives on as a symbol of resilience, creativity, and cultural pride, inspiring generations of artists and activists around the world.
I absolutely love this quote and students love digging into it for a response. Here’s what I ask them:
MADAM C.J. WALKER
Madam C.J. Walker was an inspirational figure in American history, known for her entrepreneurial spirit and pioneering work in the field of hair care. Born to formerly enslaved parents, she faced numerous challenges throughout her life, including poverty, illiteracy, and discrimination. However, through her determination and hard work, she was able to build a successful business that revolutionized the hair care industry and provided financial independence to many African American women. Her legacy continues to inspire generations of entrepreneurs and activists, who continue to strive for social justice and equality.
Her call to action in this quotation always serves to make my students feel inspired and motivated. Here’s the prompt that I give:
madonna
Madonna is a cultural icon and one of the most successful female artists of all time. She rose to fame in the 1980s with her unique blend of pop and dance music, becoming known for her daring fashion choices and boundary-pushing music videos. Throughout her career, Madonna has sold over 300 million records worldwide and has been recognized with numerous awards and accolades, including seven Grammy Awards. She has also used her platform to advocate for various causes, including LGBT rights, AIDS awareness, and women's empowerment. Madonna's inspiring accomplishments have made her an icon not just in music but also in fashion, film, and popular culture.
Here is what I love asking students to watch and respond to:
Are you ready to give this activity a try? I hope you do and I hope you let us all know in the comments how it goes!
SPOTLIGHT RESOURCE:
If you’re ready to go with a more in-depth study of Women’s History Month, get started with my digital choice board. Check it out here!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Amanda is the author of Mud and Ink Teaching and a collaborative blogger on Teachwriting.org.
A high school English teacher of every level from ESL to AP Language, Amanda has made it her life’s work to encourage students and teachers to join her on an adventurous teaching and learning journey. Amanda is a full-time teacher author after spending thirteen years in the classroom. She writes curriculum for the high school level, coaches teachers 1:1, and travels with her family whenever possible. Amanda’s obsessed with poetry, argumentation, and showing students the power of taking chances in their writing. She is also the co-host of the podcast Brave New Teaching.
Visit Amanda on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter for English teacher inspiration and powerful community.
