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What are some tips about getting children engaged in lessons? More specifically, how can I get girls involved and build their confidence in Science?

Hello Amber, I suggest maybe putting the children to work in groups when doing lessons that require hands on activities. Give all the students a chance to show off their skills and perhaps put girls in the role of the "group leader" from time to time. Also, I think that a lot of students are intimidated by some of the equipment, like a balance. In this case, I would say that you demonstrate how to use it and then ask every student to do the same, giving them the confidence they need to feel better about Science.

Hello Amber, I think a good way to get children engaged in the science lessons is to help them relate to the lesson. For example, if you are going to be teaching about the seasons, you wouldn't want to focus on the winter's snow too much if they live in an area that doesn't snow. It might sound meaningless to them since they don't experience snow and they might zone out. As for making girls interested in science, I would suggest giving them the same attention that boys get in this subject. For example, call on them to answer just as many question as the boys are called on and let them show off what they know as well. This will encourage them to participate more often.

I think you can get girls more involved in science by making lessons relevant to them. Create hands-on lessons where students are learning about something they care about. You also want to take the time to build their confidence in the subject with positive feedback during lessons. It is also important to leave any of your own personal feelings, fears, and insecurities about science at the door. Students can easily pick up on your feelings through the way you approach the subject. If you are positive, excited, and confident towards science lessons, than it will help your female students to feel the same way.

Hi- Here is a post I wrote on my blog about engaging girls in STEM. I think it is really about a few key things: starting early (when they are young) breaking down stereotypes (each of your students IS a scientist, scientists aren't only white guys with crazy hair in lab coats) giving authentic experiences (something related to their interests that is real, hands-on and has an easily understandable real-world context) find age-appropriate science role models modeling that anyone can do science Here is the link: http://www.shareitscience.com/2015/03/science-teaching-toolbox-girl-power.html You will also find links to other resources for girls in science near the bottom of the post.

I agree with a lot of the responses here. I think that a way to get students, especially girls, involved in science is to have hands on activities. Children love to "do" things, so if they are engaged with fun and unique experiments, they will love it. It is also important to make sure they are working in groups. I think it would be helpful to balance out the groups with more advanced children and children that need more help. This allows peer-teaching. Overall, it is important to makes sure science is fun and enjoyable. If you are enjoying science, your students will most likely enjoy it!

In order to make girls and boys be interested in science, you just need to make them understand that it is relevant to them. I found that talking with students at different ages about current science issues, makes them want to know more, because they feel that it is not just written in their books, it really happens and has an affect on our lives. You can start with 10 minutes every week / lesson talking about science news, or better ask them to come and share with the class a science news. There are many sources on the internet for that, but you can start with Nasa's FB page or with http://www.timelypick.com/science …

I would try to think of topics that would interest girls more and use lots of hands on activities. Personally, I enjoyed more nature based topics that dealt with animals. Girls are more nurturing and are drawn to animal based topics.

Hello Amber, Like many people have suggested a hands on activity is a great way to encourage all students (including girls) to get involved in science class. Something else I would suggest is to possibly start a class collection. I'm not sure what topic you are currently teaching, but I have found that a class collection (Such as rocks in a geology lesson, or recyclable products for a lesson on recyclables) makes a personal connection between the topic and the student. In my experience the girls love this activity. I hope this was some help.

Hi, Amber! There are several great ways to get girls involved in science, as is evidenced by the replies you've already gotten! I am not yet a teacher, but I am studying to become one. In my Methods of Teaching Science course we have actually spoken about this topic. My professor stated the fact that in many science classrooms girls are treated differently than boys. For example, a teacher might say to a girl, "Oh wow, you're doing well," whereas the same teacher might simply say to a boy, "Good job!" This implies that it's surprising that the girl is doing well, because she's a girl, and that it's no surprise that the boy is doing well. Now these comments are not usually done like this on purpose, but they do happen, my instructor says. Therefore, in order to motivate girls I'd let them know that they can be just as good as boys are in regards to science, and wouldn't show any surprise when they do perform well. I'd also make sure to call on all types of kids during class--regardless of gender--and try to include activities that would interest EVERYONE. I hope that this post helps! Have a great day!

Great question! I'm a volunteer science teacher in a small private classroom. As a private school, our school also specifically addresses how different types of people learn. Specifically, we look at 4 types of 'tools of maturity': intellect, feeling, will, and body. From my experience in this alternative school, I see that it's not so much 'girls' vs. 'boys', but the different types of learners. If the lesson is very intellectually dry, it will appeal to only those learners that are primarily motivated by the intellect. To have a balanced lesson that will work for everyone we need to bring in all 4 aspects: intellect, feeling, will, and body. Science can often tip to the intellect side which may then lose the other learners (boys or girls). For this age group I think teaching with picture books can capture a variety of learners. The story itself can appeal to a feeling child's ability to connect with the project. Hands on experiments and kinesthetic models or practices can appeal to a body oriented child. The topic itself of the phenomena will definitely hook an intellect child. And the challenge of completing or discovering something new will appeal to the will child. One practical example that I used last year in an electricity unit: first we made the playdough for squishy circuits and had then explored and experimented with lighting up the LED's. Creating 'creatures' or 'sculptures' got the feeling kids involved in learning a circuit concept by making it fun and creative. As we went along I gave them challenges to create different types of circuits (parallel/series). One child wanted to light up as many bulbs as he could and discovered way more than I had really initially intended. Afterwards we talked about the phenomenon we saw. Because this lesson included all those types of learning types everyone came away with a great experience, AND they learned a lot too.

A great way to get students involved in lessons would be to utilize manipulatives. 

A great way to get students involved in lessons would be making sure that the students can use their hands to explore the concept that is being reviewed. Students can use manipulatives to get a concrete understanding of the information that is being taught to students.

Hi! I feel like children in general will become more engaged and interested in science if they see the "fun" side of it. Speaking about girls in particular, I think it would be interesting to inform them about successful female scientists and their accomplishments, and also tell them about how not all science requires them to get their hands dirty. Good luck! 

Hi, I love that you have an interest in this! I've done some research on this topic and have learned that a lot of disinterest from female students come from a variety of things. There are things that a educator can do like refrain from using he pronouns solely when talking about STEM Professionals. Additionally, the confidence and enthusiasm a female teacher shows about Science can go a long way for the students. Elementary school students gain a lot from modeling and their is a tendency for girls to copy girls and boys to boys. I would also have various STEM guest speakers come in (especially some female). I've led events for female engagement in STEM and have found that a lot of girls just need encouragement to persevere through the problem-solving aspects of it. In the events that got to do different technology activities and meet tons of female professionals.  Like the others, there are great activities available on pinterest and such that you could take a look at. Good Luck!

Relate what they are learning in science to an experience that they have already had or is important to them in real life. Children, and especially the little girls like to hear about something authentically relevant to them. 

One way effective way that I have heard from my science teaching method professor, was to really introduce female scientists whenever the opportunities arise. By introducing women scientists, it directly allows girls to see that there are women in science and potentially inspire them to participate in science or have a career in the field of science.

Hi Amber and all,

I'm a science writer at Washington State University. I wanted to let you know WSU is now offering free science columns for kids and families through a unique project called Ask Dr.Universe. 
 
Dr. Wendy Sue Universe is a scientist and cat. Kids send her their science questions via her website. Then, Dr. Universe teams up with expert scientists to share an answer in about 500 words. She always wanted to be a scientist since she was a kitten, but some people didn't think she could do it. After all, it's not every day you meet a cat in a lab coat. Now she answers science questions from kids around the world. Our main audience is 8-12 year olds. 
 
You can encourage your students to submit questions to Dr. Universe any time and to read stories from our smart science cat, Wendy Sue. She gets lots of questions, but works hard to answer as many as she can and encourage future scientists. 

Rachel

Jessica, you made a great point about having the content relate to the student/s. Doing this with young girls will definitely motivate them.

I agree with what others have said, that one of the best way to get girls more involved with STEM is to show them female role models. However, I don't think this just applies to actual female scientists, but also to an everyday presence in the toys that they play with and the pop culture they're exposed to. There is an increasing number of girl's STEM toys, such as GoldieBlox or this that I came across recently (the link is to scientist dolls). Don't just show them grown up scientists, but make female scientists something that's a routine presence in their lives rather than the exception. Also, maybe highlight all of the female scientists in popular media nowadays. The image of the 'mad scientist' as an old white man is fading in pop culture, luckily, and highlighting that shifting perception may help girls to realize that STEM isn't isn't just for boys.

This is a major concern around the world in trying to interest young girls in STEM. I think that teachers unintentionally treat female students differently because of the gender stereotypes that our society has put on them and on us. We need to be aware of how we treat students. Even if we don't intend to do so, we treat our students differently by their gender and unfortunately, this has a major impact on them. In order to interest girls in activities labeled for "boys only," we need to take a step back from gender stereotypes and realize that gender roles no longer fit in this generation or in this world. Once we, as a whole society, can realize this, both genders will be treated equally and with the same respect. 

I believe that ensuring that the lesson is engaging in general will get the majority of the students actively involved. Whenever lessons are inquiry-based, the students show much more interest. Allowing them to explore, in an authentic way allows them to make that those connections that peak interest.

Well I think science is much more approachable if you do a variety of activities that targets many different skills, then all students, not just girls, will build up their confidence in science. Also, teaching kids that science is forever changing and that scientists predict (wrong and right) but that is how they find theories that work and do not work. Great way to help kids to build more confidence in making guesses and being engage in science is to ask questions like: what MIGHT happen? what do you think about...? In summary ask questions where there are no wrong answers. 

Amber, based on the information provided by this article, there are many ways that you can interest more girls to science. They have conducted a number of researches and have come to certain conclusions on topics that are more appealing to girls. Take a look! http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110216083242.htm

Hi Amber!  I think this is a great topic. I have always been a girl who loves natural science, particularly paleontology and paleobotany. From about the ages of 14-16, I became much less vocal about my interests and actually began doing poorly in what was once on of my best subjects. I think there is a certain stigmatization applied to women in the sciences. Adolescent girls are incredibly susceptible to thinking that being into science is not feminine and unattractive. Women scientists are out there, but we don't necessarily talk about them that much. Women scientists are not bland women in lab coats. Women scientists are funny, talented, and multi-faceted people and we need to create dialogue about that with students. A great example to bring up is Mayim Bialik. She is such a talented actress, but she also has a PhD in neuroscience. We need to make science feel more accessible to girls.

Great topic! I believe it is all about making content relatable to girls. What engages them?

Hello Amber, First off, kudos to you for having this concern in the first place. As a college student, I have limited experience working in the classroom, but I have been a student and I am a girl, so from firsthand experience I can tell you what has worked for me and what has not. I had many great science teachers over the years (and some not so great), we always did experiments that were hands-on and very engaging. This is accurate with most of the posts I have read on here. It is all about getting to know your students and what their personal interests are and going from there! Not only will you show them you care, but you will get so much more participation from all of them. I also liked Amy's suggestion about displaying or discussing women in science; this is a wonderful way to show your female students that science isn't strictly for boys. I also believe we all love a little competition, and putting them into gender competitions may be a great motivator. Lastly, just make it fun! If the students enjoy what they are doing (whether boy or girl) and can relate science to positive emotions of fun and engagement, they will grow up loving science! Good luck!

This is one of my main areas of interest in research. As an undergrad I teach basic computer programming to students aged 2nd grade-5th grade. I have a nice balance of girls and guys in my after school care club. As a female teacher I am able to relate to the girls in the course by continually giving positive feedback. One thing I have done in the classroom is create a set for the students which will appeal to the girl students. The boys are usually ready to do science lessons. I have used various sets that appeal to the girl students to better engage them into the lesson. Giving the students an understanding of how the information being learned in the science lesson can be applied to everyday life is an important factor for engagement in the lesson.

I think there is totally a misconception when it comes to girls and science. I particularly like Science and the thought of science experiments is really cool. I think that there are great videos like Bill Nye the Science Guy that are really interesting for me. It's just a matter of showing them just how cool Science can be.

I think that one great way to get girls involved in liking science is to see what are they interested in. For instance, I know that young children were or are still interested in Frozen. You can create fun science activities around the Frozen theme. For instance, learning about snowflakes, winter season and so forth.  In addition, Pinterest usually have a lot of fun activities to engage the students into learning a new concept.

I think it is very hard to accommodate both genders in science. Maybe you could think of more gender neutral activities that both will enjoy. You could maybe even have a boys vs. girl type of competition. This will really encourage the girls to beat the boys and participate. 

This is also a concern of mine. Personally, I remember really liking science as a little kid, and then as I got older, liking it less and less. I think one of the things to do is make sure to come up with projects that are friendly to boys and to girls. Maybe come up with several different options for science projects? It will be a learning experience for me for sure!

I never really thought about girls being less engaged in science until this semester. I am in a 4th grade class teaching science lessons, and we are doing a unit on airplanes and the forces that act on a plane and affect it's motion. I have had a really difficult time getting some of the girls interested, and I have noticed that they boys are very interested in it, they're always answering questions and asking questions, and I can tell that they are excited about science. I don't know if airplanes is more of a "boy topic" but I have been trying to find ways for the girls to like it more too. I think it is definitely a challenge, but I am looking forward to student teaching and figuring out more activities that are enjoyable to both girls and boys. 

I am also concerned about this. I had never realized the difference in participation/motivation, until I was completing my field experience hours in a third grade classroom. I agree that girls need female role models in science. As I've learned in my Science course this semester, teachers can highlight female scientists by creating research activities. For instance, having students choose a scientist and creating a "Facebook" poster page of the scientist of their choice. Students can learn about female scientist such as Jane Goodall, Marie Curie, Sally Ride, etc. Yes, every student needs motivation, and to motivate students teachers can implement inquiry investigations/activities, where students are excited, engaged, and motivated during the learning process.

Great post!

Hi Amber, I thought you brought up an interesting point about lower rates of participation among girls in the STEM field. Similar to other posters, I think it is a great idea to bring in female role models. Often times when we speak about people who have made important contributions to science, we often speak about Einstein, Darwin, Galileo, etc. Some students may end up internalizing the message that only men can be successful in science. You can incorporate literacy readings about important females in science such as, Curie, Herschel, and and Goodall.

Fortunately, I have began to notice that more and more young girls are taking an interest in science.  One fourth grade girl that I tutor aspires to be a marine biologist when she grows up!  I believe that if educators instill the belief in children that ANYONE can be a scientist, mathematician etc. then young girls will not be afraid to embrace their inner passion for science.  It would also be good to expose students to scientist of all races and genders.

Really interesting topic. Thanks everyone for sharing!

Well, the best way to get any student interested in a subject is to have them not only engaged in the topic but it needs to be something that is relates to them and their interest. It depends what your topic is. Maybe you could use an End of Class Check to take note of what the students (primarily the girls) are interested in. 

This post is really interesting to me, in my second grade class both the boys and girls seem to equally be engaged in the lessons. Perhaps as they get to upper elementary school this changes? I've only ever had experience with lower level elementary students. Try choosing a topic that could maybe entice the female population a little more, maybe something that involves animals? 

Hands on can be tough when you are working with a class full of students with behavioral issues.

Hi Amber, Some tips for getting children engaged in lessons are to connect what they're learning to real life. This is very important because when students are able to make connections to real life, they have a better understanding of the concept. You also have to make sure that the lesson itself is exciting and interesting to learn. If it happens to be a boring unit, try to incorporate engaging experiments or activities for the students to do. There are many ways to get girls involved with science. One way is when in groups, give a job to every student in the group, have that count as part of their grade- participation. Another way is to use class cards to call on students randomly. But first, always have the students think-pair-share with their partner or group before calling out names with the name cards. This gives the students a chance to hear other ideas, share their thoughts, and learn more. Hope this helps!

This is a significant concern. I am placed in a 5th grade Science classroom and this issue is very apparent. The boys are ALWAYS excited to start Science and I have noticed the girls are rarely ever excited. However, this is not true for every girl but many of the girls in my placement feel "blah" when it comes to Science. Along with all the other great advice on this thread, I think making the Science content appeal to their interest could be a great way to get the girls motivated. Find out what T.V. shows, movies, and games they enjoy and try to incorporate into a Science lab or lesson.

I have found that the girls in my classroom are less excited and engaged with science lessons just as you have!  I have used Pinterest to help set up more arts and crafts type of activities.  For example when teaching students about animal adaptations I had students create an animal that had adaptations to help it survive in its environment.  The girls were far more creative than the boys and it was neat to see them using their creativity to learn about science!

Thank you Amber for posting this. I've learned a lot from all the comments. In my fifth grade placement, I've noticed that my girls are really involved. After talking to a few girls, they said they enjoyed the hands on activity and the freedom to join in on the discussion. I'm constantly calling on both girls and guys throughout a lesson and I make sure to give everyone an opportunity to share. I also try to incorporate various amounts of activities so I can see what engages the class the most. For example, they have done activities outside, they have watched videos, and they have created models. Overall, I believe the girls in my class appreciate the opportunity to be creative and share their thinking out loud or with their partner. 

I think anything hands-on and interactive would be great! Science can be very abstract for both boys and girls at times. Having activities that bring the content to life are great for making these abstract concepts more clear for students. Once there is an understanding of the concepts, students will most likely start to enjoy the lessons. 

I think that this is such an important question. Engage students in science is very important, especially girls. I think it is so important to relate science to their lives, this will help engage them. 

A great resource for girls (or boys really) is GirlStart.org. Here's the link: http://www.girlstart.org/ Their mission is to encourage girls to explore STEM and consider careers in STEM. Right now, they have a great promotion going on called DeSTEMber - where each day in December they post a new STEM activity. I'm in Austin, Texas. They came to our Science Night and worked with girls and boys on a great aerodynamics challenge. 

Getting girls involved in science can sometimes be difficult.  I am guilty of being a girl that never really showed much interest in science.  However, when I took Chemistry in high school I LOVED it.  Although I loved it mainly because there was math involved, my teacher did fun activities that were impossible to dislike.  For example, we made ice-cream.  Doing this activity made the subject so much more enjoyable.  Also, in addition to activities, games are very fun for both boys and girls.  If at the end of a lesson you want to do a review game, you can divide the class boys vs. girls.  This can make the girls be more competitive because they want to beat the boys.  Dividing the boys and girls will ensure that all of the girls in the group are participating rather than if the groups were mixed the boys would have the opportunity to take over.  Keep fun in mind when teaching science if you want involvement, no one can refuse fun!

I usually have my students in groups of 4 or 5; every week they are assigned a different role.  When the girls are the leaders of the team, they become more engaged.  They call themselves mini-scientist or teachers.

Hello, I think that science is easy to get students involved with if you make it fun and educational at the same time. To get girls more involved I think it's important to understand that their interests may be different than guys. Think about activities that are good for both genders! 

I myself was always interested in science, more so the science experiments. I feel that in order to get kids interested in science it is important to implement activities and projects that ask that they get out of their chairs and move around. Breaking them out of the monotonous routine of the classroom as well as a change in scenery will also help spark their interest in the activity at hand. As for sparking girls interest in Science, I have found that their lack of interest is mostly due to the stereotype that boys are better at math and science and girls are more suited for reading and writing. While studies have proven that this is not the case, it is important to foster that idea of equality among all subjects in your classroom. it would also help to have assignments that are either gender neutral or can be tailored to accomodate boys and girsl in their own unique ways!  Hope this helped!  Katrina munoz 

I think these were all really great ideas about how to get girls engaged in science.  I think it is important we get all of our students engaged in science. 

After looking at all of these ways to get girls more involved in science, these ways are very good. I have to say that when I was in school, I did not really like science. However, had my teachers tried some of these ways I feel that I might have been more interested in science.

I teach eighth grade science and STEM for sixth and eighth grade. My 6th grade girls are so much more engaged in class compared with my eighth grade girls. It is such a challenge to foster and maintain an interest in science and engineering with girls. I agree with many of you, working in groups and providing lots of inquiry helps. Also, I have found that homogeneous grouping during labs and STEM projects helps, groups of all girls or all boys. When I have heterogeneous groups, usually one of the boys takes the leadership role. However, homogeneous groupings helps girls develop leadership skills. 

I agree with many of the posts. All students, male or female, will get engaged if they are enthusiastic and motivated about what their doing. I am a student currently, but work full time at a school. From experience I can tell students learn most, and are most engaged) when activities are relate-able to their day-to-day lives. Don't be afraid to get messy. Take students outside. The lessons I remember most from all of my years in school are the ones where I was hands-on learning and that goes for any subject. Best wishes to you!

Check out the Association of Women in Science website, www.awis.org. I recently discovered this website and immediately became a member. They let you know of events happening in your area that support finding ways to get girls involved in STEM activities and careers. Good Luck!

I work at an arts school and integrating arts into the curriculum has helped a lot with girls and boys being more involved with the lessons. It is really easy to integrate arts into the science curriculum. The students love seeing their finished art projects and have improved their science grades too! 

I think typically girls do not get involved because they cannot relate or it does not interest them. We have to connect science to girls in a way that they will find interesting.

I really found this post thread interesting because today as I walked around and saw the science fair display I noticed that many of the projects were made by girls. I think that we need to keep motivating them into pursuing their scientific interests into higher grades.

Hello, I would say that in order to get all children involve in an activity is trying to make it as engaging as possible. Even when the activity may seem boring to you, show lots of energy and excitement when doing it. Get the girls involved as much as possible, make sure to show them that even if they are girls they can do things. Some girls believe that there are things they cannot do, because they have been made to believe that it is for boys. Make them see that science is not just for boys, teach them about female scientist as well. This way they can she that not only boys can be into science.

I guide the students that how they can pass the exams and how can they get the certification for the latest knowledge this certification exam students click at exam or visit its certification its better for your bright future and will helpful to attain the 300-208 dumps

Amber, I think the best way to get girls engaged in science is to not only show them strong females that hold a title in the science community, but also to connect the lessons to their interest. Another good idea would be to create a science related program for just elementary level girls and encourage their parents to to carry out some of the activities in their home. Here is a link I found that had many different ideas and tips:  https://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/SciRefGuides/girlscience.html#activities  I hope this helps you! Regards, Natalie Smith 

I think that providing engaging activities for your students will be enough to get boys and girls involved. I like the idea of doing a 'boys vs. girls' activity so that the girls will be motivated to do well. I believe that science can really appeal to girls and their creativity we just need to give them opportunities to explore that.  I also really like the idea of showing them strong female role models in sciences fields. You could maybe have a woman in science related profession be a guest speaker. If they do not see women being scientists, it will be hard for them to see themselves as a scientist. 

I think exposure is really important. You could talk about famous women scientists, or even local women who are doing great things for science. You could also try partnering girls with like minded peers to build their confidence in science activities.  I also think finding science activities that appeal to both genders is a good idea. Take what they're interested in and incorporate it into science lessons. If science is interactive and engaging for both genders they'll be eager to join in. 

Girls make excellent scientist!  One way that the field of science can "grow" more female scientist is to stop the labeling practice that occurs in science and engineering based courses.  Female students should not hear comments that reference her gender.   While there is a push toward science and engineering based-fields today, I believe that we will see a real increase when schools increase the amount of time and energy spent on the areas of science and by tying science into other curricula.  

I don't have the answer to your question but I am SO glad that you're taking initiative for science to be inclusive for ALL students. It's frustrating when people, not just teachers, are unconsciously placing females in gender roles. A couple of suggestions, although I'm speaking from no experience in science thus far as a pre-service teacher. Take a survey and find out what everyone (but focus on the females) are interested in studying and have a lab that connects to your target skill. Instead of doing boy-girl labs do girl-girl partner labs so that the females don't pass the reigns over to the males.  Positive reinforcement, etc.

I am a student teacher, so I am learning how to get all students engaged in science lessons. In my opinion, when students, either male or female, learn that science is fun, engaging, and relatable to their actual lives, any student will find it fun and interesting. It is the teacher's responsibility to show all students, regardless of gender, that science is interesting and applicable to their everyday lives.

I wanted to share my personal obstacles in science. I've been interested in life science since as early as I can remember. The interest was there, but the confidence was not. To build female confidence in science content, I think the following could help: -Bring in/expose students to female scientists - part of my issue was that I didn't know what careers were available in science. I could only picture someone testing chemicals in a lab. Expose them to females  in the field and the variety of careers in science. -Help students let go of being "right" and getting certain results - Hands on is crucial, but as a female science student, I did not like labs; they brought so much anxiety. I knew that we were supposed to get certain results and then draw certain conclusions and that was scary. I wish I had been encouraged to explore unexpected results with excitement, rather than feel embarrassed or unintelligent because I didn't know if my results were "right." More open ended labs would have been nice as well, student created experiments where students are encouraged to let their curiosity take over, and no one knows the results.

I think an important part of getting girls into science is to start early and be sure not to reinforce the stereotype that girls are not good in science. Encouraging group work is a step in the right direction. When students work in group, try assigning roles to students within the groups so girls will have a chance to lead and play an important role within the group. 

The way to get girls more involved and more interested in science is by introducing them women in different jobs in the field. Most girls just see men in the science field. That would get girls more involved in science. Also doing activities that make them involved. Showing the girls that science can e used for making nail polish, perfume, make up first getting them interested is key then the teacher can show them different careers in science.

This is such an important topic! As a female myself, i do not recall ever enjoying science very much. I think all students should be encouraged to participate in the class and be given hands on activities. Hands on activities always encourage participation and kind of force the students to delve into science. Once they're completing the activities, they end up enjoying and learning science. 

Hello everybody! I am a girl and I am mining engineer. And, by the way, I really enjoyed to study in national mining university. But, maybe priority for me was to prove to all men that girls not too stupid as somebody thinking about us. As result, I graduated with honors:).  I really dont know if it helps in my life, but I think sometimes yes. But, unfortunatly, to work for me as mining engineer deep underground was too hard. I did it just once. And after that I began to hate my work.  And change my occupation now... Of course, in science too, but now in more easy way, in philology).  But I wish to everybody  to find their own way  and to love science of course). This is our life!

From my experience it seems like science gets overlooked quite often. Students love science in elementary when the activities are very "hands- on". I think if we had more instruction where students can participate, they would become more involved. It is also very important to encourage girls in whatever they like. We need to try and stop the stereotypes of girls not liking/not being good in science.

Science is a subject that can potentially be very interesting, however, teachers often choose to subject students to a textbook and writing vocabulary words. I feel that students need to see that science is very hands on and activity based. If they are allowed to see that than they will become more interested and motivated to learn. There are different events that encourage girls to study and enjoy science. For example, the University of Houston recently hosted an event called Girls Engineering the Future!, in which they had many different activities and simulations for girls to observe. This event really helped students, girls in particular, get excited about engineering and science. 

Hi! There are many ways you can engage children in lessons. You can incorporate engaging activities that correspond to the concept you are teaching your students. In addition, using the outside resources of the school is a great way to get your students engaged. You may also incorporate inquiry lessons that include the 5E's (engage, explore, explain, extend, evaluate). In this way, students will learn the process of their thinking in science, as will you, as a teacher. In terms of getting girls to build their confidence in science, I would give your class opportunities for success. In addition, I would find out what their interests are and tie that into your lessons. I hope this information helps! Emily Rothenberg

Hi Amber This is a very interesting topic. I say this because i myself am one of those girls that don't really care much for science. This is actually one of my least favorite subjects. Anything nature related and insects is def not my cup of tea. Being that i am entering the education field this mindset must definitely change. I would love to hear the feedback that you get back from this post. Maybe it'll help me out as well lol.

In order to get girls involved and confident in the topic of science, it's important for teacher to relate the content to things they understand. If we, as teachers can relate the information being given to things girls are interested in, such as dancing or crafts, they may feel more confident in the subject. The girls may not be engaged because many examples may refer to automobiles which could possible not attract the attention of the girls. How else do you think we could help girls be more confident in the topic of science?

Some tips to getting children involved in science activities is to make sure that it is hands on. Every child likes to put their hands on anything and if you can make it a learning experience then it is a plus. Children love having fun and science is probably the funnest subject there is. You can create so many things to get the point across without ever losing the attention of the students. As for girls, I believe like any other student, if they aren't learning the way you are teaching then you have to adjust to what they like and base it off something that will really grasp their attention and then slowly change it up once they are all about it.

The best way to keep your children engaged in learning is to help them to be friends with their subjects. Most of them are afraid of many subjects and feel difficulties to learn. You should help them to learn with simple experiments and demos which will keep them engaged and interested to learn things.
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I think girls sometimes don't feel as interested in science because they don't make connections on how it applies to their lives. I think it is important for girls to make real-life connections to things. I also think it is important to have hands on activities that are fun and relevant to their lives. Students are going to remember doing that fun activity than sitting through lectures all the time. Attached are some websites that might help. http://beyondpenguins.ehe.osu.edu/issue/tundra-life-in-the-polar-extremes/what-works-encouraging-girls-in-math-and-science https://www.theguardian.com/world/us-news-blog/2013/feb/05/girls-science-gender-gap-fix

I really enjoyed reading a lot of the responses here! I've read that as girls get older, their interest in science (and math) begins to drop. I feel like part of the reason, at least remembering my own experiences as a girl in school, has to do with environmental influences. The only female scientist that I distinctly remember learning about in upper elementary and middle school science was Rachel Carson. Rosalind Franklin got a brief mention in high school, but most of what we learned was centered around male scientists, male astronomers, male biologists. It's so important for children to be able to see themselves reflected in what they are learning, and I think making sure girls know that plenty of women have made and continue to make important contributions to science is a definite step in the right direction. I honestly feel like this is part of the reason my own interest in science is lacking--there was nothing appealing to me about it because I never got the vibe that it was a field for women. Everything was so male-oriented, so subconsciously, I must've felt that I wouldn't belong.

Hi All,
I had seen Katheryne's recent post in my notifications this morning (thank you for keeping this important discussion going Katheryne!) and as I was going through my day I came across this trade book on the NSTA's list of Outstanding trade books:
Magnificent Minds.Pendred E. Noyce. Tumblehome Learning, Inc.
Through photographs, timelines, and artifacts, Noyce brings the narrative stories of 16 truly magnificent women in STEM careers to life in this informational text.

Also I will add my own tip - invite women scientists in to your classroom! Local biotech or engineering companies or graduate students typically have a certain amount of outreach hours they need to do. I had the good fortune to have a female neuroscientist who visited my classes every week for a year as part of a NSF funded outreach program called Socrates. If you are in a rural area or are pressed for time I would recommend showing TED talks. There are scientists from all of the world and country.

Excited to see this thread getting some new life. I posted quite some time ago with a link to a blog post I wrote concerning girls in science. You can find it here: http://www.shareitscience.com/2015/03/science-teaching-toolbox-girl-power.html It echos much of what you all are sharing. Another program to try is "Letters to a Pre-Scientist" which basically is a pen-pal system that brings scientists and classrooms together. You can read about it more here: http://www.shareitscience.com/2016/01/letters-to-pre-scientist-school-program.html It's a great way to introduce professional scientists of both genders to all students.

I think this is such a great question that you are asking. There are most definitely gender stereotypes about science and even math being subjects for boys. Our students are aware of this even at very young ages. I've especially observed it in a second grade classroom when I asked the students what they thought a scientist looked like. They all said male and that he wore a white lab coat. This is what students are seeing in the media and this is what they think. You could break this stereotype by telling everyone in the classroom that they are scientists and having them act the part. Even explicitly discuss the fact that girls can be scientists. Show them pictures and discuss famous scientists that are women - this is another thing that textbooks usually do not point out. Most of the scientists we learn about are men. You could also make science relate to the girls in your classroom. What are their interests and motivations? Get to know your students and you can fit the lessons to their needs. Don't forget to encourage your girls and give them compliments about their science work in order to build their confidence.

This is a great question to open many's eyes to many stereotypes surrounding schools. Science is a perfect example of this. Often times, science is viewed as a boy's subject or "more in their lane", especially the older students become. Talking about male AND female scientists, encouraging heterogeneous groups in class, and constantly engaging students of both genders is important to stop this way of thinking. Thanks for asking this, reminding us of this issue, and allowing others to give thoughts on how to fix this.

I just had this wonderful experience with Northrup Grumman and one of the presenters said that girls (and boys) lose interest when a student has a bad experience with math/science or a particular teacher expresses a disinterest in these areas. Getting the students engaged in the activity is key. Girls might not like robots, but could relate to chemical engineering with makeup or nail polish. An chemical engineer was telling us how she worked for Loreal testing colors and mixing compounds to create new colors. It was a fascinating idea to get the girls hooked into the idea of engineering. There are many activities out there for this.

I enjoy reading about all the ideas and input that has been brought up here. As a month of a young girl who is interested in science and as a future teacher, I feel it is very important to grab your female students interest in STEM. Bring in females into your classrooms that belong in this field, show off the accomplishments of women in science, and encourage your female students, especially those who are already showing interest. Along with trying to gauge some of your lessons towards topics that the girls like, also try to take the overall approach that any student regardless of race, can be a scientist, a cook, an engineer, etc. Incorporate that approach and science into the literature and books you have in the classroom as well.

I agree that bringing female scientists into the classroom is a great way to show the students the face of science. One activity I do is have the students work on a collage of a scientist or scientists in a particular field. We use magazine cutouts that pertain to the field of study. Last year the topic was genetics. We included Watson, Crick, and Gregor Mendel, but we featured Rosalind Franklin. The students write about the collage and the scientist(s) in the collage, and we display the framed piece in the hallway outside our room.

I like everyone's ideas on bringing in female scientists or even just talking about women who have contributed to the sciences. Girls will be more interested in it if they see that other females have accomplished great things in this field. Science and Math are always seemingly male dominated, whereas girls dominate the language arts. We need to show children that they do not have to follow the stereotypes and can be interested in anything and everything.

Hello, I am in my senior year at the University of Arkansas and that is one thing we have discussed in a few of my classes. I believe this is one thing that needs to change, and it begins in the younger grades! I believe that beginning in the elementary grades, we need to make girls feel confident in science and math. We need to make them feel empowered instead of bringing them down(which I think teachers do sometimes without even realizing it). I believe that is the most important key factor; to start in the elementary grades. If they feel confident at a young age and it continues, they will stay confident! What are ways that parents could help get their girls involved in STEM?

I think that many females have the misconception that science is a boy thing. These females must get these misconceptions from somewhere and it is our job as teachers to help aid is getting rid of the misconception. We should not only talk about male scientist in our classroom, but also female scientists that did amazing things to help aid in the science world. We need to also allow our students to be explorers and investigators. We must use inquiry learning and allow the children to construct their own knowledge with scaffolding from the teacher and other peers. For a female who doesn't like science, it is important to allow her to explore science using her known strengths. For example, if a female student is studying rocks, you could have the student write a book about rocks and put on a skit about rocks. All students should have access to all of their intelligences and be able to use them in all subjects.

I think many girls when they think of science the first thing that comes to their minds is that it is only for boys. That is why we should educate them that both girls and boys can be interested in science. I found a link that I thought might be helpful for you and hope that it helps you a little!

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/5-ways-girls-involved-STEM-karen-purcell

Hi ;) I was also wondering about the same question! Often, many girls may reject the idea of science because it does not look very interesting or too boyish for them. However, if I were to teach a class filled with boys and girls, I will try to find some interests for the girls. I feel that if they form interests, then the gender part of science will not matter. I can often think that girls like to grow something like a plant or even watching a caterpillar grow. I will start with what the students will be interested and have the students to start forming the love of Science. But, I will keep in mind that if you go too much with the interest of the girls, then the boys will be left out. So, it will be important to find something that can be in between of the both genders. (Avoiding bias)

Most often when one walks into a science classroom they are bombarded by pictures of influential male scientists like Einstein, Edison, and Galileo. As teachers we must start to understand that there are also very influential female scientists and we must convey this to our students (especially the girls). It's perfectly fine to have the "common" male scientist pictures displayed but we should accompany them with the famous female scientists such as Maria Mitchell, Caroline Herschel, and Sally Ride. In addition to expanding the perception of what a scientist looks like, we should also offer suggestions to areas of science likely not mentioned in texts such as zoology, botany, and the slew of environmental sciences. These areas are likely to attract both boys and girls and can offer insight to the expanding reaches of the science world.

I think that the first thing that teachers need to do in science is show girls that there are influential women in the field of science. Most of the time when we talk about science and some of the greatest discoveries, we talk about the men who did it. In addition to that, you can talk about the different fields in science. For example, there is Jane Goodall (work with chimpanzees), Elizabeth Blackwell (first female doctor), etc. There are many women who are currently in the fields that are very influential. If you can have a female scientist come and talk to them that would be even better. If you show the girls that it isn't a waste of time for them to learn science and love science because it isn't just for males, I think that would help a lot.

While I agree with the enthusiasm, it is hard to try to solve a problem if you do not understand it. Many of these reponses seem to indicate that girls have a lack of interest in STEM, this is far from the truth. Girls interest in STEM in the lower grades is not generally a problem. The pipeline used to start leaking in middle school, correlated (but not neccessarily caused by) with the introduction of goggles which messed up make-up and hair and dissections of animals. But girls now outnumber boys in STEM in K-12 in many areas - when I taught high school in Virginia back in the late 1990's, my chemistry classes were 88% female and my physics classes were 75% female. Girls now outnumber boys in science fairs. To some extent, the leaks in the pipeline have moved further down towards college and career choices.

Hello! One thing that I have learned in one of my past classes I have participated in this semester is our perceptions of science and how it affects the way students perform. If we typically think of scientists as men with crazy hair in lab coats holding vials and we exercise this idea through the lessons we teach, then girls will not see themselves as possible scientists. In addition, parents' perceptions of how girls perform in certain subjects such as science and math can negatively affect their daughters' performance. This issue can be ameliorated by reinforcing more positive and diverse images of scientists so that girls can look at the subject more positively and see it as a possible future career path.

I love that you brought light into the subject because I felt that way growing up as well. I have two girls in my classroom who don't like Science because they believe that the subject was made for boys. They rarely see girl scientists and they do not feel the need to learn it. One thing that us teachers have to keep in mind is that science teachers will be the only "scientists" they'll ever come across. We have to find ways to make science more engaging and interactive for ALL students. Maybe grouping only girls into one group? Or doing an activity where students research about important female scientists? Hops this helped!

Hi All,


My school recently trialed an all-girls science class with 15-16 year old girls. It was a challenge for me but also extremely rewarding. I found the girls responded well to group work and practical activities that involved inquiry based learning and critical thinking. I also tried to debunk the myth that science is a “boys” subject by using positive female role models within science and drawing on my own personal scientific experience to engage the students.

Thanks,
Krista

This is a great question. When I was younger, my mom put me in MAD Scientist. This is what triggered my love for math and science. I found quickly this went hand-in-hand.

I think that there are something that lower-grader teacher can do to make female student engage in Science Class. I think lower-grade students love Science class because the science class is the only chance they can do a lot of hands on activity. Lower grade teacher may try to break the stereotype which is boys are better in science when they are young, so when they grow up, female students wouldn't feel that science is only for male students.

Depending on the age of the girls, there is a chemistry unit that deals with make up. I think the girls would mix their own make-up. That would certainly get some girls attention. I also just read an article that mentioned dressing up like scientists to present what you know about scientists. That role-playing aspect would appeal to many little drama girls.

Hi, I think the best way to get girls more involved in science is to make science seem like it is for girls as much as it is for boys. It is the hardest thing, but the best way to break down the barrier between genders/sexes. One easier way is to maybe include examples in units related to something that a girl would stereotypically like, for example: dressing up.

Hands-on activities are important, but I think that showcasing female scientists is incredibly important, too. I think it's a good idea to have students draw you a scientist. Then, everyone shows their table their drawings. Are they all men in lab coats with crazy hair? Are they white? Are they alone? Addressing this at the beginning of your year can really draw out the stereotypes students foster about science. Have students come up with their own scientific identity, where they write about themselves as future scientists. What field do they work in? What's their specialty? What have they won the Nobel Prize for? This will especially help girls to envision themselves as scientists!

I too have noticed that there is a large gap between the numbers of girls vs boys in the science/engineering field, and like many have stated that needs to change! I feel that a great reason why so many girls are so discouraged and shy away from science is because, from the beginning, they are not motivated to learn about it. Girls, especially young ones, are extremely creative and can bring so much to the science/engineering field that it would only benefit the field as a whole. But this motivation to learn and explore and develop needs to start from the beginning. Hands on activities, using more inquiry lessons are some of the best ways to get them excited about learning.

Speaking from my own personal experience, I was a girl who was never very interested in science. I don't really think it was because I thought it was a "boy" activity but because I was not good at it, and it did not interest me. I think that the key to getting girls involved in science, like any other student, is to find out what they're interested in. In my current placement a lot of the girls are very interested in animal science. So possibly gearing more lessons toward animals or having characters involved in the lessons that are animals would be helpful. It is all about making the information valuable to them, relatable, and interesting! I think the answer for getting girls involved is the same as getting all students involved, find out what they want to know and play into that!

I love this topic! Being a girl, I understand how intimidating it can be when it comes to "competing" with boys especially when it comes to science, where scientists are typically depicted as male. I think it is important, not only just for young girls at the elementary grade level, but also boys, to feel some sort of responsibility in the classroom. Assigning tasks and duties to each student can really give all students in the class a sense of accountability, not just the boys to do all the heavy lifting or girls to paint pretty pictures of their observations. In my science classroom I am careful to give different students different jobs and hold them all accountable equally, in addition, I always refer to them all as my group of scientists. This definitely boosts the confidence of all students, especially young girls that are intimidated by the subject!

I agree children are more acceptable to hands-on activities and learn best through small groups that allows discovery.

It is important to get all students involved especially young girls. In my college course my professor had us draw a picture of what we thought a scientist looked like. The majority of the pictures were drawn of guy scientist. This was a real eye opener on what we perceive and believe scientist should be or look like. We must get girls involved and have them understand that this subject is for everyone. Hands on activities will attract all kinesthetic learners and will enrich the learning process.

Earlier in my student teaching semester my cooperating teacher had students handle live worms. Of course, handling them was optional. I was really surprised to see the girls who wanted to hold the worms. It was an eye opening experience because I had falsely assumed that particular girls would want to hold and that some would not. Most of the ones that I just knew for sure would not, actually did handle the worms! I realized that no matter what we do in the classroom, the option should be open to all and never assume the roles the students will take.

I think the first thing you need to do to get your students involved with the hands on activities is make sure that it appeals to their interests. Of course we need to make sure that it aligns with the standards. As their teacher, you really need to sell the activity. You need to believe it is an exciting activity if you ever want your students to believe that. As for building up the confidence for the girls in the classroom, that can be tricky without making it seem like you are biased. I feel like the best way to do this is show how both women and men have greatly influenced the science field and changed our lives. Make it clear that it does not matter who you are or what you look like, you are capable of being succcessful at science.

I think having hands on activities is a great way to get the girls to participate more. I was very surprised that the girls in my class actually enjoyed science and did not need but prompting.

I think that having more options would be beneficial. Also, I think that girls would be inspired to see successful female scientists in the world.

Science is a doorway to a wondrous world that leads to endless other doorways. Its access should certainly not be limited to anyone based on who they are or where they came from. Not only does limitation hurt individuals, it also hinders further discovery from someone that might have been a potential innovative scientist. Specific lesson plans need to be constructed in flexible ways that are relatable to both males and females within the classroom.

Michael, I've currently been working with an after-school STEM program, and we have a few girls in the classes. These girls come from various backgrounds, but some come from engineering families, which is how they became involved in the program. The girls in my classes are often the leaders, and assist the boys in our projects. I think it is important to find ways to make science both exciting for boys and girls, and often this will be in different ways. Very interested in the responses to your post. Best, Meagan

intresting discussion :)

Amber, As a preservice teacher I think that this is a great question! I am glad that you started this question because now it is getting me thinking about how I would encourage girls to love and be involved with science. Also, enjoying all of the comments, a lot of very useful information!

As a preservice teacher I believe it is extremely important to encourage young girls to take part in STEM roles, but I also think we need to have more mentors for them to shadow. Our oldest daughter has always had a great love for black holes, but we were unable to find anyone to mentor or encourage her to pursue her dream. I feel that as teachers (and parents), we can do a great amount of encouraging, but without someone in the field to help guide them it is still a difficult task to get girls involved. Many of the comments on this topic are very inspiring, and even though it can be a bit of a challenge to sometimes keep girls motivated, I do believe we must keep encouraging them.

I completely agree with intergrading hands on activities and making it fun for all students. I feel to get girls more interested and active in the science field, a great starting point would be to start rewording how we talk about scientist. I would add in a spotlight person who contributed to the field both male and female each week. This would show the even playing field for the girls.

I agree with Ashley. Students are more willing to enjoy science when there are involved in hands on activity. I try to avoid showing my personal preference, and try to stare my students away from thinking something gross or disgusting. I also like the idea of showing people of science, so they are familiar with the people in the field, and they become real to them. I did not think of that. Thank you.

The PBS series SciGirls is a valuable resource for engaging girls in STEM subjects. Each of the 20+episodes follows a different group of girls as they investigate a science question or solve an engineering problem. The programs are designed to show any girl that they can succeed in STEM activities, and are available in both English and Spanish. The entire collection is online at https://www.youtube.com/user/scigirlstv . The shows are also offered for tablets and smartphones at http://pbskids.org/scigirls/, with activities and games supplement the programs. There are activities for educators for all the shows at the national outreach site, http://www.scigirlsconnect.org/ or at PBS Learning Media - http://wimedialab.pbslearningmedia.org/collection/scigirls/ . The philosophy of SciGirls is rooted in research into the most effective strategies to engage girls in STEM, the "SciGirls Seven." Find them here: http://www.scigirlsconnect.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/SciGirls_Seven_2Page.pdf (also attached to this message) If you're interested in more information, please contact Niki, at [email protected].

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SciGirls_Strategies.pdf (2.85 Mb)

Lots of great comments here! At my school , as the Science Lab teacher, I have always referred to myself as a Scientist and all the students as Scientists. I do not see any difference gender wise in my school. My girls are the brave ones when handling our lab animals and the best workers in my Garden Club . I have pictures posted in the lab of me traveling and handling animals in my travels. The students are amazed at these pictures I use my travels and experiences to show them what an education allows them to do. I think Starting at kindergarten calling them all Scientists and explaining what a Scientist does , makes them believe its possible . By the time they get to 3rd grade they know they are all Scientists because they know how to observe, question and investigate their world ! its a good start !

There are kinds of hands-on experiences such as summer camps, clubs and others that can help girls approach regular science classes with more confidence, ready to build on that knowledge. It is also important to get groups of girls working on things together, because spreading the word that way is much easier than one girl coming back from a class with all boys and trying to explain to her friends why it’s fun.

First you could find out what they are interested in using a survey. Then you could take that information and create an interactive hands on activity that they will enjoy because it's of interest to them.

Hi! I totally agree with everyone before me, they all have great ideas! I think it is just very important to be able to relate the lessons to the things that the girls in your classroom and interested in. This could be another core subject, an extra curricular activity, an art, or just personal experiences. There are so many ways to incorporate music and art in science lessons, and these are two subjects that girls typically enjoy participating in. Hope this helps!

Hello, I have to say that I have seen that science can be fun for girls. If you make it something that they can relate to then they will really take interest. Just keep that in mind!

Hello everyone, This is an interesting forum. I agree with all the suggestions, but I love the competition idea of creating teams of boy vs. girls.

I agree with all the suggestions that are made. Getting students engaged is challenging. I feel like we should first get to know our students. Ask them what they want to learn in science, what experiments they would want to do and what they would like to discover. It is important to know their interest first because what they are interest on is what you should focus on. Especially for girls focus on their responses and get them together to decide on a few things they would like to learn and do. Once all the suggestions has made the teacher can decide what activities to do and how they can align with the standards.

I use to work at a a toy store that sold learning based toys. One thing I always saw fly off the shelves was a stem based toy called Goldie Blox. I never knew what it was until I read the back of the box one day. The girls can make different things out of these blocks. They can make slides, spinning machines, floats for a parade. Every box is different, but the child is able to be introduced into some engineering ideas. They are able to make pull and levy's, or moving parade floats. Its pretty cool and girls do not think of it as "science"

This is such a good question! I do believe girls automatically choose to stray away from science. I think some really good tips is to bring in guest speakers that are women and scientists. We are still living in a time where we are trying to apply certain subjects more like-able to a gender. Another way is perhaps, seeing the interest of the girls in the class that might make it more appealing or fun.

Great forum. I believe getting the students engaged in the beginning will get them hooked for the rest of the lesson. Maybe doing an activity that will "wow" them and let the students discuss and try to figure out what it could be.

I am agreeing with everyone on this one. Using hands on activity is special and very student will want to participate. Try not to signal out students or make it seem like they are different. Also I believe if you're doing group projects it will be best if each group has at least two girls and a boy or two boys and a girl. Doing this will make it seem like everyone is equal and can get different perspective.

Regardless of the subject you have to keep students engaged. Provide fun, hands on activities and find ways to make it relevant to their lives. Science is not for everyone but everyone should be given equal opportunity to try.

Great post. A great motivator would be to show them past and present women scientists, engineers, astronauts, etc. Also, the new IMAX movie Big Dreams is an awesome inspirational movie. It has several women that have made major contributions for present and future scientific discoveries.

Thanks for all the great shared resources! Here is another with great resources. Girlstart: http://www.girlstart.org/our-programs

Definitely look at your local colleges and universities for outreach programs. I live near UCONN and they had a Girls in Science program that looks to build interest, enthusiasm, and opportunities for girls to enter STEM related career fields. Our students love it and many have gone on to programs in Engineering and Science.

It is interesting to me to read this post from 2015 and how relevant the topic is, two years after. I have been involved in activities with sciences and robotics for girls. In my experience I have seen classrooms with male and female students and only girls. It is true that girls tend to be quiet when they are in a mix classroom, and boys end to be more noisy than the girls. This is not only in middle school, in early grades it also happens. My point here is that as teachers of diverse students, we have to empower those who are not always expressive, by giving tools of discussion and time to share in our classrooms. Hands on projects and elaborated steps to guide them is pivotal. Girls, need to be exposed to the same problems in engineering and sciences as boys are. For example, having Lego clubs at school promoting girls participation, sciences fairs allowing girls to demonstrate their abilities. However, I noticed that at the time of registration for those programs, boys were always the first to fill out forms. One step that my school took, was to offer the same amount of spots for girls and boys in robotics, lego clubs and science clubs.

As a teacher candidate, this topic was something that caught my eye, and made me curious to see what others would suggest. Reading through the responses, I was overwhelmed with plenty of great suggestions. I'm actually required to post this reply for a class, but I'm glad that my professor required it, due simply to the fact that I now know how involved the scientific community is involved in this website. Hopefully later on I can ask my own question, and receive just as many helpful responses!

One school is doing a great job with Science and Engineering and includes girls from K-12. They're on Facebook and Instagram and always sharing great discoveries or activities their students are engaged in. It's an all girl school "Sacred Hearts Academy" https://www.instagram.com/sacredheartsacademy/

Hello! I have some ideas for you. First, using student-friendly language to teach science lessons, make your instructions more intelligible to students. Second, students may become more excited if you provide more opportunities for them to do science activities. It is also a good idea to draw conclusions from science experiments. You can divide the class into several groups, each group has 4 to 5 students. Each group will finish the experiment and report their findings. Then you summarize it and redress students’ misconceptions. Colorful experimental materials may be more attractive to girls. When you are providing feedback for each student, always point out their strengths first, and encourage her/him to make progress.

In my class at university we recently did the "Draw A Scientist Test" and it was predominantly a white haired male in a laboratory setting wearing a white coat (mine included). I would say that we have to take away the social stigma of items that are for "boys" or "girls" in our classes, some of these items may have been covered in other posts, but I feel it is up to us to show all sides of this. Jane Goodall, Marie Curie right there with Tesla and Edison. I have had the argument about labels on toys, since I had 2 daughters and one wanted the transformers toy vs the barbie, and people saying she needed "girl" toys. Remove some of the stigma and it may open the idea that they can do anything they want.

Try using things that relate to the girls, such as giving the girls knowledge about other girls/women that are in the science field and how they started to work with science. Also, have hands on group activities and put all the girls in one group and all the boys in the other group. To see if by putting them like that would encourage them to like science a bit more.

Hi Amber, I personally never liked science but as I grew older, I found it more and more interesting as the years went on. I think it all depends on how teachers teach science to their students. My science teachers never really did do anything fun and interesting in my classes. I think if a teacher is passionate about science, he/she will transmit that same passion to their students. I would try to incorporate more experiments, hands on activities and talk about female scientists or contributors to the science field.

There are plenty of reasons we don't see as many girls interested in science as boys... there aren't women scientists represented, they aren't encouraged at home the way boys often are, they are naturally hardwired to prefer language subjects and games, etc. etc. I think the best way to get girls into science is to remember that science is a BROAD subject; it is not limited to bugs and animals and robots. In any area of science I think every student needs to have a choice in how they learn and present material. Boys may prefer to go dig up and pull apart worms. Girls may prefer to read a book on worms and draw up a diagram. Either way they are learning and engaged in science! I think everyone needs to go back and remember that there is no cut and dry way to do things, and it's okay if girls are interested in different ways; we shouldn't overlook that just because it isn't how the boys did it.

Let's admit up front that there is no single reason why girls disengage from the sciences after 7th grade. This is as complex as the bizarre network of social interactions that drive the lives of adolescents and teens. This bias is certainly a concern driven by society as a whole. Let's start with the "pink isle". As the father of two grown daughters and a science teacher, it has always irked me that the "girls' toy isle" has maintained a pink, passive care giver appearance, while the "boys' toy isle" has engaging hands-on, manipulative driven toys. Problem-solving versus nurturing toys are still gender driven. Some stores and companies have attempted to make changes in this marketing, and most teachers offer STEM activities without gender bias. This being said, the most recent political campaigns reinforced that gender separation and stereotypes are still strong in the minds of many adults in the U.S. Without getting into the nastiness of this past election, reviewing the voting patterns of women on different topics is telling that many women in our society reinforce these stereotypes. Within the family unit, in many cultures, the eldest son is still often prioritized where educational opportunities and experiences are afforded over his sister, whether she is older or younger. These are fundamental societal decisions that shape the hopes and dreams of students of both genders. My suggestion for addressing this issue is not only to provide the role models and experiences for the students, both boys and girls, but to engage the parents in these programs. Parents need to 'see' their daughters as capable and thriving in professional careers. Their lifelong interactions will provide the expectations for post-secondary education in pursuit of these career choices.

Hi Amber, I was really happy to see this post because I think this question is extremely important and sometimes we forget to take these things into consideration. I am currently an undergraduate student on track to earn my certificate in elementary education. We have been learning how to incorporate STEM into the classroom and with a lot of math and engineering involved I have thought about, "how will I get the students to be more confident". Your question made me think about young girls who may not have been exposed to STEM experiences before. These children are going to need support and to be pushed to persevere. I think in the classroom when experiencing female students who are not confident, you need to be their biggest support system. I found a cool blog post about this topic from edutopia.org. My favorite thing mentioned in the post is educating children about what it's like to be a woman in the STEM field. We want to inspire all of the children, boys and girls. Here is the link to the blog post, I hope you find it helpful. https://www.edutopia.org/blog/5-ways-girls-involved-STEM-karen-purcell

Hi everyone! I am currently an elementary major and am currently taking courses that embed methods of teaching particular subjects. Since we live in the 21st century, technology is now more than ever present in the classroom. A good way to get students engaged is to use technology as a pre assessment. Students love Popplet and Kahoot that give them accessibility to communicate with their peers online. All students should have the opportunity to have equal confidence in Science. To increase a girls' involvement in Science, get them involved in STEM! STEM camps are becoming popular. Just recently, I was a mentor for GADgET (Girls adventuring in design engineering and technology) that young girls had the opportunity to engage themselves in Science and become aware in the STEM community.

Hello, I previously have worked at a science summer camp for young children and have found that girls can be as interested in science as boys are! It just take some interesting demonstrations to gain their attention. One activity I have done was dipping peanut package packers into acetone a.k.a nail polish remover. This was a fun experiment and most of the girls could relate to it. -Jocelyn

Although I am still working through my graduate program and have had minimal time in the classroom, I have worked for almost two years at a very popular science center working with thousands upon thousands of school children. I can say from experience that girls love science!!! I have worked with many extremely passionate female students who jumped at opportunities to learn about new scientific content or who aspired to become a scientist one day. Not that this is surprising to me, as I was crazy about science ever since I was little, but this just goes to show you that we may be losing them along the way for a variety of reasons, including lack of engagement and representation. I have to agree that hands-on activities are an excellent motivator (for both boys and girls), especially for students who may not be as eager. Representation is also extremely important, and care should definitely be taken to make sure girls are given the opportunity to see and learn about various women in science, and in STEM fields in general. If girls are given ample opportunities to have positive interactions with science from early on, these connections are much more likely to accompany them through their school years and, hopefully, into their careers later on.

I think it's SO IMPORTANT to get girls involved in science at a young age, because when they are adults there are SO MANY cool opportunities for them in the STEM fields. Most big cities have professional societies called WiSTEM (Women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and they are constantly trying to put forth initiatives in the community to get young girls excited about science. http://www.womeninstem.com/

Today, science is becoming such a big part of our lives and everyone should play a role in this including women. Getting young girls involved is mostly capable by keeping it interesting and giving young girls someone to look up to or something to look forward to. In many cases, it is interesting to show girls science teams that do "battlebot" type activities or even the more fascinating portions of science jobs like marine biologists swimming in the oceans to save the animals. Things like this can really help keep children on their toes but more it can help them feel like they can be something in the science world and make a difference somewhere.

This is a very important issue that must be addressed at an early age. Beginning in elementary school, teachers can provide students with role models of female scientists and teach students about their contributions to the scientific community. I believe it is important for young girls to be able to visualize themselves as scientists, even in an elementary setting. Creating a classroom community that embraces boys and girls is necessary for success!

When I taught technolog in middle school. The girls did not want to learn how to use the equipment with the boys watching. I knew I had to figure out a way to get them to try. I actually broke the class into boys ang girls. I saw the relief on the girls faces. All my students did learn how to use the equipment and they were successful in creating their project.

Hi Amber, As a female college student who never really enjoyed science in high school or middle school I would say that the only reason I like science now is because of all the hands on activities and group work my professor makes us do. Hands on activities are always fun and isn't that the point to make learning fun. Also I think inquiry lessons are also great to engage students during the lesson. In science one and two I have learned to implement the 5E during my lessons and I think the 5E lesson plans are great because we have students investigating experiments and that is always fun as well. Another amazing aspect of Inquiry base lessons is the "investigable question" which really keeps the students engaged and motivated. I believe that by allowing students to follow an investigable question to guide their lesson, they can take ownership of the experience at hand and really immerse themselves into finding the answer to the question. I believe that as long as well keep the students involved and have fun hands on activities and implement inquiry in our lessons I believe we will have our females students more involved in the class.

Really, I don't think that getting girls interested and involved in science is very hard, as long as you don't make it seem like only boys can do science. Science doesn't have to be made "girly" (pink bows, flowers, hearts, etc) for girls to be interested in it. Just treat all your students the same way and focus on engaging all your students in the lesson, and they'll be interested.

This topic really touches the core of why science is so important to me. Not only am I finishing my Elem. Ed degree, but I'm a mother to four children; three boys and one girl. I have pushed STEM since they were infants. One of the things I find best to get my daughter (and sons!) invested in science is to read them bedtime stories about real scientists. I also love to read to them about female scientists since women aren't as visible in STEM fields. Two great books are 'Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls' and 'Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World.' Although I would've preferred the first titled 'Goodnight Stories for Rebel Children' because it's important that we don't just read to our daughters or female students about women role models, but also our sons.

Hello Amber. First, this forum really grabbed my attention because as I was performing a field experience I was truly shocked to see what I was seeing. I was able to walk into a science class that was split into the “morning” group and the “afternoon” group. I was able to notice how the “morning” group was a majority of girls and the “afternoon” group had only 2 girls out of 20 students. The more shocking part was that the teacher would approach me to explain how the “morning” group was the “lower” group that performed a low test grade and the “afternoon” group were the high test score group. As I was seeing that, I was very shocked because so many people tells me “girls are not so “intelligent” in science subject.” I personally think that is not true and it all has to do with what they are interested in and how much the teacher gets them to engage in the topic. So stating that, I think there are various ways and tips to get students engaged within a lesson. I think it is important for the teacher to recognize what kind of learner each students are and then implement that learning strategy within the lesson to get all students engaged. I think the teacher using the 5E lesson plan can really help to manage and plan out a inquirized lesson for the students. The 5E lesson plan can help girls to investigate their own questions and have them build their confidence as they realize they can find the answers as well, like a scientist.

I couldn't agree with you more on getting more girls interested in science. It breaks my heart whenever I hear a student say they don't even want to try something simply because they believe they won't be good at it. Personally, I think that fighting mindset right there is half the battle. Creating an environment where setbacks and mistakes are celebrated just as much as the successes sends the message that mistakes are more than okay, as long as you learn from them. It's been my personal experience that girls will jump right into anything if you are able to make it a competition, however this strategy can also create a hostile environment so proceed with caution. I would also suggest maybe discussing prominent members of the science community who represent those in your classroom who you feel are less than enthusiastic about what you're teaching. Show them that people just like them have accomplished amazing things and there isn't anything that says they can't also. Good luck with your class!

This post is something I have also thought about as a pre-service teacher. I think the best thing to do is to make sure all science activities are geared towards both girls and boys and their interests. I do like the idea of having an after school program or activity where girls can go and learn about science and get involved more. This might make them feel more comfortable and get them to engage more in the classroom with all of their peers.

I would agree with what a lot of people are saying on here. Having a competition between boys and girls to get them motivated to participate. I would say any competition in general got me motivated in school regardless if it was boys or girls. Some one also on here made the comment about having a female role model in science. I believe that to be true, young girls often look up to women in their community or around the world. So when all they see are men doing things in since, it is hard for them to think that they should partake in science as well.

I can also agree that a lot of times girls aren't interested in science. I was one of them. One of the things I've learned from both my college classes and my job at a daycare is that the more hands-on activities are, the better success you have at getting students (and not just boy students, girls too) involved and interested. I also think it's very important to keep in mind the age of the students that you are working with. At my daycare we have a woman who comes to do STEM once a month with the school age class, and I have noticed by assisting her that if activities are more complicated or not as hands-on the less likely my students are to participate. It's important to make sure you don't frustrate students with something that is way over their head. One of the ways the STEM lady has done to make science more hands on and the girls more likely to participate is incorporating food or some type of science type craft. My students have made soap, decorated coasters, and even learned about the moon phases through Oreo cookies. She has also planned scavenger-hunt type activities that relate to science with a high level of participation and involvement by both boy and girl students. Field trips are also another great option if it is available to you, going to a science museum was one of my daycare students's favorite things this summer.

I can agree that girls are not as interested in science as compared to boys. One way I think to get girls more interested in science is provide more hands on activities. When we present these hands on activities we as teachers should be sure to connect them to a real world application to enhance their comprehension of a given topic.

Hello, Over the past few years, I have noticed that my female students are just as engaged in Science inquiry as their male classmates. They enjoy using scientific tools and engaging in argument with evidence as well.

Most of what is being said is completely true and I agree 100%. The ratio of boys and girls being involved in the science, STEM or engineering needs to be changed. Girls tend to always want to "beat" the boys so I would probably add activities, experiments that have a competition. another way to get girls more involved is display the successful women in the field and explain that girls are just as successful. One other suggestion is to relate the topics to the girls interests. It will allow them to relate and be more involved as well as interested. Good Luck!

I think that having successful women in the science field portrayed in the classroom would help to encourage young girls feel like there is a place for them in the science world.

I think an important thing is to make sure that girls and boys are being equally engaged in the lesson through answering questions and giving explanations. One of my professors once told us that teachers tend to call on boys more than girls, and even picked up on herself doing the same thing. By making sure everyone is engaged equally, there's more of a chance that girls will not lose an interest in science.

Hey Amber! I'm really glad you posted this question because the underrepresentation of women in STEM is real and very unfortunate! I myself have been trying to learn more about stem as I am majoring in Bilingual Education, so I do not have a stem-heavy course degree plan. However, I recognize that the first step in promoting the excitement of stem to my future female students is to learn more about it as well, so that I may translate that passion unto them. Secondly, I feel as though the involvement and engagement of girls in a stem classroom has to start with the environment that the teacher establishes at the beginning of the school year. Gender equality is a movement that is gaining so much strength right now and I would be very interested in seeing how maybe that topic could be developed and adapted into a unit of sorts for all grade levels. Talking about the inequalities about from the past few centuries, and researching about the innovations and discoveries that have been made by women in the past few decades would be a great way to show our girls that we too can make a difference and impact our communities.

Hello Amber! Thank you for asking such a question that does not get thought about often. I am currently a student teacher and I see how the demographics in my area are already making girls stand at a disadvantage. Currently, there are only a few girls in both of my classes which means they are less comfortable, mostly because the boys are so loud and full of energy that you hardly notice these girls unless you are their teacher. Don't get me wrong, they are bright and intelligent, but we have to work in order to get them to talk. For me, I need to become more confident scientist myself in order for the girls in my class to feel confident themselves. If they see their teacher is confused or stressed about teaching science, they will most likely lack that strength too. Recently, we have been trying to do as much hands on experimenting and it has been working for us. Relating things to real life scenarios since that is what science is!

I think that it is important that we as teachers support our students and make them aware of our expectations of them. We need to make them understand that they are also capable of understanding and figuring out science. Another reason that I think that we need to do is the following: We as teachers need to make sure that we are comfortable with teaching science because if you aren't then the students are going to feel awkward about learning about science. Also, smothering that you could do is make some of the girls that are uncomfortable with science major role in an activity, so that why they could learn about what science is really about and learn to enjoy it, as well as learning that science is for everyone.

I agree with you because many girls believe that they are not capable of doing anything in science they feel like it is not for them. Us as teachers have to find a way to engage them so that they are also into the lesson. Girls can get creative and so that is an advantage that they have and creativity is much needed in science. One thing I have learned is that science does not have to a procedure but it can also be creative which i believe helps students more. Not only does it catch the attention of the girl students but also the boys because it is fun for them. Personally I have not encountered this, but I’m going off by what I think would happen, my question is what kind creative ideas would you all recommend for me? 

I began a STEM club after school and to get more girls involve I included in my flyer "Come and learn how to make different kinds of slime." The turn out for girls was outstanding. During my lessons they learned about energy and matter and chemical reactions. The fact that my girls students were able to connect science to their real world experiences was fantastic!! Let's stay curious and keep our lessons real.

I think a great way to get females involved with science is by going through the history of all the inventions that female scientists have created. Students are going to pay more attention when the topic is about something they like. Talk about the chemistry behind make up or the science behind how our brain works. Girls will want to learn when they are introduced to topics they are comfortable about talking. 

Another thought would be to hold lunch meetings and create a club about how to get more involved with science. When you build a sense of community and a comfortable setting students will be more willing to openly discuss thier thoughts! 

Brittany 

In my opinion, the best way to get children involved in not only science, but all subjects is hands-on activities. Students like to be able to do things themselves and figuring things out on their own rather than just hearing the teacher talk. You can get girls involved by relating it to their outside life or giving them options to choose what they want to do that way they are interested. You can also put girls in groups where they feel comfortable to participate and collaborate with their partners.

Claire Schroeder

Pre-service Teacher

Wartburg College 

Amber,

This is a great question, because I am one of those students who always disliked science, and especially as a girl, I did not want to get involved very much. However, I think the best advice I can give from my experiences, and as I am going to school to become a teacher, is to get students of all genders involved at a young age. I believe that is something that hindered my enjoyment of science. I did not have a great science program through my school growing up, so I believe when I became an adult, I was just disinterested. As for females specifically, I think it is important to show how successful women are now-a-days, and encourage all kinds of students to get involved and have the same ambition as those successful people did.

Hayley Krogh

Pre-Service Teacher

Amber,

I personally think that being able to involve girls within science is crucial especially, at a young age. I was involved with AP science in my high school and felt very out of place, due to the fact that I was not introduced to science at a young age. Also, it was new for girls to 'like' science when I was in high school. For females in general, it is important to have them introduced to bias subjects at a young age to get rid of the stigma that science is for 'boys'. I agree with Hayley Krogh when she mentions to get girls involved at a young age. 

Anne Hargis

Pre-Service Teacher

Amber, I think the main thing is to allow students some freedom when it comes to learning. Perhaps ask the girls types of activties they would enjoy doing. Relate the lesson to the students and use hands on activities. 

I think it is absoluetly essential to get students, especially elementary aged students, involved in activites across all subjects. Science in particular does seem to lack in the amount of girls interested in the topic. This might mean that this needs to change in the classroom. Both boys and girls should be able to get involved and interested in all subjects to create well-rounded individuals, prepared for the real world. Every student should be encouraged toward the subject of their interest regardless of gender.

I have never been one who was interested in science my entire school career. I struggled with understanding the topics and the hard words. As I've gotten older, I've taken college classes and physics ended up being one of my favorites! 
Hands on activities are how I got hooked on science. It's also a great way for students to stay engaged in any lesson, not just science. 
I also think finding topics that interest the girls who are struggling is key to their enjoyment. Each student is different so diversifying and differenciating science projects, experiments, and lessons is crucial.

Going outside, letting students explore on their own, or any type of hands on activites will make the students more engaged and grow their love for science if their enjoying the experiments/activites! Relating these activites to specific topics will also help students understand better.  

When it comes to getting girls involved in science, I would just suggest to make it to where the students will understand by differentiating and making it interesting! Maybe pair the girls with other girls because usually at this age, they don't want to be with boys. 

I have a few tips that might help get children engaged in lessons. One way I would recommend is by giving them some background knowledge on what they will be learning so they know and understand the significance of what they will be learning. Another way would be to allow the children to participate in the lessons by completing hands on activities, experiments, demonstrations, etc. You could also try to provide multiple avenues in which the children could go about their learning, such as involving videos, demonstrations, online simulations, etc. As for working towards getting girls involved in science and building their confidence, try teaching them about some females who have had an impact on science/ female scientists. Teaching them about females in the scientific field that they can look up to will likely peak their interest more than if they only learned about male scientists what they cannot relate to or identify with as well. To help them build their confidence make sure to encourage them to try everyhing and help them through things that may be difficult or that they are nervous to try. 

Make sure to have hands on experiences in the classroom! I have found that many elementary schools I have helped at do not look at science as their biggest concern. They mostly focus on math and reading, so when getting to teach elementary students about science make it something fun and enjoyable, not just a lecture or a simple movie. I did a paper with my class the other day where students had to trace their hand and look at it closely and come up with questions as to why their hands look a certain way or do certain things. This was a small acitivty, but still had the 2nd grade students interested and they came up with so many questions it was mindblowing! A simple hands on activity tracing ones hand and observing it did that! As for getting girls more interested in science, bring in woman guest speakers sometimes and show that women can be in this type of field as well! This will help them peak their interest. Also doing little competitions between boys and girls like some mentioned in other comments can be fun as well. Make sure to include stuff about women scientists and not all just male figures as well. Small things like this can help!

I would say that having them engage in something that excites them.  I have a first grader and I do a lot of stem projects with her that she chooses.  We have a create your own make-up kit, a make your own bath bomb kit, now she is wanting to move onto creating our own volcano.  She is always proud when she uses the make-up that she created and is excited when we create other projects.  Also oobleck is always a hit and may help some spark an interest.

I agree with the other comments. I don't think topics in science should be labeled as something just for boys or something just for girls. I think having a class conversation about that topic at the beginning of the year could be a great way to talk about how science is for everyone and also get the students discsussing a chellenging topic. I also love the idea of girls vs. boys! I can see that being very motivating. I also think another good idea would be to teach the class about famous women scientists, and what women in science are doing today. 

Hi Amber! I think there are so many different ways you could approach engaging students in their lessons. One tip that I have observed being highly effective is connecting the content of the lesson to something that the students can easily relate to. This could be something that is going on in the students’ lives or a topic that many of your students are interested in. Another great tip to help student involvement increase in a classroom is allowing students to have choices about what they are learning, how content is presented to them, and how they want to express the knowledge they have learned. 

In regards to involving girls in science, one way to encourage female students to stay involved in the field is by providing examples of female scientists within the classroom. This will allow girls to have a role model to look up to and to know that science is not just a field for white men. It’s also important to show females that they are just as capable of finding success in STEAM fields as any male is. Create lesson plans that will excite your female students and provide questions and experiments that are not geared towards males. Encourage female students to explore their interests in science by offering opportunities for them to see how science can relate to their own world. 

Hi Amber,

I would say that I am a hands-on learner when it comes to science, and I believe that is the best mode of instruction. When it comes to engaging girls in science, I would agree to say that it is important for students to make connections with what they are learning, or even showing students that all students can be scientists regardless of their gender or their race. At my last field placement, before COVID, the team teacher for third grade had a club that promoted coding and science for girls. I thought that it was a nice way to have students become exposed to things that they might not be interested in.

Hope this helps!