Katherine Johnson
STEAM, Civil Rights Movement
About this Lesson
This lesson invites students to connect mathematics, space exploration, and the civil rights movement by exploring the life and legacy of Katherine Johnson, a brilliant mathematician whose calculations helped launch humanity into space. In the 1960s, at NASA, Katherine broke through racial and gender barriers to become one of the most trusted mathematicians in the space program, her work proving essential to sending the first Americans into orbit and to the moon. We discover how Black women have long been the hidden backbone of scientific achievement, their contributions overlooked yet ever-present. Students will explore STEAM pathways, the history of the Civil Rights Movement, how to find your voice in the face of systemic barriers, and the power of curiosity and persistence. Students are empowered to see themselves as part of a long history of people whose brilliance and determination have moved the world forward, even when the world was not ready to recognize them.
Lesson Materials
Katherine Johnson - Detailed Lesson Plan
Katherine Johnson - Teacher Workbook
Katherine Johnson - Student Workbook
Lesson HIGHLIGHTS
1 | Discover the hidden figures behind the space program by watching clips from Hidden Figures and mapping the people who helped Katherine Johnson reach the stars.
2 | Unlearn the story of science by exploring how discoveries like gravity were described by Indian mathematician Brahmagupta over 1,000 years before Isaac Newton.
3 | Channel your inner scientist on a "Why Walk," then build and launch your own rocket ship with household materials.
4 | Reflect on how you learn best by exploring multiple intelligences and discovering the learning style that helps you shine.