Women in Science

Mary Anning was a palaeontologist (a scientist who studies creatures that lived a long time ago). When she was young, she would look for fossils on the beach. She was the first person to uncover fossils of some animals that had never been seen before, including a plesiosaur and a pterodactyl.

What did Mary Anning look for?

• birds

• stars

• shells

• fossils

In 1903, Marie Curie became the first woman to win a Nobel Prize (a special science award). She discovered something called radium, which can be used to treat very sick people. Marie also helped to make X-ray machines stronger and more accurate.

What did Marie Curie win in 1903?

• Gold medal

• Nobel Prize

• OBE

• MBE

In 1903, Marie Curie became the first woman to win a Nobel Prize (a special science award). In 1911, she won another Nobel Prize when she discovered radium. Marie realised that radium could be used to treat people who were very ill. She also helped to make X-ray machines stronger and more accurate.

Find and copy a verb that means the same as ‘found’.

In 1903, Marie Curie became the first woman to win a Nobel Prize (a special science award). In 1911, she won another Nobel Prize when she discovered radium. Marie realised that radium could be used to treat people who were very ill. She also helped to make X-ray machines stronger and more accurate.

What did Marie Curie help to make?

• light

• cakes

• X-ray machine

• plasters

Katherine Johnson worked for NASA. She helped them to solve difficult maths problems as a ‘human computer’. She used her knowledge of geometry (a type of maths) to plot a route for spacecraft to go around the Moon and return to Earth. Because of Katherine, astronauts landed on the Moon!

Who did Katherine Johnson work for?

• NASA

• Mars

• All Saints'

• Smith and Nephew

Katherine Johnson worked for NASA. She helped them to solve difficult maths problems as a ‘human computer’. She used her knowledge of geometry (a type of maths) to plot a route for spacecraft to go around the Moon and return to Earth. Because of Katherine, astronauts landed on the Moon!

What could people do because of Katherine?

Gladys West worked for the navy in America. She used satellites (spacecraft that collect information) to map the shape of the Earth. Gladys used this to develop the first GPS (Global Positioning System). This is a mapping system which is used today in phones, cars and computers.

Where do we use the mapping systems today?

• phones, cars and TVs

• cars, radios and computers

• cars, computers and phones

• computers, IPads and bikes

Gladys West worked for the navy in America. She used satellites (spacecraft that collect information) to map the shape of the Earth. Gladys used this to develop the first GPS (Global Positioning System). This is a mapping system which is used today in phones, cars and computers.

What did Gladys use to map the shape of the Earth?

Jane Goodall is a primatologist (a scientist who studies monkeys, apes and humans). She was the first person to study chimpanzees in the wild. She studied their behaviour and discovered that they have emotions and use tools. She has helped to create sanctuaries where chimpanzees are safe and protected from hunters.

What is a primatologist?

Jane Goodall is a primatologist (a scientist who studies monkeys, apes and humans). She was the first person to study chimpanzees in the wild. She studied their behaviour and discovered that they have emotions and use tools. She has helped to create sanctuaries where chimpanzees are safe and protected from hunters.

What is a sanctuary?

• A safe place

• A woodland

• a dangerous place

• a home