Ladies First!

Throughout history, women have invented machines or products that revolutionized the way we live. One woman designed a device that made square-bottomed paper bags, another Liquid Paper, and still another came up with the wonderful invention of disposable diapers. In honor of National Women Inventor’s Month, you can discuss these, and many other inventions that were brought into the world by females. 

In doing your own research, you will find there isn't a lot of information in history books about female inventors. For many years, women inventors faced challenges as a result of their gender. To get some background on a few of these challenges, read the beginning of this article. Most people have not heard of Marion Donovan (who invented disposable diapers), Mary Anderson (who invented windshield wipers), or Stephanie Louise Kwolek (who discovered Kevlar). 

In school, we hear the names of famous women, like Madame Curie and Harriet Tubman. These are women who made a difference in noteworthy, and hard-to-ignore ways. Their inclusion in the history books is the exception, rather than the rule. In order to learn as much as possible about women inventors, you and your students will have to conduct some research in the library, or on the Internet. There are a variety of websites that have lists and detailed information about women inventors. Here are a few sites to get you started: Famous Women Inventors, Mother’s of Invention: First Women to File for American Patents, and Women Inventors. There is plenty of information here to spark an interest. 

Make Research a Treasure Hunt!

If you want your class to remember what they learn, you need to make it relevant and memorable. One way to entice learners to find out as much as possible about women inventors is by telling a good story. Pick a few women, such as Marion Donovan, and tell your students about their lives. Donovan, for example, came from a family of inventors. Her father and uncle made the “South Bend lathe” for grinding automotive gears. Now that you've whet their appetites, turn pupils loose to delve into the details of Donovan's life.

They will discover that Marion Donovan started on her path of invention when she had children. After changing an endless number of diapers, bedclothes, and anything else that had become wet, she decided that there had to be a better way. She sat down at her sewing machine, and used a shower curtain as a lining for a cloth diaper. Donovan called her diaper the “Boater,” and it was sold at Saks Fifth Avenue. Next, she decided to invent a disposable diaper made from paper. However, her attempt to market this product was unsuccessful. It wasn’t until Victor Mills, the maker of Pampers®, took on the idea and disposable diapers became a household item.

Pick an Inventor and Start Digging

Now, you can have your class do their own research. Give them a list of women inventors, or have them chose their own, and ask them to find out as much as they can about their chosen subject. They should find out about this person’s life, invention(s), and contribution to society. In addition, they can find out about the patent process, the time period their particular inventor lived in, and the long and short-term ramifications of this person’s contribution. 

In a research paper or another format, such as a video, students can share what they discovered. Each person can make a creative presentation in which they highlight the key things they learned about the inventor they researched. 

By the end of this exploration, your class should have a better understanding of the many contributions women inventors have made throughout history.

Related Lessons:

Inventors and Innovators

Using this resource, your class can create a report detailing information about famous female inventors. Each student is given a certain number of inventors to learn about. They compare the number of women to men, and discuss other statistics.

Inventors & Their Innovations

Here is a great way for learners to get a better understanding of how inventors attain patents. They discuss inventions throughout history. In addition, they design posters to attract potential inventors.

The Inventor Was a Woman 

You can use this resource for a lesson that focuses on women inventors. Learners write a biography about a particular female inventor, a series of letters from the inventor to her family, or design a poster. There are resources provided.