🔬 11 FEBRUARY · INTERNATIONAL DAY OF WOMEN AND GIRLS IN SCIENCE UBI 3
Let's start reading this riddle, can you solve it?
A father and his son are driving a car. They have a serious accident. The father dies.
The boy is rushed to hospital. In the operating room, the surgeon looks at the boy and says:
“I can’t operate. This is my son.”
Question: How is this possible?
Pay attention to the answers of people in the street:
Answer + why it matters
Answer: The surgeon is the boy’s mother.
Many people imagine a man when they hear the word surgeon. That is a stereotype.
stereotype
a fixed idea about a group of people (often not true)
bias
an unfair way of thinking (sometimes without noticing)
SPEAK ▼
- Which jobs do people often imagine as “men’s jobs”?
- Which jobs do people often imagine as “women’s jobs”?
- Do you think stereotypes still affect society today?
Women belong in science
Today’s riddle shows something important: many stereotypes are invisible until we notice them. And when we notice them, we can start changing them.
What is the International Day of Women and Girls in Science?
Every year on 11 February, people around the world celebrate women and girls in science and encourages more girls to explore STEM.
Why is it important?
- Women and girls are half of the world’s population.
- We need equal opportunities in STEM.
- Different ideas help science move forward.
STEM =
- Science
- Technology
- Engineering
- Mathematics
True or False (Genially)
Read each sentence and decide: True or False.
AFTER THE GAME ▼
- Which statement surprised you the most?
- Which one was the hardest? Why?
- Do you think these numbers can change in the future?
Reading worksheet
We'll read a worksheet women and girls in science to read aloud and focus on the main ideas.
TASKS ▼
- Skim: Find these words in the text: women, girls, science, STEM.
- Match: What does STEM stand for?
- One sentence: “This day is important because…”
- Speak: Name one STEM job you find interesting and say why.
Closing
Women have always been in science. Sometimes they were not allowed in labs, universities, or important jobs. Sometimes their work was ignored or credited to men.
But science moves forward when everyone has the same opportunities. We don’t need “more women in science” as a favour. We need it because it is fair and because it makes science better.
