This first week, our students will dive into the lives of two STEM changemakers- Katherine Johnson and Lewis Latimer.
Katherine Johnson was a sharp, meticulous mathematician who was best known for calculating the path for Freedom 7, the spacecraft that put the first U.S astronaut in space in the 1960’s. During her 30+ years at NASA, she calculated trajectory paths for space shuttles, pioneered the use of computers at NASA, and worked on plans for Mars missions.
Lewis Latimer was a pioneer in his own way, working closely with Thomas Edison to patent the lightbulb. He also wrote the first book on electrical lighting in 1890 and oversaw the installation of electricity throughout major cities across the world. A self-taught inventor, he went on to work with Alexander Graham Bell to patent the telephone. Without Latimer’s ingenuity, our electrical industry would not look like what it does today.
Each morning during Crew, and in daily lessons throughout the week, students will engage with these two individuals. We encourage you as a family to continue the conversations in your own home.
Here are some handy questions you can use to engage your child and challenge them to be reflective in their learning:
- How have Katherine and Lewis made your world a better place?
- In what ways did they demonstrate our High-5 Habits (courage, perseverance, respect, responsibility, compassion)?
- What lessons have you learned from their lives that you want to embody?
In the spirit of continued learning, below are some awesome books/podcasts/articles/videos we recommend to bring these two incredible changemakers alive in your home:
-
Counting on Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Saved the Apollo 13, by Helaine Becker
-
Lewis Latimer: The Man Behind a Better Lightbulb, by Nancy Dickmann
-
Girl Tales: Nova’s Lab! Meeting Katherine Johnson (Kids Listen Activity Podcast- link HERE)
As we all know, this work is continuous and does not stop here. We've formed a "Be The Light" Taskforce that will forge a 12-month work plan to integrate equity, diversity, inclusion, and social justice into our learning culture at Amana. Please look out for more updates in the week to come regarding how our Amana families can get involved. Thank you!
