STEM Sisters
Published: 16 August 2021
STEM Sisters is an arts-based project that aims to inspire young people to pursue an education and career in STEM. It showcases historical female scientists and mathematicians whose work is often less well-known but who have contributed in so many ways to major developments in our lives today, including (amongst many others) Caroline Herschel, Mae Jemison, Maria Sybilla Merian, Hypatia and Wang Zhenyi.
A website and education zone featuring these inspirational women includes a range of digital teaching plans and resources that will help embed the life and works of these pioneering women across the Key Stage 2 curriculum, enriching learning and stimulating interest.
You can access the website and education zone here.
“The website is very detailed and allowed children to thoroughly understand the backgrounds of these inspiring women.”
Gayhurst Primary
“The lesson plans are detailed and the tasks are engaging. Everything is easy to access. There is lots of interesting and valuable information.”
Harpfield Academy
The Ogden Trust supported the programme which this year also launched a musical production entitled Jina and the STEM Sisters. The show tells the story of the inspirational STEM women who share their own life-experiences and empower would-be-scientist Jina with the gifts of curiosity, courage, creativity, persistence and open-mindedness. The gifts help Jina become the best scientist she can be.
“The lesson plans are detailed and the tasks are engaging. Everything is easy to access. There is lots of interesting and valuable information.”
Harpfield Academy
The Ogden Trust supported the programme which this year also launched a musical production entitled Jina and the STEM Sisters. The show tells the story of the inspirational STEM women who share their own life-experiences and empower would-be-scientist Jina with the gifts of curiosity, courage, creativity, persistence and open-mindedness. The gifts help Jina become the best scientist she can be.
The show was available online this year for a limited run and a live tour in 2022 will bring Jina and the STEM Sisters to even more schools and pupils. The show is going on tour to theatres in 2022 including Millfields – Enfield, Snape Maltings, Little Angel Theatre Islington and Chichester Festival Theatre, all with supporting workshops.
More details about the theatre tour will be on the STEM Sisters website in due course.
A series of school workshops were also developed and delivered – with COVID limitations – during 2021. The workshops toured to 23 schools nationwide across London, Somerset, Lancashire, Norfolk and the Midlands where children engaged with the resources alongside the sessions.
“Despite the complexities of COVID and lockdown, STEM Sisters was able to achieve all its aims and objectives and exceed its offer and activities during the spring and summer of 2021,” enthuses Creative Director, Tertia Sefton-Green. “Through a comprehensive range of activities and resources focused on the stories and discoveries of STEM women, the project was a source of inspiration in particular to young people and girls, but also to people of all ages.”
“The children were inspired to be determined to follow the field they wish to have a career in and to be passionate about the things they want to find out about.”
Blackwood Primary
“The use of the arts ensures STEM Sister’s accessibility to both teachers and students who might not have much science capital,” continues Tertia. “It helps to teach the KS2 curriculum, support teaching for non-specialists, enhance children’s education, and provide career awareness. We hope we can continue to build and develop the STEM Sisters programme bringing it to more schools across the UK,” concludes Tertia.
STEM Sisters workshops: exploring the world of fossils with Mary Anning or X-raying materials with three pioneer of crystallography can be booked throughout the school year. Contact: stemsisters@hmdtmusic.org.uk or ring: 020 8882 8825.
