March is Women’s History Month, when we honor the contributions and achievements of women from around the world. International Women’s Day is celebrated globally on March 8th to celebrate the “social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity.” (InternationalWomensDay.com)
And we like to celebrate Women’s History Month through kid-friendly yoga poses! Because linking animals to yoga poses is a great way to incorporate yoga into lessons, I thought it would be fun to read these five picture books featuring true stories of women who dedicated their lives to the care and protection of animals. After reading and discussing the books, act out the corresponding animal yoga poses to bring movement to your learning experience.
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5 Books to Celebrate Women’s History Month
These non-fiction picture books below are all suitable for ages 5 and up, but the lesson could be adapted for younger children.
A Passion for Elephants: The Real Life Adventure of Field Scientist Cynthia Moss
by Toni Buzzeo and Holly Berry
Cynthia Moss has dedicated her life to learning about the world’s most enormous land animal, the African elephant. She has worked fiercely to protect elephants from ivory poachers, and she speaks globally about the importance of saving elephants.
Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean’s Most Fearless Scientist
by Jess Keating and Marta Alvarez Miguens
Eugenie Clark dedicated her life to proving that sharks aren’t scary and that women can be scientists. She became known as “Shark Lady” for her incredible work educating people about sharks, and she was the first person to train sharks.
The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin
by Tulia Finley Mosca and Daniel Rieley
Temple Grandin was diagnosed with autism at a young age. She grew up to become a quirky scientist who used her visual thinking to create more animal-friendly machines for raising cattle.
Joan Procter, Dragon Doctor: The Woman Who Loved Reptiles
by Patricia Valdez and Felicita Sala
As a young girl, Joan Procter’s biggest passions were snakes, turtles, and crocodiles. When she grew up, she worked at a natural history museum to continue her studies on reptiles, where she helped create an enclosure for Komodo dragons.
Mrs. Harkness and the Panda
by Alicia Potter and Melissa Sweet
Ruth Harkness took over her explorer husband’s quest to bring a panda back to America. She took a dangerous and exhilarating trip to China to find a panda. She brought home “Su Lin” to find a home in the Chicago Zoo.
5 Yoga Poses to celebrate the women who dedicated their lives to protecting animals
This list of animal yoga poses is sequenced specifically to flow from one pose to the next. Each of the animal postures encourages us to celebrate the incredible work of these five women through movement.
Don’t worry about getting the poses perfectly aligned; just give it a go and have fun. Once you’re ready to practice yoga, simply clear a space and practice barefoot on a non-slip surface. Practicing on a yoga mat is ideal if you have one.
Happy Women’s History Month!
PIN IT FOR LATER:
Books to Celebrate Women in History
Purchase Zoo Animals Yoga Cards for Kids
LEARN ABOUT ZOO ANIMALS THROUGH SIMPLE YOGA POSES!
Pretend to be a giraffe, elephant, and gorilla! Download these 52 zoo animal digital yoga cards to learn through movement in your home, classroom, or studio. Includes an Index Card, Pose Instructions, 20 Yoga Pose Cards, and 20 matching Zoo Animal cards. The yoga kids are multicultural from seven countries. Age group:
Toddlers to Early Primary, Ages 3 to 8.
Download the digital Zoo Animals Yoga Cards for Kids PDF Download.
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