2020 - 2021

School Year
Calendar

CELEBRATE
DIVERSITY IN STEM!
CELEBRATE
DIVERSITY IN STEM
WITH YOUR STUDENTS!
Welcome to First Book’s 3rd annual calendar to help you celebrate culture, diversity, and
inclusion all year long! For the 2020-2021 school year, First Book and the Aerospace
Industries Association (AIA) are partnering together to introduce educators and students
to pioneers in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

In the U.S., careers in STEM are becoming increasingly integral to our society. From
artificial intelligence and space flight, to medical advances and ocean exploration,
opportunities in STEM give students new and exciting ways to think about their talents,
interests, and future careers.

In this calendar, you’ll see month-long observances, religious observances, and dates
with cultural, historical, or inclusive significance in STEM fields. We intentionally worked
to celebrate people from marginalized communities, whose ingenuity, perseverance
and talents are not always known, but whose impact has been meaningful and
transformative. We encourage you and your students to learn more about the people
and events that inspire you. Be sure to visit www.fbmarketplace.org/free-resources for
more resources to help you celebrate culture, diversity, and inclusion all year long with
your students!

Please note: For each date which features notable figures, you’ll see either a (b),
which indicates this is their date of birth, or an (m), indicating this date marks an
innovative milestone related to this individual and their achievements.

© 2020 First Book. Written by Julye M. Williams. Designed by Raven & Crow Studio.
Follow us year-round online @firstbookorg @firstbook @firstbook

Aerospace Industries Association

www.aia-aerospace.org @RocketContest @RocketContest @AIAspeaks
AUGUST Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1
On August 14th, we celebrate National
Navajo Code Talkers Day. During World
War II, recruits from the Navajo Nation
created the Navajo code language
for the U.S. military. This was used
to communicate secret messages
and helped the U.S. win key battles. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
The Navajo Nation is located in the José M. Hernández (b),
a Mexican American
Southwestern United States and extends NASA astronaut and
into Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico. electrical engineer, flew
to the International Space
Navajo Nation land is home to more than Station in 2009 and spent
over 14 days in space.
250,000 people.

9 10 11 12 13 14 15
TRY THIS! International Day Frances “Poppy” E. Margaret Burbidge (b)
was an astrophysicist,
In 2014, Maryam
Bon Festival
of the World’s Northcutt (b) was NASA’s
who made pathbreaking
Mirzakhani (m), an
National Navajo (13th - 15th)
First Book provides thousands of Indigenous People
first female mission
control engineer. In this findings about the state
Iranian mathematician,

books and resources focused on is a day to protect and role, she ensured the of the cosmos. She was
won the Fields Medal
– the most prestigious
Code Talkers Day is a Japanese Buddhist
custom that honors the
promote the rights of Apollo 13 astronauts the first woman to serve
award in mathematics spirits of one’s ancestors
diverse cultures. Learn more about the world’s Indigenous returned safely from their as director of the Royal
– for her innovative
See sidebar
for details. and has been celebrated
people and share in their trip to the moon. On the Observatory and received
Indigenous cultures and people in the mission for acceptance moon, “Crater Poppy” the National Medal of
contributions towards
geometry.
for over 500 years.

and recognition. is named after her. Science in 1985.

United States in the Native American
Characters and Cultures section of 16 17 18 19 20 21 22
the First Book Marketplace.1 Margaret Hamilton (b) Islamic New Year
is a computer scientist (19th - 20th)
and one of the scientists
is celebrated on the first
who coined the term,
day of the Muharram, the
“software engineering.”
first month of the Islamic

DID YOU KNOW? She received the

Presidential Medal of
Freedom for her work on
calendar. Islam is the
world’s second-largest
religious group with over
the Apollo 11 space flight.
NASA stands for the National 1.8 billion followers.*

Aeronautics and Space 23 24 25 26 27 28 29

Administration. In its 62-year history, Katherine Johnson (b) Ola M. Rexroat (b) was
was one of the first the only Indigenous
355 individual astronauts have flown African American women woman to serve as a
on the space shuttle, including 306 to work as a NASA
scientist. Her story is
member of the Women’s
Airforce Service Pilots
men (86%) and 49 women (14%) 30 31 told in the book and film, during WWII. The airfield
Hidden Figures. She is a operations building at
from 16 different countries. recipient of many awards, Ellsworth Air Force Base
including the Presidential in South Dakota was
Medal of Freedom. named after her.
1
www.fbmarketplace.org/native-american-interest
*Note: Islamic holidays follow the lunar calendar and therefore do not fall on the same dates each year. Students practicing this faith may be absent on these holidays.

For this calendar and more free resources, visit www.fbmarketplace.org/free-resources.

SEPTEMBER Sunday
HISPANIC
This month, we celebrate National
HERITAGE
Aerospace Week (September 14 - 18).
Since 2010, the third week of September MONTH
celebrates the aerospace and defense (September 15 -
industry in the U.S. The industry October 15)
includes companies that make airplanes,
satellites, spaceships (yes, spaceships!), 6 Labor Day
Cornelius Coffey (b) was
tanks, and more. Make time this month an African American
aviator. In the 1930s,
to learn more about the interesting STEM he and his wife, Willa
Brown, founded the first
fields related to aerospace. flight school for Black
Americans in the U.S. He
trained many Black pilots,
TRY THIS!
including many of the
Tuskegee airmen.
Visit First Book’s Space section to 13
help students learn more about the Welcoming Week
exciting field of aerospace and the (12th - 20th)
universe beyond our planet.1 Ensure all students &
families, no matter their
birth place, background
or demographic, feel
valued in your classroom/
program community.
DID YOU KNOW? 20
Christina Koch, an astronaut and Dorothy Vaughan (b)
was an African American
native of Grand Rapids, Michigan, mathematician who
spent 328 consecutive days in space.
made many contributions
to America’s space
Launched in 1958, this
exploration. Her career
From March 14, 2019 to February 6, is profiled in the book,
cultural contributions of
2020 she lived in the International Hidden Figures, and the
Vaughan Crater on the
community and promotes
Space Station (ISS). The ISS is about moon is named after her.
the length of a football field and travels
27
around Earth at a speed of 17,500
miles per hour (that’s 5 miles per
second!).
1
www.fbmarketplace.org/space
*Note: Jewish holidays follow the lunar calendar and therefore do not fall on the same dates each year. Students practicing this faith may be absent on these holidays.
For this calendar and more free resources, visit www.fbmarketplace.org/free-resources.
Monday Tuesday
1
Registration opens for
the American Rocketry
Wednesday
2
Thursday
3
Friday
4
Saturday
5
KINSHIP Challenge! Middle and
high school students
CARE can design, build and
launch model rockets and
MONTH gain experience solving
engineering problems.
Learn more at
rocketcontest.org.
7 8 9 10 11 12
Dr. Christine Darden
(b) was the first African Dr. Mae Jemison (m) is
American woman to be an engineer, physician,
promoted to the Senior and former NASA
Executive Service astronaut. She became
at NASA’s Langley the first Black woman to
Research Center. She is travel into space in 1992
one of the researchers aboard the Space
featured in the book and Shuttle Endeavour.
film, Hidden Figures.
14 15 16 17 18 19
Mexican
National Independence Day Rosh Hashanah
Aerospace Week honors priest Miguel (18th - 20th)
(14th - 18th) Hidalgo, who in 1810
encouraged people
The Jewish New Year
begins at sundown on
to revolt against the September 18th. It marks
See sidebar
Spanish regime. Mexico’s the first of the Jewish
for details.
independence from Spain High Holidays.*
was secured in 1821.
21 22 23 24 25 26
International National Voter
Week of the Deaf Registration Day In 1934, Leah Hing (b)
(20th - 26th) This day encourages became the first Chinese
U.S. voter registration American woman to earn
week highlights the across all communities her pilot’s license.
and promotes awareness
members of the deaf of upcoming local, state
and national elections.
human rights.
28 29 30
ATTENDANCE
AWARENESS
MONTH
OCTOBER Sunday Monday

LEARNING
Tuesday Wednesday

HISPANIC
Thursday
In 1847, astronomer
1
Friday
Dr. Robert Henry
2
Saturday
3
Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates LGBT NATIONAL Maria Mitchell, (m)
Lawrence Jr. (b) was a
U.S. Airforce Officer and

the rich, diverse culture and DISABILITIES BULLYING HERITAGE discovered the comet,
1847 VI. She won a
in June 1967, he became

HISTORY MONTH gold medal prize for her

the first African American
astronaut. He earned
accomplishments of Hispanic and Latinx AWARENESS PREVENTION discovery, which was
MONTH
many awards in his brief
individuals. All year long, “introduce” (September 15 - presented by the King of career and one of the
MONTH MONTH October 15)
Denmark in 1848. The
comet was renamed,
Northrop Grumman’s NG-
kids to contemporary artistic pioneers “Miss Mitchell’s Comet.”
13 Cygnus spacecrafts is
named in his honor.
like Lin-Manuel Miranda, Puerto Rican
creator of hit Broadway musicals 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Hamilton and In the Heights, and Teach Central Born in 1895, Eugene
Jacques Bullard (b)
World Mental
America Week became the world’s first Health Day
inspiring innovators like Diana Trujillo, In 1942, Beverly Loraine
(5th - 11th) Black fighter pilot. Born is a day to recognize
Greene (b) became the in the U.S. but unable
a Colombian aerospace engineer first Black woman in Today, more than to serve in the military
the importance of our
mental health and learn
the U.S. to be licensed 4 million Central
who leads the Mars Curiosity and as an architect. Americans reside in
because of his skin color,
he became a famous
more about how we
can protect, preserve
the U.S. This week
Perseverance rovers, car-sized robots celebrates the region.
pilot in France during and treat mental
World War I. health illnesses.
designed to explore the planet Mars!
11 Indigenous
Peoples’ Day
12 13 14 15 16 17
National World Food Day
TRY THIS! Coming Out Day
Ahmed Hassan Zewail
(b) was an Egyptian
chemist known
Ada Lovelace Day
celebrates women in
celebrates the founding
supports members of of the Food and
as the “Father of STEM by honoring
Visit First Book’s Latinx Characters the LGBTQ community Femtochemistry.” He the 19th century
Agriculture Organization
of the United Nations in
in sharing their sexuality won the Nobel Prize in
and Cultures section for a mix of with their friends, family Chemistry in 1999 and
mathematician, who
is known as the first
1945. It calls attention
to food insecurity, world
and the world, promoting became the first Egyptian
Spanish and Latinx resources that openness and equality. to win a Nobel Prize
computer programmer. hunger and sustainable
harvesting.
reflect and celebrate Latinx culture in a scientific field.

and heritage.1 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Mix It Up At
Lunch Day United Nations Day
DID YOU KNOW? is an international
campaign that
encourages students to
is devoted to raising
awareness of the goals
move out of their comfort and achievements
The process to become a pilot is zone and connect with of the U.N.
someone new over lunch.
quite straightforward. First, you must
decide what type of aircraft you
want to fly. You can choose from
25 26 27 28 29 30 Halloween 31
airplanes, helicopters, hot air balloons Eid Milad Un Nabi
and more. Next, you’ll need to get (28th - 29th)
is the Muslim holiday
a physical to ensure you’re healthy. marking the birth
of Muhammad. It is
Then, you enroll in a flight school or celebrated from
sundown to sundown.*
hire an instructor to teach you how to
fly. What’s next is practice, practice,
practice! *Note: Islamic holidays follow the lunar calendar and therefore do not fall on the same dates each year. Students practicing this faith may be absent on these holidays.

1
www.fbmarketplace.org/latino-culture

For this calendar and more free resources, visit www.fbmarketplace.org/free-resources.

NOVEMBER Sunday
1
Día de los Muertos/
This month, we celebrate STEM/STEAM
Day of the Dead
Day! This day is designed to inspire (31st - November 2nd) astronaut. He has made
kids and adults to explore and pursue is a Mexican holiday that
honors friends and family Shuttle astronaut and has
their interests in science, technology, members who have died,
remembering them with
engineering, art and math. With careers celebrations and prayers.
in STEM/STEAM expected to grow 70%
faster than other occupations, this is 8 9
a great month to read and learn about
Monday
2
Tuesday
3
Wednesday
4
Dr. Patricia Bath (b)
Thursday
5
Friday
6
Saturday
In 1981, Dr. Alexa
Canady (b) became the
7
Jeffery A. Hoffman (b) was a Black American first American woman
is NASA’s first Jewish ophthalmologist, inventor and first Black person to
and humanitarian. She become a neurosurgeon.
five flights as a Space was an early pioneer of She specialized in
laser cataract surgery pediatric neurosurgery
and the first Black woman
logged more than 21.5
million miles in space! doctor to receive a patent
and served as chief of
neurosurgery at the
for a medical purpose. Children’s Hospital in
Michigan for 14 years.
10 Veterans Day 11 12 13 14
Hedy Lamarr (b) was Dr. Pablo Gabriel de
an Austrian American
Hon. Coral Wong Pietsch
León (b) is an Argentinian

amazing pioneers in these fields. STEM/STEAM Day

actress and inventor. In
addition to having a star
(b) is the first Asian
American woman to space suit designer World Kindness Day Diwali
and co-founder of the is a day to celebrate is the Hindu festival of
reach the rank of general
on the Hollywood Walk Latin American Space
See sidebar in the U.S. Army. In the kindness and promote lights that celebrates
of Fame, she is also Association. He is now
for details. military justice branch, good deeds among the triumph of light over

TRY THIS!
known as the “Mother of the director of the Human
she is the first female individuals and dark and knowledge
WiFi” for her World War II Spaceflight Laboratory
Army Judge Advocates organizations. over ignorance.*
invention that pre-dated at the University of
General (JAG).
Bluetooth technology. North Dakota.
Check out First Book’s STEM
Activities section to give students 15 16
Col. Walter L. Watson,
17 18 19 20 21
Lonnie Bunch (b) is the Maj. Marisol Chalas
hands-on experiences through Jr. (USAF) (m) was the
first and only African
founding director of the
Smithsonian National
Nicole Stott (b) is an (m) is the first Latina
engineer and retired National Guard Black
coding robots, portable science labs, American to qualify as a Museum of African NASA astronaut. While Hawk helicopter pilot.
crew member in the SR- American History and aboard the International She became first in her
building blocks and more!1 71, a super-secret aircraft Culture and serves as Space Station in October class at Fort Rucker
that routinely cruised at the 14th Secretary of 2009, she participated in Army Aviation School and
altitudes in excess of the Smithsonian the first live tweets from earned many awards,
80,000 feet and speeds Institution. He is the outer space. including the American
over MACH 3 (2,100 first African American by Choice award.

DID YOU KNOW?

MPH). to hold this role.

22 23 24 25 Thanksgiving Day 26 27 28
How many careers can you name
that focus on STEM/STEAM? There
are literally hundreds that require
science, technology, engineering, art,
and math. Consider the video game
developer, accountant, astronaut,
psychologist, financial analyst,
29 30
engineer, veterinarian, pilot, computer
programmer, marine biologist and so
AMERICAN INDIAN &
many more. How many careers or
jobs can your students name?
ALASKA NATIVE HERITAGE
MONTH
1
www.fbmarketplace.org/stem-activities

*Note: Hindu holidays follow the lunar calendar and therefore do not fall on the same dates each year. Students practicing this faith may be absent on these holidays.

For this calendar and more free resources, visit www.fbmarketplace.org/free-resources.

DECEMBER Sunday Monday Tuesday

World AIDS Day

1
Wednesday
2
Thursday
3
Friday
4
Saturday
5
In 1948, a few years after the end of is an international day In 1945, Charity Adams
Earley (b) became
World War II, the UN General Assembly dedicated to raising
awareness of the commander of the
first and only African
adopted the Universal Declaration of prevention, care and
treatment of HIV and American women unit
Human Rights. This month, help students AIDS, and mourning of the Army during
World War II.
those who have died of
understand the global scale of human the disease.

rights – from freedom of speech to

freedom of thought and equal protection 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
under the law – that each human being,
Gladys Mae West (b)
is a Black American
Grace Hopper (b) was
a pioneer in computer Human Annie Jump Cannon
(b) was an American
Katherine Sui Fun
Cheung (b) was a
mathematician known science & a U.S. Navy Rights Day astronomer known for her Chinese immigrant who
no matter where they live, should enjoy. for her contributions rear admiral. She helped work with stars. With her became the first licensed
toward the mathematical create COBOL, one of See sidebar female Asian American
colleague, she is credited
modeling of the earth’s the most widely used for details. aviator licensed to fly
with refining the first
shape. Her work is computer languages. internationally. The
system of organizing and
TRY THIS! included in the Global
Positioning System
She was awarded 40
honorary degrees from
universities across the
Hanukkah* classifying stars based
on their temperatures
Smithsonian Museum
recognizes her as the
“First Asian American
(GPS) that we use today.
world during her life.
(10th - 18th) and light patterns.
Aviatrix.”
Visit First Book’s Global Stories
section for books featuring 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
characters, settings, and stories Ralph William Braun (b)
is an inventor who was
from around the world, including diagnosed with muscular
dystrophy as a child.
Vietnam, Cuba, France, Nigeria, At the age of 22, he
built his first motorized
Mexico and many more.1 wheelchair. He was the
founder and CEO of The
Braun Corporation.

DID YOU KNOW? 20 21 22 23 24 25

Kwanzaa,
26

What does a mathematician do? (26th - January 1st)

Christmas is derived from the
Math is everywhere, and is an annual Christian
celebration of the birth
phrase “matunda ya
kwanza” which means
mathematicians are people of all of Jesus Christ. “first fruits” in Swahili. It is
a seven-day celebration
ages who enjoy the challenge of African heritage,
of solving problems with math. culture, and unity.

Mathematicians can see the

27 28 29 30 31
beauty in patterns and shapes
and they work in many industries. Nichelle Nichols (b) is a
Black American actress Allen K. Ono (b)
The fields of astronomy (the study who played Lieutenant was the first Asian and
Uhura in Star Trek. She Japanese American
of the stars), space exploration, became a recruiter for lieutenant general
NASA, inspiring many in the U.S. Army.
medicine, robotics, climate study, people of color to pursue
careers in science.
animated films and more require an
understanding and use of math.
*Hanukkah is the 8-day Jewish “festival of lights,” celebrating the liberation from the Greeks by sharing food, games, gifts, and lighting the menorah. Jewish holidays follow the lunar calendar
and therefore do not fall on the same dates each year. Students practicing this faith may be absent on these holidays.
1
www.fbmarketplace.org/global-stories

For this calendar and more free resources, visit www.fbmarketplace.org/free-resources.

JANUARY Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
New Year’s Day

Olga E. Custodio (b)

1
Saturday
2
Happy New Year! This month, we is a former U.S. Army
officer who became
celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s the first Latina military
pilot. After retiring from
birthday as a day of service. Observed on the military, she also
the third Monday of January, this day is a became the first Latina
commercial airline
time to reflect on how each of us can be captain in the U.S.

leaders in our schools and communities.

3 World Braille Day4 5 6 7 8 9
Adriana Ocampo (b)
This celebrates the
TRY THIS! birthday of Louis Braille,
inventor of the
is a planetary geologist.
Her work studying craters
on the earth has led to
Frederick Drew Gregory
(b) is a pilot, engineer
and former NASA
Braille system. It also
her being named one of astronaut. In the late
Visit the Leadership section of the raises awareness
about the importance
the 50 most important 1980s, he became the
women in science by
First Book Marketplace for great of Braille as a means of
Discover magazine.
first African American
man to command a
communication for blind
books about leaders throughout and partially-sighted
An asteroid was even
named after her!
space shuttle mission.
people.
history. Inspire your students to
realize their own abilities with stories 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
In 1941, Della H. Raney
of social justice, perseverance, and (b), a nurse, became the
action from around the world.1 first African American
accepted into the Army
Nurse Corps during
World War II. She later
became the first Black
female nurse promoted

DID YOU KNOW? to captain and major

in the U.S. Army.

What is a planetary geologist? Do 17 18 19 20 21 22 23

you ever wonder what the moon is Major Kurt Chew-Een In 1938, Willa Brown
World Religion Day Lee (b) is the first U.S. (b) was the first African
made of? What about the planet encourages interfaith MLK Jr. Day Marine Corps officer American woman to earn
Mars? A planetary geologist studies understanding and
asks people worldwide
of Service of Asian descent. He
received many honors
her pilot’s license in the
U.S. She co-founded the
how moons, planets, asteroids and to recognize that all See sidebar and awards for his
fighting spirit and bravery
Cornelius Coffey School
of Aeronautics, a flight
religions have common for details.
other things in space were formed. spiritual goals. in the Korean War training academy for
and in Vietnam. Black pilots.
They analyze pictures and sometimes
samples from recent space shuttle 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
flights to learn about the history, Judith Resnik (b) was
a NASA astronaut who
climate and landscape of celestial died during the launch
of the Challenger Space
bodies. Shuttle in 1986. She was
31 the second American
and first Jewish woman
1
www.fbmarketplace.org/leadership in space. She spent
about 145 hours in orbit
during her career.

For this calendar and more free resources, visit www.fbmarketplace.org/free-resources.

FEBRUARY Sunday Monday
1
Tuesday
2
Jessica Cox (b) is a
Wednesday
3
Thursday
4
Friday
5
Saturday
Christina Hammock Koch
6
Celebrate Black History Month and Filipino American who (m) is a NASA astronaut
BLACK has the distinction of who in February 2020 set
National Inventors’ Day in February. Take being the first person to a record for the longest

time to learn about amazing inventors

HISTORY pilot a plane with only
her feet. She earned
single spaceflight by a
woman, with a total of

and help students see that creativity has MONTH
many backgrounds. Dr. Patricia Bath
pioneered laser cataract surgery on the
eye; Dr. Charles Drew invented a way 7 8
Rebecca Lee Crumpler
to store blood plasma; and Stephanie (b) was the first African
American woman to
Kwolek invented Kevlar, a heat resistant become a doctor of
synthetic fiber that is five times stronger
medicine in 1864. She
published a medical
advice book for women
than steel. What discoveries will you and and children in 1883 that
is one of the first medical
your students find this month? publications by an
African American.
her license in 2008 and
became the first armless
328 days in space.
She was part of the
pilot. She also earned a first all-woman space
Guinness World Record. walk in 2019.
9 10 11 12 13
Peggy Whitson (b) is
a former NASA chief
Lunar New Year
astronaut. She has spent National is celebrated across
many East Asian
a total of 665 days in
space – more than any
Inventors’ Day and Southeast
Asian countries and
other astronaut – and at See sidebar
age 57 was the oldest for details.
communities. According
to tradition, 2021 is the
female astronaut in
space, ever.
year of the Ox.

14 15 16 17 18 19 20
TRY THIS!
President’s Day

Nirvana Day
Explore the Biographies & Memoirs is the Buddhist holiday
that celebrates the day
section of the First Book Marketplace Buddha achieved
nirvana – the final goal
to learn more about individuals of Buddhism – upon
the death of his
and their incredible contributions to physical body.
society.1 These books offer insight
into the life, times, struggles and 21 22 23 24 25 26 27
triumphs of many who have greatly
contributed to our society. Stayce Harris (m)
became the first
African American female
lieutenant general of
the U.S. Air Force

DID YOU KNOW?

in 2016.

What does an engineer do?

28
Engineers use science, technology,
and math to solve problems. They
build skyscrapers, design planes and
spaceships and even develop how
new medicines can heal our bodies.
Some of the most popular areas of
engineering are chemical, mechanical,
electrical, civil, computer, and
biomedical engineering.
1
www.fbmarketplace.org/biography
For this calendar and more free resources, visit www.fbmarketplace.org/free-resources.
MARCH Sunday Monday
1
Tuesday
2
Wednesday
3
Thursday
4
Friday
5
Saturday
6
This month, we celebrate Women’s Garret Morgan (b) was
WOMEN’S an African American
History. Take time to study, celebrate, inventor, entrepreneur

and honor women who have played

HISTORY and community leader.
He is most famous for

pivotal roles in the history, culture, and MONTH inventing the traffic signal
and the first modern
society of the U.S. Whether in the area gas mask.

of racial and social justice, innovation in

STEM, or politics and business, women 7 International 8 9 10 11 12 13
are instrumental in the evolution of our
Women’s Day
celebrates the social,
nation. Puerto Rican Ana Roqué de economic, and cultural
accomplishments of
Duprey wrote The Botany of the Antilles, women and girls around
the world. This is a global
archiving flora in the Caribbean around opportunity to honor and
support women fighting
1900. Dive into the stories of other for equal education,
rights, and opportunities.
women in STEM this month!
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
TRY THIS! Susan La Flesche Picotte
(b) was born on the
Omaha Reservation in
Kalpana Chawla (b) was
an American astronaut,
engineer, and the first
Mario José Molina-
Pasquel Henríquez (b)
is a Mexican chemist.
Nebraska in 1865. She woman of Indian origin He played a pivotal role
Visit First Book’s Empowering Stories is acknowledged as the to go into space. She in the discovery of the
first Indigenous woman to died in the 2003 Space Antarctic ozone hole
about Women and Girls section for receive a medical degree. Shuttle Columbia disaster and was a co-recipient
great titles including biographies, In her career she served
over 1,300 patients.
and is regarded as a
national hero in India.
of the 1995 Nobel Prize
in Chemistry.
mysteries, coming of age stories and
more that center women and girls.1 21 22 23 24 25 26 27
Barrington Irving (m) is a
Jamaican-born American
pilot who held the record
Passover
for the youngest person (27th - April 4th)
DID YOU KNOW? to pilot a plane around
the world solo. He did
so in 2007 at the age of
is a sacred Jewish
holiday that celebrates
Jewish liberation from
slavery in ancient Egypt.*
The study of medicine is incredibly 23. He holds a Guinness
World Record for his
broad. We say someone is a “doctor,” achievement.

but did you know there are hundreds 28 29 30 31

of specialties within medicine? International Day
Some of the most common are of Transgender MUSIC IN
dermatologists who treat the hair, skin, Visibility
celebrates transgender OUR SCHOOLS
and nails; family physicians who give people and raises

routine check-ups; and neurosurgeons

awareness of the
contributions they make
MONTH
to society and the
who perform brain surgery. Interested discrimination they face.
in medicine? What specialty would
*Note: Jewish holidays follow the lunar calendar and therefore do not fall on the same dates each year. Students practicing this faith may be absent on these holidays.
you study?

1
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APRIL Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday
1
Aprille Ericsson-Jackson
(b) is the first Black
Friday
2
Saturday
3
On April 22, we celebrate Earth Day.
NATIONAL woman to receive a
Ph.D. in mechanical
Launched in 1970, Earth Day is a time
for all of humanity to acknowledge the
POETRY engineering from Howard
University. She’s also

importance of our planet and take action MONTH the first Black woman
to receive a Ph.D. in
engineering at the
to address pollution, climate change and NASA Goddard Space
Flight Center.
more. The first Earth Day was inspired by
the now iconic photo, Earthrise, taken by 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
astronaut William Anders during a lunar Holocaust Dr. Serena M. Aunon (b)
Franklin Ramón Chang National Remembrance Day
was a flight engineer

orbit in 1968. This Earth Day, take time Easter Díaz (b) is a Costa Rican
American engineer Library Week
at the International
Space Station. She
is a Christian holiday (Yom HaShoah)
with your students to honor our collective that celebrates the
and NASA astronaut.
He has flown seven
(4th - 10th) honors the millions of
contributed to hundreds
celebrates the of experiments in biology
resurrection of Jesus space flights and is the Jewish people who died and biotechnology, and
home – planet Earth. Christ from the dead.* first Latinx American
contributions of our in the Holocaust and the the investigations led to
nation’s libraries and acts of heroic Jewish
to fly into space. librarians. new cancer treatment
resistance. methods.

TRY THIS! 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
Visit First Book’s Ecology and the Ramadan Today is the birthday
Norma Merrick Sklarek
In 1947 Marie Maynard
Jerrie Mock (m) became

(April 12 - May 11) Songkran of Francis B. Wai (b), a

Environment section for great books is a month-long Islamic
about the environment and inspiring holiday that celebrates
the first revelation of the
Thai New Year and
stories of kids and adults who Quran in which strict
fasting is observed from
work to ensure our planet is a sunrise to sunset.*
healthy one.1
18 19
Albert Einstein (m) was a
(b) was the first African
American to become Daly (b) became the first
the first woman to fly
solo around the world,
(13th - 15th) captain in the U.S. Army a licensed architect in Black woman to earn a completing her flight in
and the only Chinese New York (1954) and Ph.D. in chemistry in the 1964 in Columbus, Ohio.
marks the
American to receive a California (1962). She is U.S. She was a pioneer Her plane, the “Spirit of
Medal of Honor for his in studying the effects
is celebrated by
valor in 1944 during war
famous for designing the
U.S. Embassy in Tokyo of cholesterol and
Columbus,” is on display
at the Smithsonian
a three-day
water festival. with Japan. and Terminal 1 of the sugar on the heart. National Air and Space
Los Angeles Airport. Museum in Chantilly, VA.
20 21 22 23 24
Nancy Grace Roman
In 2000, (m) is an American

DID YOU KNOW? theoretical physicist who

developed the theory of
relativity and the famous
Shawna Rochelle
Kimbrell (b), a
lieutenant colonel in the
Earth Day astronomer known as
“The Mother of Hubble”
for her significant role
mass-energy equivalency United States Air Force, See sidebar
in planning the Hubble
What is an astrophysicist? formula, E=MC2. He became the first African for details.
Space Telescope. The
received the Nobel Prize American female fighter
An astrophysicist tries to understand in Physics in 1921. pilot in the history of
telescope was launched
in 1990 and continues to
the universe, and everything in it – that service. orbit the earth today.

from planets, to stars, galaxies and

25 26 27 28 29 30
other objects – by applying the laws
Michelle Howard (b),
of physics. From exploring how the made history in 1999 by
becoming the first African
universe began and how it evolved, American woman to
command a U.S. Navy
to searching for life on other planets, ship, the USS Rushmore.
astrophysicists seek to understand She later became the first
female four-star admiral
how we fit into the universe. in the Navy.

1
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MAY Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1
May includes the month-long celebrations JEWISH
ASIAN AMERICAN &
of Asian American & Pacific Islander AMERICAN
PACIFIC ISLANDER
Heritage and Jewish American Heritage. HERITAGE
It also includes the continuing observance HERITAGE MONTH
MONTH
of Ramadan, a month of fasting observed
by Muslims to commemorate the first
revelation of the Quran to the prophet 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Muhammad. Our heritage and spiritual Teacher National Children’s Moses McKissack III (b)
and his brother, Calvin,
beliefs have a profound influence on the Appreciation Day Mental Health founded the first Black-
honors and celebrates owned architectural
way we live, see and interact with the the lasting contributions Awareness Day firm in 1905. The firm
teachers make in the links positive mental helped construct the
world. This month, explore these cultures lives of students health to a child’s Smithsonian Museum
healthy development.
with great books from First Book. and society. of African American
History and Culture.

9 10 11 12 13 14 15
TRY THIS! Ellen Ochoa (b) is a
retired NASA astronaut National Eid al-Fitr Natalie Batalia (b) is a American
Share stories of diverse cultural who, in 1993, became (12th - 13th) research astronomer Rocketry Challenge

heritage through First Book’s the first Latinx woman to School Nurse Day is one of the most
who was co-investigator
and scientist on the
National Finals
Visit rocketcontest.org
go into space aboard the celebrates the more significant Muslim Kepler Mission, the first to see which middle
Stories for All Project™.1 With Space Shuttle Discovery
and was the first Latinx
than 45,000 school
nurses in the U.S.
holidays, marking
the end of Ramadan.*
space mission capable of and high school teams
finding earth-size planets made it to the final
thousands of inclusive, representative director of the Johnson
Space Center.
around other stars. round of the competition.
titles, you’ll find engaging stories that
offer windows into different cultures 16 17 18 19 20 21 22
In 1957 U.S. Army
and mirrors to reflect your own Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Joseph Michael “Joe” astronomer Frank
Johnson (m) is an Acabá (b) is an American
experience. African American educator, hydrogeologist,
Kameny (b) was
dismissed from his
marine biologist, policy and NASA astronaut. position because of
expert and conservation In May 2004 he became his sexual orientation.
strategist. She works to the first person of He appealed the firing,
address climate change Puerto Rican heritage and his case was one of
and ocean conservation to be named as a
DID YOU KNOW?
the first known civil rights
policy in coastal cities. NASA astronaut. claims based on sexual
orientation.

It takes about three days to travel 23 24 25 26 27 28 29

from the Earth to the Moon on a
spaceship. The Moon is about
240,000 miles from Earth. If you
were to travel by car, going 60 mph, 30 Memorial Day 31
it would take you just under six
months to make the trip!
*Note: Islamic holidays follow the lunar calendar and therefore do not fall on the same dates each year. Students practicing this faith may be absent on these holidays.
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JUNE Sunday Monday Tuesday
1
Wednesday
2
Thursday
Dr. Charles Drew (b)
3
Friday
4
Saturday

World
5
June is Pride Month, when we celebrate was an African American
LGBTQ Mark Polansky (b) is a
Korean American and
surgeon who pioneered Environment Day
lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and ways to store blood Is an important

queer (LGBTQ) individuals. It began

PRIDE Jewish NASA astronaut
who flew on three
plasma. He organized
the first large-scale blood
U.N. observance. It
encourages people to
as a way to commemorate the 1969 MONTH space shuttle missions
between 2001 - 2009.
bank in the U.S. and
continued to manage
take care of the earth and
raise awareness about its
two of the largest blood
Stonewall Uprising in New York, where banks during WWII.
need for protection.

thousands stood up against systemic

abuse towards LGBTQ people. Today, 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Robert Robinson Taylor
it has evolved into a month of honoring Lori Arviso Alvord (m) is Anne McClain (b) is a (b) was the first African
American to graduate
the first Diné (Navajo) lieutenant colonel in the
the LGBTQ community through woman to be certified in U.S. Army, an engineer from MIT and the first
surgery in 1994. Known and a NASA astronaut. African American
parades, workshops and celebrations. for combining western She’s the second known accredited academically
medicine with traditional LGBT astronaut in trained architect when he
Pride Month is a time of self and social healing, she was also a NASA’s history graduated in 1892. He
designed many buildings
acceptance and activism for equality. 2013 nominee for U.S.
Surgeon General.
and has spent over
200 days in space. at Tuskegee Institute and
other HBCUs.

13 14 15 16 17 18 19
TRY THIS! Bessie Coleman (m), Taylor Gun-Jin Wang (b) On this day in 1983,
Juneteenth
born in 1892, was an is a Chinese American Sally Ride (m) became
Empathy, kindness and compassion Puerto Rican Day early American aviator.
She earned her pilot’s
scientist and the first the youngest person and commemorates the day
that enslaved African
person of Chinese first American woman to
are key to building strong friendships honors all people of
Puerto Rican birth or
license on this day descent to go into space travel into space. In her Americans in Texas were
in 1921 and was the in 1985. He logged over career, she made two told of their freedom
and getting to know people with life heritage and is marked
by parades in many
first woman of African 2.9 million miles on the shuttle flights and is also in 1865 – two years
American and Indigenous after the Emancipation
experiences different from your own. major U.S. cities.
descent to do so.
space shuttle and holds
20 U.S. patents.
known for being the first
LGBTQ woman in space. Proclamation was signed.
Visit the Respect & Empathy section
for great titles and diverse stories 20 21 22 23 24 25 26
to help students develop these key Yehudit Abrams (m) is Ellison Onizuka (b) was Rita Rapp (b) was a

character traits.1 World Refugee Day a scientist and inventor

of MonitHer, the first
an American astronaut
and engineer from
space food pioneer who
led the Apollo Food
There are more than 26 Hawaii. He was the first System. She worked
at-home hand held
million refugees in the Asian American and to ensure that the food
monitor that detects early
world, and this day brings first person of Japanese astronauts ate in space
breast cancer. The 2018
awareness to their plight ancestry to go into space. was delicious even at
invention won a $360,000
and the effort to protect He died aboard 230,000 miles in the air.
DID YOU KNOW? their human rights.
prize from the WeWork
Creator Awards. the Space Shuttle
Challenger in 1989.
She was famous for her
sugar cookies.

What is the speed of light? The 27 28 29 30

speed of light is 186,282 miles per
second. In theory, nothing can travel Sidney Gutierrez (b)
is a Latinx engineer,
faster than light. If you could travel pilot and retired NASA
astronaut. During his
at the speed of light, you could go career, he took two flights
into space and logged
around the Earth 7.5 times in one over 480 hours in space.

second. The sun is so far away from

the Earth that its light takes
8.3 minutes to reach our planet!

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JULY Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday
1
Friday
Dr. Fred Begay (b) was a
2
Saturday
3
On July 26, we celebrate National Navajo and Ute nuclear
physicist. He was born
Disability Independence Day, which in Towaoc, Colorado, on
the Ute Mountain Indian
commemorates the 1990 signing of the Reservation in 1932. His
work focused on using
Americans with Disabilities Act. This act lasers, electrons, and
ion beams for alternative
provides individuals who have physical energy sources.
and intellectual disabilities with protection
from employment discrimination, equal Independence Day 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Dr. Daniel Hale Williams
opportunity to access buildings and public Dalai Lama’s Birthday (b) was a pioneering
African American heart
transportation, and more. This month, Dalai Lamas are spiritual
leaders and important
surgeon who became
the first physician to
help students learn the importance of monks in Tibetan
Buddhism. The current
successfully perform
open-heart surgery in
inclusion and valuing the contributions of Dalai Lama (b) received
1893. He opened the first
the Nobel Peace Prize
all people of all abilities. in 1989.
interracial hospital in the
U.S. in 1891.

11 12 13 14 15 16 17
TRY THIS! Naadam Maj. Michelle Curran
(m) is the only female
Col. Louis Gonzaga
Mendez, Jr. (b) was
Dr. Fred F. Ohr (b) was
a Korean American World
Sylvia Acevedo (b)
served for 4 years as
(11th - 15th), a U.S. Army officer War II fighter pilot who CEO of the Girl Scouts
Boost compassion, empathy and a 3-day festival marking
Thunderbird pilot in
the U.S. Airforce’s
who parachuted destroyed six aircrafts of America. Previously a
behind enemy lines
more with stories from our Mongolia’s independence
from China, blends
Demonstration Team.
in Normandy, France,
in the air and 17 on
the ground. He is the
rocket scientist at NASA,
she has introduced
The squadron boasts
during WWII. He helped
Special Needs & Abilities section.1 traditional arts and sports
with competitions in
some of the world’s
the Allied Forces win the
recipient of many military
awards. After the war,
Girl Scout badges
for coding, robotics,
most elite fliers. There
archery, horse racing war. The town’s square he became a
have only been 5 female engineering and
and wrestling. was renamed, “La Place dental surgeon.
Thunderbirds in history. cybersecurity.
du Colonel Mendez.”

18 19 20 21 22 23 24
DID YOU KNOW? Eid al-Adha Agnes Driscoll (b)

Jessica Cox has the distinction The Day of Arafat
(18th - 19th),
of being the first person to pilot a the Muslim holiday
plane with only her feet. A Filipino of repentance and
forgiveness, is
American, she earned her license in marked by fasting.*
2008 and became the first armless
pilot. Her perseverance led to a 25
Guinness World Record. She is also
The Naval ship
the first armless black belt in the USS Chung-Hoon was National Disability
named after Gordon
American Taekwondo Association. Chung-Hoon (b), an Independence Day
admiral in the U.S. Navy
who became the first
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Asian American flag
officer during WWII.
(19th - 20th),
was a cryptanalyst
during WWI and WWII.
the Muslim day of Her ability to decode
sacrifice and one of messages sent between
the most significant the Japanese gave U.S.
Muslim holidays, military commanders
is usually marked insight that would help
with a large meal.* win the war.
26 27 28 29 30 31
Stephanie Kwolek
(b) was an American
Charles Bolden Jr. (b)
is a former NASA
chemist. In 1965, she
invented Kevlar, a heat
astronaut who became
the first African American
resistant and strong,
synthetic fiber that is five
See sidebar to lead NASA on a times stronger than steel.
for details. permanent basis in 2009. She was inducted into
the National Inventors
Hall of Fame in 1995.

*Note: Islamic holidays follow the lunar calendar and therefore do not fall on the same dates each year. Students practicing this faith may be absent on these holidays.

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MAKE YOUR OWN GALAXY! SCIENCE EXPERIMENT #1

A galaxy is a huge collection of gas, dust and billions of stars and their own solar systems all held together by gravity.
The Earth’s galaxy is called the Milky Way. Scientists estimate that there are more than 100 billion galaxies in the universe.
In this activity, students will make and name their own galaxy.

MATERIALS NEEDED:
• Black construction paper (11x17 if possible)
• Colored construction paper
• Markers, crayons and/or colored pencils
• Glitter (optional)
• Glue stick
• Scissors

DO THIS:
1. Using the colored paper, ask students to design the stars, planets, comets, and moons that they’d like to have in their galaxy.
2. Have students cut out their designs and arrange them on the black construction paper.
3. Ask students to glue the designs down with a glue stick.
4. Invite students to add glitter to their design to represent the millions of stars being born each day.
5. Finally, ask students to give their galaxy a name.
6. Display the galaxies where friends and families can admire them!

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ENERGY ON THE MOVE SCIENCE EXPERIMENT #2

Heat makes molecules move fast, and in this activity, students will observe what happens when food coloring moves through hot and cold water.

MATERIALS NEEDED: DO THIS:

• Hot tap water 1. Pour ice water (without the ice) in one of the plastic cups – about ¾ full.
• Ice water 2. Fill the other plastic cup with the hot tap water – about ¾ full.
• 2 clear plastic cups 3. Put one drop of yellow and one drop of blue food coloring on the surface of the hot and cold water.
• Food coloring (yellow & blue) 4. Ask students what they notice about the way the food coloring is moving in the cold water vs. hot water.

WHAT TO EXPECT:
The food coloring in the hot water will move faster, and will mix to become more green than the food
coloring in the cold water.

WHAT’S HAPPENING?
Heat is a form of energy, and the heat from the hot water makes the water molecules move faster than
the molecules in the cold water. The fast moving molecules in the hot water bump into the food coloring
molecules more often and with more force and move them faster than the molecules in the cold water.

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EGG DROP CHALLENGE SCIENCE EXPERIMENT #3

Students will learn about inertia and hopefully stay dry in this fun activity.

MATERIALS NEEDED:
• 1 plastic cup of water (about ½ full) with a mouth wide enough to fit the egg
• 1 10’ piece of cardboard or a small tray with a smooth bottom
• 1 cardboard tube (a paper towel or toilet paper tubes)
• 1 egg (uncooked adds more drama!)

DO THIS:
1. Place the plastic cup on a table or stand.
2. Place the cardboard or small tray on top of the plastic cup of water.
3. Place the tube vertically on top of the cardboard or small tray.
4. Place the egg horizontally on top of the tube.
5. When ready, strike the tray hard enough with your palm to send the tray flying forward, but not so hard that you hit
the glass of water. If all goes well, the tray and the tube will go flying, but the egg will drop into the water.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Inertia describes how much energy is needed to move or stop an item from moving. Since the tray and the cardboard tube
are lightweight, not much energy is required to move them. The egg is heavier and will drop into the water.

See a video of this activity here.

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