Explore how women scientists have transformed medicine, biology, and our understanding of life itself through the groundbreaking work of Jane Goodall, Tu Youyou, Marie Curie, and Françoise Barré-Sinoussi. Students will discover how curiosity, determination, and scientific innovation helped these women make discoveries that changed lives around the world.
This Kahoot explores major breakthroughs in fields such as medicine, chemistry, biology, and disease research, while highlighting the challenges many women scientists faced in gaining recognition and opportunities in their fields. Students will build listening skills, vocabulary, and scientific awareness as they learn how research and discovery can improve health, deepen knowledge, and shape the future.
Watch the related BBC videos (below), then invite your Grade 6–12 students to test their knowledge and explore the lasting global impact of women in science.
This video playlist brings together 10 fascinating clips from the BBC’s Got Science? series, where everyday questions lead to surprising scientific discoveries. Students explore what’s really happening in the body and brain — from what your brain is doing during sleep paralysis to what it truly means to be “left-brained” or “right-brained.” They’ll investigate what happens when the body becomes dehydrated, how cold temperatures and high altitudes affect how we function, and the unexpected ways our bodies trick us every single day. Packed with “What! Really?” moments, this weird-but-wonderful playlist helps learners connect real science to daily life in unforgettable ways. Get ready to see the familiar become fascinating.
Meet the Icons of the 20th Century. From brilliant scientists and inspiring activists to legendary athletes and artists, these remarkable individuals changed the world in powerful ways. In this video playlist of clips from BBC's Icons: The Greatest Person of the 20th Century, meet Muhammad Ali, Helen Keller, Albert Einstein, Martin Luther King Jr., Pablo Picasso, Jane Goodall, Pelé, Billie Holiday and others — each a trailblazer who shaped history through courage, creativity, and conviction. A perfect playlist to inspire young minds to think big and act boldly!
In The Theory of a Supercontinent and the Cold War Discovery That Proved It, narrator Michael Mosley shares how German meteorologist Alfred Wegener proposed a radical new theory — that all of the continents had once fit together as one supercontinent that he called Pangaea. It wasn’t until the Cold War that the oceans were mapped, and scientists discovered the interlocking plates of the seafloor that could provide evidence for Wegener’s theory. This video is excerpted from BBC's The Story of Science, in which Michael Mosley takes an informative and ambitious journey exploring how the evolution of scientific understanding is intimately interwoven with society's historical path.
The article "Isaac Newton: From Apple Myths to Scientific Genius" from BBC's HistoryExtra tells the story of Newton’s journey from a lonely farm boy to one of the greatest scientists of all time. It explores his most famous discoveries — including gravity, motion, and calculus — as well as his struggles, rivalries (especially with Robert Hooke), and unusual experiments.
The article “Marie Curie: A Scientific Legacy Who Changed the World” from BBC's HistoryExtra explores the life and groundbreaking scientific achievements of Marie Curie. From her difficult childhood in Russian-occupied Poland to her pioneering work in radioactivity, Curie defied gender norms and political obstacles to become one of the most celebrated scientists in history.
In Tu Youyou's Malaria Breakthrough, host Chris Packham tells the story of Tu Youyou’s groundbreaking discovery of artemisinin, a drug that transformed the fight against malaria. Her extraordinary courage, including volunteering as the first test subject, went unnoticed as she was never named on the research papers that led to the breakthrough. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Icons: The Greatest Person of the 20th Century, a documentary series celebrating the achievements of the most influential figures of the era.
In Marie Curie Discovers Radioactivity, Chris Packham highlights the journey of a brilliant immigrant who transformed science. From discovering radioactivity to developing pioneering cancer treatments, Marie Curie challenged conventions and inspired breakthroughs in atomic science. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Icons: The Greatest Person of the 20th Century, a documentary series celebrating the achievements of the most influential figures of the era.
In Einstein and the Nuclear Bomb, host Chris Packham explores Albert Einstein's scientific contributions. As a pacifist, he was opposed to the use of his research to develop nuclear weapons. Einstein’s story reveals the burden of scientific discovery in wartime. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Icons: The Greatest Person of the 20th Century, a documentary series celebrating the achievements of the most influential figures of the era.
In the video Treating Multiple Sclerosis With Stem Cell Therapy, meet Stephen, a man who lost his ability to move due to multiple sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune disease that attacks the brain and spinal cord. Follow his journey as he undergoes an innovative stem cell treatment to restore his nervous system and regain mobility. Learn about the immune system, autoimmune diseases, and how stem cells can be used to repair damaged systems in the body. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The World’s Most Extraordinary People, a documentary series revealing how rare medical conditions inspire groundbreaking scientific discoveries.
In Understanding the Brain's Unique Sensory Connections, learn how synesthesia occurs in the brain and how it allows people to experience the world in an extraordinary way by connecting senses in unique ways, like seeing colors when hearing sounds. Understanding synesthesia is helping researchers assist individuals with sensory limitations, such as blindness, by expanding our knowledge of how the brain processes stimuli. This insight is leading to advancements in both sensory research and the treatment of sensory disorders. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The World’s Most Extraordinary People, a documentary series revealing how rare medical conditions inspire groundbreaking scientific discoveries.
Explore how women scientists have transformed medicine, biology, and our understanding of life itself through the groundbreaking work of Jane Goodall, Tu Youyou, Marie Curie, and Françoise Barré-Sinoussi. Students will discover how curiosity, determination, and scientific innovation helped these women make discoveries that changed lives around the world.
This Kahoot explores major breakthroughs in fields such as medicine, chemistry, biology, and disease research, while highlighting the challenges many women scientists faced in gaining recognition and opportunities in their fields. Students will build listening skills, vocabulary, and scientific awareness as they learn how research and discovery can improve health, deepen knowledge, and shape the future.
Watch the related BBC videos (below), then invite your Grade 6–12 students to test their knowledge and explore the lasting global impact of women in science.
This video playlist brings together 10 fascinating clips from the BBC’s Got Science? series, where everyday questions lead to surprising scientific discoveries. Students explore what’s really happening in the body and brain — from what your brain is doing during sleep paralysis to what it truly means to be “left-brained” or “right-brained.” They’ll investigate what happens when the body becomes dehydrated, how cold temperatures and high altitudes affect how we function, and the unexpected ways our bodies trick us every single day. Packed with “What! Really?” moments, this weird-but-wonderful playlist helps learners connect real science to daily life in unforgettable ways. Get ready to see the familiar become fascinating.
Meet the Icons of the 20th Century. From brilliant scientists and inspiring activists to legendary athletes and artists, these remarkable individuals changed the world in powerful ways. In this video playlist of clips from BBC's Icons: The Greatest Person of the 20th Century, meet Muhammad Ali, Helen Keller, Albert Einstein, Martin Luther King Jr., Pablo Picasso, Jane Goodall, Pelé, Billie Holiday and others — each a trailblazer who shaped history through courage, creativity, and conviction. A perfect playlist to inspire young minds to think big and act boldly!
In The Theory of a Supercontinent and the Cold War Discovery That Proved It, narrator Michael Mosley shares how German meteorologist Alfred Wegener proposed a radical new theory — that all of the continents had once fit together as one supercontinent that he called Pangaea. It wasn’t until the Cold War that the oceans were mapped, and scientists discovered the interlocking plates of the seafloor that could provide evidence for Wegener’s theory. This video is excerpted from BBC's The Story of Science, in which Michael Mosley takes an informative and ambitious journey exploring how the evolution of scientific understanding is intimately interwoven with society's historical path.
The article "Isaac Newton: From Apple Myths to Scientific Genius" from BBC's HistoryExtra tells the story of Newton’s journey from a lonely farm boy to one of the greatest scientists of all time. It explores his most famous discoveries — including gravity, motion, and calculus — as well as his struggles, rivalries (especially with Robert Hooke), and unusual experiments.
The article “Marie Curie: A Scientific Legacy Who Changed the World” from BBC's HistoryExtra explores the life and groundbreaking scientific achievements of Marie Curie. From her difficult childhood in Russian-occupied Poland to her pioneering work in radioactivity, Curie defied gender norms and political obstacles to become one of the most celebrated scientists in history.
In Tu Youyou's Malaria Breakthrough, host Chris Packham tells the story of Tu Youyou’s groundbreaking discovery of artemisinin, a drug that transformed the fight against malaria. Her extraordinary courage, including volunteering as the first test subject, went unnoticed as she was never named on the research papers that led to the breakthrough. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Icons: The Greatest Person of the 20th Century, a documentary series celebrating the achievements of the most influential figures of the era.
In Marie Curie Discovers Radioactivity, Chris Packham highlights the journey of a brilliant immigrant who transformed science. From discovering radioactivity to developing pioneering cancer treatments, Marie Curie challenged conventions and inspired breakthroughs in atomic science. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Icons: The Greatest Person of the 20th Century, a documentary series celebrating the achievements of the most influential figures of the era.
In Einstein and the Nuclear Bomb, host Chris Packham explores Albert Einstein's scientific contributions. As a pacifist, he was opposed to the use of his research to develop nuclear weapons. Einstein’s story reveals the burden of scientific discovery in wartime. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Icons: The Greatest Person of the 20th Century, a documentary series celebrating the achievements of the most influential figures of the era.
In the video Treating Multiple Sclerosis With Stem Cell Therapy, meet Stephen, a man who lost his ability to move due to multiple sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune disease that attacks the brain and spinal cord. Follow his journey as he undergoes an innovative stem cell treatment to restore his nervous system and regain mobility. Learn about the immune system, autoimmune diseases, and how stem cells can be used to repair damaged systems in the body. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The World’s Most Extraordinary People, a documentary series revealing how rare medical conditions inspire groundbreaking scientific discoveries.
In Understanding the Brain's Unique Sensory Connections, learn how synesthesia occurs in the brain and how it allows people to experience the world in an extraordinary way by connecting senses in unique ways, like seeing colors when hearing sounds. Understanding synesthesia is helping researchers assist individuals with sensory limitations, such as blindness, by expanding our knowledge of how the brain processes stimuli. This insight is leading to advancements in both sensory research and the treatment of sensory disorders. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The World’s Most Extraordinary People, a documentary series revealing how rare medical conditions inspire groundbreaking scientific discoveries.