Here’s a pair of books that is perfect for reinforcing an interest in science and the natural world in girls aged 9-12. These books show the obstacles girls and young women once faced on the road to becoming great scientists.
The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly + Girls Who Look Under Rocks: The Lives of Six Pioneering Naturalists by Jeannine Atkins

As the two spend more time together observing and exploring, Callie’s mother grows concerned. She steps up her efforts to mold her daughter into the perfect young lady. Not wanting to disappoint her mother or her grandfather, Callie struggles to find her identity. The book ends with a magical scene at the dawn of the new century, leaving readers with hope for Callie’s future.

Related Activities
Encourage children who enjoy these books to start their own nature journal. They can make simple notes like those in Calpurnia’s notebook or draw and describe bees and butterflies like Maria Merian. They can focus on birds, like the prairie chickens, owls, and eagles Frances Hamerstrom studied, or even pay close attention to the clouds, the moon, a rock, or a favorite tree. For inspiration, you may want to share some of the Good Morning, Maple blog entries, which I post each Monday.
When Calpurnia Tate thought her home town newspaper should list temperatures in the shade as well as in the sun, she wrote a letter to the editor. The editor liked her idea and made the change. Encourage your students to write a letter to the newspaper or town official about something they think should be changed in your community.
All of the women in Girls Who Looked Under Rocks cared deeply aboutthe natural world, but no one worked harder to preserve and protect wildlife and wild places than Rachel Carson. Unfortunately, it's not always easy to figure out the best way to save them. To help your students understand this, share this story:
When a teacher asked her class to write about their experiences with butterflies, one girl wrote about her family’s efforts to kill butterflies. The teacher gave the girl an F.
Ask your students what they would have done if they had been the teacher.
Later, the teacher learned that the girl’s family owned a cabbage farm. Their crop was being devastated by cabbage white butterflies.
Ask your students how they would have reacted if they had been the teacher.
Explain that cabbage white butterflies are invasive species that can wreak havoc in an ecosystem.
Ask your class what they think farmers should do about cabbage white butterflies. Have the studnets do research to fin d out if there are ways to control these harmful invaders without harming native butterfly species.