Subjects

• U.S. History

Grade

• 6-8
• 9-12

Brief Description

Students nominate a woman they think should be honored on a postage stamp.

Objectives

Students explore the contributions of American women.

Keywords

postage stamps, American women, women's history

Materials Needed

• print and/or online resource materials, such as National Women's Hall of Fame, Encyclopedia Britannica Profiles 300 Women Who Changed the World, American Women's History: A Research Guide, National Women's History Museum, Distinguished Women of Past and Present, and Archives of Women in Science and Engineering
• writing paper
• pens
• computers with word processing software (optional)
• envelopes
• postage stamps

Lesson Plan

• Explain to students that the U.S. Postal Service issues 25 to 40 new commemorative stamps each year.
• Ask: Who do you think suggests the names of people to feature on commemorative stamps? Who do you think reviews the nominations? Who do you think makes the final decisions about who will be honored on the stamps? What factors do you think those decisions are based on?
• If students can't answer those questions, explain that the names of most of the people featured on U.S. commemorative stamps are suggested by the general public. The Citizen's Stamp Advisory Committee reviews all the nominations, chooses those that are most interesting and educational, and presents its recommendations to the postmaster general.
• Tell students that they are going to celebrate Women's History Month by nominating a woman to be honored on a commemorative stamp.
• Review the criteria the Citizen's Stamp Advisory Committee uses to choose new subjects. Point out that to be honored with a commemorative stamp, an individual must be an American with national appeal who was not associated primarily with religious undertakings and who has been dead at least ten years.
• Have students work individually or in small groups to explore print and/or online resources to learn about some influential women in American history.
• Ask each student or group of students to choose one woman, research her life, and prepare a written presentation that will persuade the Citizen's Stamp Advisory Committee to honor that woman on a stamp.
• Mail students' nominations to
  Citizen's Stamp Advisory Committee
  c/o Stamp Management
  U.S. Postal Service
  475 L'Enfant Plaza, SW, Room 4474 #B
  Washington, DC 20260-6756

Assessment

Lesson Plan Source

Submitted By

Linda Starr

National Standards

Social Sciences:
  NSS-USH.5-12.9