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A Computer Called Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Helped Put America on the Moon
Last updated Sunday, April 2, 2023
Author: Suzanne Slade
Illustrator: Veronica Miller Jamison
Date of Publication: 2019
ISBN: 0316435171
Grade Level: 2nd (GLCs: Click here for grade level guidelines.)
Date(s) Used: Apr. 2023
Synopsis:
The inspiring true story of mathematician Katherine Johnson - made famous by the award-winning film "Hidden Figures" - who counted and computed her way to NASA and helped put a man on the moon!
Katherine knew it was wrong that African Americans didn't have the same rights as others - as wrong as 5+5=12. She knew it was wrong that people thought women could only be teachers or nurses -as wrong as 10-5=3. And she proved everyone wrong by zooming ahead of her classmates, starting college at fifteen, and eventually joining NASA, where her calculations helped pioneer America's first manned flight into space, its first manned orbit of Earth, and the world's first trip to the moon!
| Discussion topics for before reading: |
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What is your favorite school subject?
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Do you like math?
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Why do you like math?
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Do you use your calculator or laptop to solve equations?
Vocabulary:
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Mathematician- an expert in or student of mathematics.
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Magician- a person who performs magic tricks for entertainment.
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Engineer - a person who designs, builds, or maintains engines, machines, or public works.
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Rocket - A rocket is a vehicle that uses jet propulsion to accelerate without using the surrounding air.
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Equation - An equation is a mathematical statement with an 'equal to' symbol between two expressions that have equal values. For example, 3x + 5 = 15.
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Geometry- the branch of mathematics concerned with the properties and relations of points, lines, surfaces, solids and higher dimensional analogs.
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| Discussion topics for during/after reading: |
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What did Katherine count?
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Why was Katherine counting down the days to?
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Why was everyone in town arguing?
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Why did Katherine's family move 120 miles away from her hometown?
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What did Katherine do at the research center ?
Where did the rocket blast off to ?
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| Craft ideas: |
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1) Easy: Katherine worked at the space center to help with Launch rockets into space. Imagine yourself working at the space center designing a rocket. Is it tall? Does it look like a plane? What color is your rocket? Design your rocket to space and share your masterpiece with your Classmates?
Materials needed: Construction paper, slim markers, crayons, glue, old magazines, stencil and scissors.
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2) Easy: As a girl, Katherine Johnson loved math, and she continued to study it in college. When she grew up, she kept pursuing that passion when she used her math skills to plot the flight paths, or trajectories, of NASA rockets.
What are your dreams for the future? Draw and color a picture of what you dream of doing when you grow up.
Materials needed: Construction paper, slim markers, crayons, glue, stencil and scissors
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Earth Day is April 22nd. Make a flyer or a poster. See ideas and suggestions on Pinterest at https://www.pinterest.com/readingtokids/april-2023-the-wonders-of-science-technology/earth-day-posterscards/
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*Note: These craft ideas are just suggestions.
You can use them, but you don't have to use them.
You can expand upon them, or add your own twist.
Remember, though, that the focus of your time should
not be on the development and execution of a craft;
the focus should be on the read-aloud and the
enjoyment of the book!
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