What do Geologists do? Bringing women geologists into the classroom

The experience presented here consists of three activities created for the second and third

cycle of Primary Education focusing on geology from a gender perspective. They have a triple

purpose: on the one hand, to give visibility to women in science, on the other hand, to teach

students how geology is researched and worked and, finally, to promote some scientific

practices. In the first activity we work with four texts about four different geologists to learn

the vision that students have of this discipline and the people who work in it, using the Draw

a Scientist Test (DAST). The second focuses on the biographies of several female geologists

and the problems they had to face, proposing a small debate about the role of women in

science. Finally, in the third one, drawings of fossil vertebrates made by women are used as

a starting point for an activity to elaborate researchable questions. This sequence, which can

be carried out partially or completely, seeks to indirectly address the gender perspective in

the classroom and make students more aware of the existing problem.