Hidden Figures Lesson Plan and Worksheets for Grades 6-12

'Hidden Figures' Lesson Plan & Worksheets | Grades 6 - 12

Inspire students with the powerful true story behind Hidden Figures while building critical thinking, historical understanding, STEM awareness, and literacy skills. This engaging Hidden Figures Movie Study explores the remarkable achievements of Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson as students examine themes of perseverance, equality, innovation, and breaking barriers. With 30 rigorous and meaningful activities, this resource transforms movie day into a rich cross-curricular learning experience.

What's Included

• 30 student activities

• Printable student workbook

• Comprehensive teacher guide

• Complete answer key

• Reading comprehension questions

• Character analysis activities

• Historical context investigations

• Civil Rights Movement connections

• STEM and mathematics activities

• Space Race timeline activities

• Vocabulary development exercises

• Cause-and-effect analysis

• Media literacy discussions

• Data graphing and interpretation tasks

• Creative writing activities

• Reflection and discussion prompts

• Career exploration activities

• Art and design extension projects

Students will explore:

• The Space Race

• NASA history

• Civil Rights and segregation

• Equality and opportunity

• Perseverance and resilience

• Women in STEM

• Mathematical problem-solving

• Engineering and computer science

• Historical analysis

• Media literacy and true-story adaptations

How It Works in the Classroom

This Hidden Figures movie guide is designed for flexible implementation across multiple subject areas:

• English Language Arts

• STEM lessons

• History classes

• Social Studies units

• Civil Rights instruction

• Career exploration lessons

• Independent learning

• Homeschool settings

• Substitute plans

• Cross-curricular projects

Students complete activities before, during, and after viewing the film. Lessons include comprehension work, historical investigations, STEM challenges, graphing activities, discussion prompts, character analysis, and reflective writing. The included teacher guide provides a complete 90-minute lesson plan with differentiation strategies for Grades 6–12.

Standards & Learning Goals

Students will:

• Recall and sequence key events from the film

• Analyze the achievements of Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson

• Explore the historical context of segregation and the Civil Rights Movement

• Examine the Space Race and NASA's role in scientific advancement

• Interpret and create data graphs

• Strengthen reading comprehension and vocabulary skills

• Evaluate themes of equality, perseverance, and recognition

• Practice critical-thinking and evidence-based reasoning

• Explore STEM careers and opportunities

• Develop reflective and analytical writing skills

Supports instruction in:

• English Language Arts

• STEM Education

• Mathematics

• History

• Civics and Social Studies

• Media Literacy

• Career Readiness

• Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)

Why Teachers Love It

✅ No-prep printable resource

✅ Includes teacher guide and complete answer key

✅ Meaningful integration of STEM, history, and literacy

✅ Encourages critical thinking and historical analysis

✅ Promotes important conversations about equality and perseverance

✅ Features engaging graphing and data-analysis activities

✅ Introduces students to inspiring STEM role models

✅ Supports a wide grade range (Grades 6–12)

✅ Includes creative, analytical, and reflective learning opportunities

✅ Perfect for Black History Month, Women's History Month, STEM units, and Civil Rights studies

Teachers love how this resource helps students connect historical events to modern issues while celebrating the achievements of groundbreaking women whose contributions changed history.

Add this Hidden Figures Movie Study to your classroom today and inspire students through a powerful true story of courage, perseverance, innovation, and achievement. Perfect for integrating STEM, history, literacy, and critical thinking into one unforgettable learning experience.