Hidden Figures (NASA & Katherine Johnson)
Freedom Fighters
STEM Legends
Language & Rhetoric
Themes & Connections
100

Katherine Johnson worked for which U.S. agency known for exploring space?

What is NASA

100

What was Frederick Douglass famous for?

What is escaping slavery and becoming an abolitionist leader?

100

What does STEM stand for?

What is Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics?

100

What is a “narrative”?

What is a story about someone’s life or experience?

100

Both Douglass and Johnson overcame challenges using what?

What is education and perseverance?

200

What important event did Katherine Johnson help calculate for in 1969?

What is the moon landing (Apollo 11 mission)?

200

What did Douglass teach himself to do that changed his life?

What is learning to read and write?

200

What did NASA computers do before electronic computers existed?

What is perform complex math calculations by hand?

200

Douglass used powerful language to persuade readers. What is this called?

What is rhetoric?

200

What does “freedom” mean in both stories?

What is the ability to achieve your goals without barriers or oppression?

300

What kind of math did Katherine Johnson use to help spacecraft return safely to Earth?

What is trajectory or orbital mathematics?

300

What was the name of Douglass’s most famous book?

What is The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass?

300

Which of Katherine Johnson’s calculations helped John Glenn orbit Earth?

What is flight trajectory verification?

300

What kind of tone does Douglass use when describing his escape from slavery?

What is hopeful or determined?

300

What does Katherine Johnson’s story teach us about teamwork?

What is that success happens when people work together and respect everyone’s skills?

400

Katherine Johnson faced two major barriers at work. What were they?

What are racism and sexism?

400

Which U.S. president did Douglass advise during the Civil War?

Who is Abraham Lincoln?

400

Name one barrier women faced working in STEM during the 1950s.

What is gender discrimination or limited access to education?

400

In persuasive writing, what is evidence?

What are facts, quotes, or examples that support an argument?

400

What common theme connects literacy and science in both texts?

What is knowledge as a tool for empowerment and change?

500

What movie, based on real events, tells the story of Katherine Johnson and her colleagues?

What is Hidden Figures?

500

Douglass said, “Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.” What does this quote mean?

What is that education and literacy create independence and empowerment?

500

What do Frederick Douglass and Katherine Johnson have in common as STEM and literacy heroes?

What is using knowledge and education to break barriers and inspire others?

500

How does Douglass use imagery to make readers feel his emotions?

What is by describing sights, sounds, and feelings vividly to create empathy?

500

If Douglass and Johnson met today, what advice might they give students?

What is “Never stop learning — knowledge gives you power and purpose”? (Anything motivational)