Summary:

Hidden Figures follows three African American female mathematicians. In the 1950’s Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson began working for the space program at NASA. They played a large part in the launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit. 

How to Use It:

Build off the film's education guide: Have students construct and solve their own mathematical equations to describe the orbits of planets, or use computer simulations to model Newton's second law of motion. Talk about how technology makes these calculations easier.

After watching the movie, have your students research other influential figures in STEM, particularly those often overlooked in history. You can also tie in math lessons by exploring the calculations used for space travel. It’s a great way to show real-world applications of math! And. . . if you’d like a language arts connection, consider reading the young reader’s edition of the book as a class.

Learning Topics:

• Diversity in gender and race

• Mathematics

• Science and technology

• Space

• Human rights

Discussion Questions:

1. What are the positive and negative implications of technology taking over roles humans once held? 

2. What role did gender play in STEM fields in the 1950s and '60s? How much have those roles changed today?

3. What or who are the “Hidden Figures” referred to in the title to this movie?

4. Who or what is the antagonist in this story? What defeats the antagonist?

5. Coffee serves as a symbol in this movie. What does it symbolize?