Summary
Barred from studying math because she was a girl, Sophie Germain taught herself in secret, borrowed a male student's name to send in her work, and became a pioneering mathematician.
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
Discussion
Barred from studying math because she was a girl, Sophie Germain taught herself in secret, borrowed a male student's name to send in her work, and became a pioneering mathematician.
- What obstacles did Sophie Germain face just because she was a girl?
- How did she keep learning math when she wasn't allowed to attend school?
- Why is it important that people today can study whatever interests them?
Quick work-a-long
Vocabulary: mathematician, barrier, determination.
Try it: Write down one subject you're curious about and one way you could learn more about it on your own.

