By Stephanie Mah (she/her), equity, diversity, and inclusion specialist, Calgary
“... the toolkit offers a structured approach to creating learning environments where girls feel capable, valued, and excited about exploring STEM subjects.”
Representation is powerful, especially for young children who benefit greatly from seeing successful individuals who look like them. This visibility is particularly meaningful for girls and those from minority communities, who are often underrepresented in fields like science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). When children see role models who share their background or identity, it reinforces the belief, “If she can do it, I can do it too.” The Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) Girls toolkit was developed with this vision in mind—to build self-efficacy and confidence in young girls by providing them with opportunities to connect with mentors and engage in hands-on STEM activities that foster exploration, resilience, and a sense of possibility.
The inspiration for this toolkit originated in my undergraduate studies at the University of Calgary, where I researched how social factors shape the identities of mixed-race youth. During my Master’s in Cultural Studies at Queen’s University, my curiosity about the phrase, “If you can see it, you can be it,” continued to grow, leading me to examine how self-efficacy—particularly in STEM—develops in young girls. In fields where women and BIPOC individuals are often underrepresented, self-efficacy, or one’s belief in their abilities, becomes crucial in motivating young people to pursue their goals. This toolkit, combining personal experience and academic research, aims to create accessible STEM learning opportunities for girls, empowering them to envision themselves as future scientists, engineers, and leaders. By equipping teachers and youth leaders with a guide for fostering confidence, resilience, and ambition, the toolkit offers a structured approach to creating learning environments where girls feel capable, valued, and excited about exploring STEM subjects. The toolkit’s resources and activities support the idea that developing self-belief and enthusiasm for STEM from a young age can influence a girl’s aspirations and career choices in the future.
WISE Girls toolkit overview
The toolkit is designed for flexible use in various settings, such as classrooms, after-school programs, and summer camps. The toolkit includes an introduction, glossary, and background research related to factors affecting STEM participation, specifically self-efficacy, race, and gender. Also included in the toolkit are four activities, each designed to introduce STEM concepts while fostering a growth mindset. The first two activities include detailed lesson plans and handouts so teachers can feel confident leading the hands-on STEM activities with students.
Activity 1: Tinfoil ship building (2 hours)
In this hands-on activity, students design, build, and test model ships using simple materials like tinfoil. This activity introduces basic principles of density and engineering while encouraging girls to think critically and creatively. After testing their designs, students have the opportunity to revise and improve their models based on their observations. This approach promotes problem-solving and resilience, showing girls that experimentation and revision are just as valuable as initial success. By taking ownership of their designs, they learn that the process of refining an idea can be as rewarding as achieving the end goal.
Activity 2: Ice cream making (1 hour)
This session combines chemistry and physics concepts in an enjoyable, relatable way. Students make ice cream from scratch, using accessible ingredients to explore molecular changes and the states of matter. This interactive activity allows girls to learn about science through hands-on experimentation, while also providing opportunities for creativity, reflection, and collaboration. By relating the lesson to a familiar, enjoyable treat, this activity helps demystify scientific concepts, making them feel approachable and relevant. The fun, practical nature of this project encourages girls to engage deeply with science in a way that is both memorable and empowering.
Activity 3: Career awareness and mentorship
Beyond STEM activities, WISE Girls includes a career awareness and mentorship session to help girls visualize future possibilities in STEM. This component introduces participants to women in STEM careers, offering them relatable role models who share their background and interests. The toolkit includes suggested discussion questions prompting local mentors to discuss their educational paths, career journeys, challenges, and achievements, giving girls insight into the realities of working in STEM fields. Hearing about mentors’ experiences helps demystify STEM careers, showing participants that these fields are accessible and diverse. By seeing successful women in STEM, girls can more easily imagine themselves following similar paths, helping to dismantle perceived barriers and build their confidence.
Activity 4: Parent-daughter social event
The workshop culminates in a parent-daughter social event, where families gather to celebrate the girls’ accomplishments and reinforce family support as a key factor in building self-efficacy. This event provides an opportunity for parents to see what their daughters have learned and accomplished, helping to nurture an environment of encouragement and pride. Girls can receive certificates recognizing their participation. The social event fosters a positive atmosphere where family members can celebrate together, while also emphasizing the importance of community and support in a young person’s journey toward self-confidence and career aspirations.
Inspiring limitless potential
Ultimately, the WISE Girls toolkit is about more than teaching STEM skills: it’s about nurturing confidence and helping girls see themselves as capable, curious, and worthy of success in any field they choose. By creating spaces where girls feel safe to experiment, learn, and envision their futures, this toolkit strives to inspire a generation of girls to believe that no dream is too big. The goal is to spark confidence, ignite curiosity, and foster the belief that each girl’s potential is boundless. Through WISE Girls, my hope is to empower girls to believe in themselves and their abilities, knowing that they have the strength and talent to shape their future in STEM and beyond.
The WISE Girls toolkit can be downloaded from bctf.ca/classroom-resources.