Women’s visibility in the History of Science as a thematic proposal for High School

Abstract

Women have always played a crucial role throughout the History of Science, although very rarely they have received the deserved spotlight for their brilliant achievements, usually overshadowed in environments surrounded by a male-dominated paradigm, which condemned them to restricted opportunities, precarious working conditions, humiliation and lack of acknowledgement. Even so, they left an invaluable legacy, which always needs to be widely disclosed and embedded into the scientific literacy in Basic Education. Beyond a historical retrospective on great women scientists, this article brings reports about classroom experiences in which it was found that the visibility of the female role in the History of Science, unfortunately, is still quite precarious, making it essential that teachers receive a training which properly allows them to work on the theme “Women in Science”, by correlating the historical, social and cultural contexts in which these so very important scientists lived.