Objectives

• Analyse how Shetterly uses specific language choices to construct the identities of Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson as simultaneously brilliant and marginalised.
• Explain how the historical context of segregation, World War II mobilisation, and the Space Race shapes the opportunities and barriers faced by the women computers at Langley.
• Evaluate how Shetterly structures Hidden Figures — braiding individual biography with national history — to argue a case about race, gender, and the American Dream.
• Write an evidenced analytical paragraph that embeds and interrogates quotations from named chapters rather than summarising plot.
• Construct a sustained, multi-paragraph argument about how Shetterly presents one or more of the text's central themes, selecting and ranking evidence independently.

The sequence

1. Lesson 1: Double Discrimination: Race, Gender, and the World of Langley, 1943

   55 min · ch. 1, 2, 4, 5

   Do now

   Read the paragraph in Chapter 4 that starts with 'The women were called computers' and note: (a) one word that surprises you, (b) one word that belittles the women, and (c) one question that the paragraph brings up. You have four minutes — hold off on discussion for now.

   Teacher input

   Model a close reading of the opening three paragraphs of Chapter 1 ('A Door Opens'), paying special attention to Shetterly's use of the word 'mobilization' and the phrase 'the war was a tidal wave.' Highlight how this metaphor portrays the women as being swept along by historical forces rather than as active participants in shaping their own destinies. Then, point out how the very next sentence shifts to Dorothy Vaughan's proactive verb 'she applied.' Show students how to craft a single analytical sentence that identifies the technique, quotes the key word, and explains how this impacts the reader's perception of Dorothy's agency.

   Independent task

   Using Chapter 2 ('Mobilization') and Chapter 5 ('Almost Like Somebody'), students will write two analytical paragraphs. The first paragraph should explain how Shetterly employs the language of wartime urgency — particularly with the phrases 'essential war work' and 'the government needed bodies' — to illustrate how Black women's talents were used rather than appreciated. The second paragraph should discuss how the detail of Dorothy Vaughan checking the NACA notice 'three times' (Chapter 5) portrays her as a character who must affirm her own right to exist within a predominantly white institutional space. Each paragraph must include at least one quotation and a sentence reflecting on the impact of Shetterly's word choice. Students are to submit both paragraphs on a single sheet.

   Exit ticket

   In one sentence, explain why Shetterly chooses to open Chapter 1 with the image of a 'door' rather than, say, a window or a wall — what does that specific noun do for her argument about opportunity?

2. Lesson 2: Dorothy Vaughan and the Grammar of Leadership

   55 min · ch. 8, 12

   Do now

   Open Chapter 8 ('Breaking Barriers') and locate the sentence in which Dorothy Vaughan teaches herself FORTRAN. Copy that sentence exactly, then underline every verb. What do those verbs reveal about Dorothy's connection to knowledge? Write two sentences before the lesson starts.

   Teacher input

   Model a close reading of the passage in Chapter 12 ('Seizing the Moment') where Dorothy walks into the West Computing section and starts supervising without being prompted. Focus on Shetterly's present-tense narration — 'Dorothy does not wait' — and the term 'seizing' in the chapter title. Guide students to argue that Shetterly's narrative voice embodies the assertiveness she describes: the prose illustrates Dorothy's agency. Write the following model sentence on the board: 'Shetterly's use of the active construction...

   Independent task

   , reflects Dorothy's determination to avoid a passive role in the institution, establishing her as a leader who takes charge before receiving formal acknowledgment.'

   Exit ticket

   Write one sentence explaining how the chapter title 'Seizing the Moment' (Chapter 12) does more than describe an event — what claim does it make about Dorothy Vaughan's character and Shetterly's admiration for her?

3. Lesson 3: Katherine Johnson and the Politics of Mathematical Knowledge

   55 min · ch. 13, 16, 20

   Do now

   Read the paragraph in Chapter 16 ('Into the Unknown') where Katherine is asked to check the IBM computer's calculations before John Glenn's flight. Without any reference materials, write a sentence predicting: why do you think Shetterly includes this moment, and what does it reveal about who is deemed trustworthy when it comes to knowledge?

   Teacher input

   Model a close reading of the passage in Chapter 20 ('Degrees of Freedom') where Shetterly details Katherine's calculations for the trajectory of the Friendship 7 mission. Pay special attention to the phrase 'degrees of freedom,' which operates as both a mathematical concept and a political metaphor. Guide students in crafting a paragraph that explores this dual significance: mathematically, degrees of freedom pertains to the variables in an equation; politically, it resonates with the language of the Civil Rights Movement. Illustrate how to argue that Shetterly’s chapter title serves as an interpretive act — she invites the reader to engage with both meanings at once.

   Independent task

   Students are required to write three analytical paragraphs arguing that Shetterly portrays Katherine Johnson's mathematical skills as a form of political resistance. The first paragraph should reference Chapter 13 ('Angle of Attack') and focus on the moment when Katherine asserts her need to attend the editorial meetings from which women were excluded, analyzing Shetterly's choice of the word 'insisted.' The second paragraph must draw from Chapter 16 ('Into the Unknown'), highlighting John Glenn's request for Katherine to personally verify the computer's calculations, and it should explore what Shetterly suggests about the contrast between machine authority and human authority, particularly that of Black women. The final paragraph needs to utilize evidence from Chapter 20 ('Degrees of Freedom') and make a point regarding the chapter title as a purposeful interpretive choice by Shetterly. Each paragraph should be between 8 and 12 sentences long. Students will submit all three paragraphs.

   Exit ticket

   In two sentences, explain what Shetterly gains by titling Chapter 20 'Degrees of Freedom' rather than, for example, 'The Friendship 7 Trajectory' — your answer must refer to at least one specific reader effect.

4. Lesson 4: Structure as Argument: How Shetterly Braids Biography and National History

   55 min · ch. 1, 10, 22, 23

   Do now

   The chapter titles 'The Double V', 'Outer Space', and 'America Is for Everybody' suggest that Shetterly is exploring themes of equality and inclusivity in America. By positioning these titles together, it seems she might argue that the fight for civil rights and recognition in various spheres—both on Earth and beyond—interconnects and reflects a broader vision of what America represents.

   Teacher input

   Model a structural analysis of Chapters 10 ('The Double V') and 22 ('America Is for Everybody'). In Chapter 10, Shetterly introduces the Double V campaign—Victory abroad, Victory at home—and wraps up Chapter 22 with the phrase 'America is for everybody.' This creates a deliberate structural argument: the book starts with a conditional promise and concludes with a strong insistence. Teach students how to craft a paragraph about structure that goes beyond mere description of events and instead argues for the significance of that structure—demonstrating how Shetterly presents the women's story as evidence of America’s foundational claim.

   Independent task

   Students will write a structured analytical commentary of 300–400 words on how Shetterly uses the placement of Chapter 1 ('A Door Opens') and Chapter 23 ('To Boldly Go') to frame the entire narrative. They need to: (a) find and quote one image or phrase from Chapter 1 that conveys a sense of threshold or possibility; (b) find and quote one image or phrase from Chapter 23 that responds to or transforms that initial image; (c) explain in at least two sentences what Shetterly's structural choice suggests about the connection between individual achievement and national progress. Students should submit their commentary as a single piece of continuous prose, not as bullet points.

   Exit ticket

   Write one sentence explaining why Shetterly ends the book with the phrase 'To Boldly Go' — a reference to Star Trek — rather than with a factual summary of what the women achieved. What does that allusion do that a factual summary cannot?

5. Lesson 5: Sustained Argument: Mary Jackson, Courage, and the Meaning of the American Dream

   60 min · ch. 6, 10, 14, 18, 19, 22

   Do now

   Mary Jackson risks her educational aspirations and potential career opportunities by having to petition the city of Hampton to attend engineering classes at an all-white school. In telling this story, Shetterly risks criticism for exposing the uncomfortable truths about systemic racism and the challenges faced by those who dared to defy it.

   Teacher input

   Model Introduction for Analytical Essay on Chapter 14 and Chapter 18 ('With All Deliberate Speed')

   In her compelling analysis, Margot Lee Shetterly examines the intersection of legal language and personal agency in Chapters 14 and 18 of her work. By juxtaposing the phrase "all deliberate speed" from the landmark Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education with Mary Jackson's individual act of petitioning, she highlights the contrast between institutional rhetoric and the urgency of personal action. This technique serves to underscore a critical theme in her narrative: by placing Mary Jackson's petition alongside the Supreme Court's cautious language, Shetterly suggests that while institutions tend to move at a glacial pace, it is the courage of individuals like Jackson that drives meaningful change in the face of collective shortcomings.

   ---

   Summary of Changes:

   • Rephrased sentences for a more natural flow while preserving the original meaning.
   • Used "juxtaposing" instead of "identifies the technique being analysed" for conciseness.
   • Clarified the thesis sentence to maintain focus on Shetterly's argument and implications.

   Independent task

   Write a comprehensive analytical essay of 600–800 words arguing how Shetterly portrays Mary Jackson as either the embodiment of or a critique on the American Dream. Your essay should: begin with an introduction that presents a clear thesis regarding Shetterly's depiction of Mary Jackson and the American Dream; include a paragraph that analyzes the language used in Chapter 14 ('Young, Gifted, and Black'), focusing on at least one of the following quotations: 'the city of Hampton', 'petition', or 'she would become the first', and explain what each word or phrase reveals about the cost of Black ambition in mid-century America; include a paragraph analyzing Chapter 18 ('With All Deliberate Speed'), examining how Shetterly invokes the echo of Brown v. Board to reflect on the pace of racial progress at NASA and in America as a whole; include a paragraph on Chapter 22 ('America Is for Everybody') that assesses whether Shetterly's conclusion is triumphant, ironic, or a combination of both, using at least one quotation from the chapter; and finish with a conclusion that revisits your thesis and offers a final evaluative statement about Shetterly's purpose as a writer. You may also reference evidence from Chapters 6, 10, or 19 if it enhances your argument. Avoid summarizing the plot—ensure that every sentence engages in analytical or evaluative work.

   Exit ticket

   Read back your thesis sentence. In one further sentence, explain what a reader who disagreed with your thesis might say — and then, in a third sentence, explain why your reading of Shetterly's language is more convincing than that counter-reading.

Activities

Assessment

• Lesson 1 exit ticket checks whether students can distinguish between a noun's connotative and denotative function — specifically whether they can explain what 'door' does that 'window' or 'wall' would not.
• Lesson 2 do-now verb-underlining task checks whether students can read grammatical structure as a carrier of meaning before any teaching has taken place.
• Lesson 3 exit ticket checks whether students can hold a double meaning — mathematical and political — simultaneously and articulate a reader effect, not just a definition.
• Lesson 4 independent commentary checks whether students can write about structure as argument rather than as sequence — the marker looks for the words 'implies', 'positions', or 'frames' rather than 'then' or 'next'.
• Lesson 5 do-now checks whether students can distinguish between what a character risks and what an author risks — the latter requiring awareness of Shetterly's own identity and purpose as a Black woman writing Black history.

Standards covered

Common Core 11 12

• RL.11-12.1 — Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
• RL.11-12.4 — Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyse how an author uses and refines the meaning of a key term over the course of a text.
• RL.11-12.5 — Analyse how an author's choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact.
• RI.11-12.6 — Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text in which the rhetoric is particularly effective, analysing how style and content contribute to the power, persuasiveness, or beauty of the text.
• W.11-12.1 — Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

AP Literature

• Literary Argumentation (LAN-1) — Explain the function of word choice, imagery, and structure in conveying meaning in a non-fiction narrative.
• Textual Evidence (STL-1) — Select and use relevant evidence from the text to support a line of reasoning about an author's choices and their effects.
• Character and Narration (NAR-1) — Analyse how an author's narrative perspective and structural choices shape the reader's understanding of character, particularly in relation to race and gender.
• Complexity of Meaning (LAN-1.D) — Explain how a single word or phrase can carry simultaneous literal, historical, and political meanings, as demonstrated by Shetterly's use of 'degrees of freedom' and 'all deliberate speed'.

AQA

• AO1 — Articulate informed, personal and creative responses to literary texts, using associated concepts and terminology, and coherent, accurate written expression.
• AO2 — Analyse ways in which meanings are shaped in literary and non-fiction texts, with particular attention to Shetterly's use of metaphor, chapter titling, and narrative voice.
• AO3 — Demonstrate understanding of the significance and influence of the contexts in which texts are produced and received, including the Jim Crow South, World War II mobilisation, and the Space Race.
• AO4 — Explore connections across literary texts — here, connections between Shetterly's non-fiction narrative and the broader tradition of African American life-writing.

Edexcel

• AO1 — Articulate informed responses to literary texts, using relevant concepts and terminology and coherent written expression.
• AO2 — Analyse ways in which meanings are shaped in texts, focusing on Shetterly's structural and linguistic choices across named chapters.
• AO3 — Demonstrate understanding of the significance of contexts of production and reception, including mid-twentieth-century American racial politics and second-wave feminism.
• AO5 — Communicate clearly, effectively, and imaginatively, selecting and adapting tone, style, and register for purpose and audience in analytical writing.