Each book in the series presents timelines of the women's lives and hands-on activities that relate to their area of specialization. The careers of the women in this book include medicine, engineering, and physics as well as chemistry and environmental studies. With each biographical sketch, the readers will find a black and white photograph of the scientist and list of defined vocabulary terms. The hands-on activities contain a list of materials, background information, and stepwise directions of the procedures. Questions accompany the activities to allow the students to analyze their results, draw conclusions, and critically think about the information presented in the biography.
Students extend the lesson by choosing three of four or five research options.
The book also includes thumbnail sketches of 22 other African American women of science, medicine, and technology as well as a list of suggested readings and a glossary. An example of these biographical units is the book's treatment of Jocelyn Elder's life. Her honors and articles on pediatric endocrinology are highlighted. The hands-on activity associated with her biography allows students to explore the effect of cigarette smoke on heart rate. The students consider why the job of the U.S. Surgeon General is important.