Nancy Johnson

Historical Character, Social Studies & Science Assembly Program

Grades: K–6

Nancy Johnson comes to your school as part of our Time Traveling Inventors assembly program. Using immersive multimedia segments and live hosting, students meet the woman who invented the hand-cranked ice cream maker—making it possible for families to make ice cream at home. Through social studies and science, students learn how everyday innovation and simple engineering can change the world.

If you searched historical figures female for a school program, Nancy Johnson is a perfect example of everyday innovation that changed daily life.

What Students Learn

• How Nancy Johnson invented the hand-cranked ice cream freezer
• Why simple inventions can have a huge impact on everyday life
• The engineering principles behind freezing and churning ice cream
• How women inventors have shaped the products we use every day
• The connection between problem-solving and innovation
• How one practical patent helped shape the modern ice cream industry

Perfect For These School Events

• Women's History Month or women inventors celebrations
• STEM/STEAM Week or invention-themed events
• Social Studies units on American inventors and innovation
• End-of-year celebrations or reward assemblies
• Curriculum connections to simple machines and engineering

Female Historical Figures and Everyday Innovation

Nancy Johnson is a strong choice for schools featuring female historical figures in social studies any time of year. Students see how a practical invention can solve a real problem—and how creativity and persistence lead to innovation.

How It Works at Your School

Our performer leads a live, in-person assembly in your gym or auditorium, supported by multimedia segments that bring Nancy Johnson into the program. Students participate through guided questions, quick activities, and real-world connections that make invention and history feel immediate.