The Girls of Atomic City - Department of Writing and Rhetoric

Transcription

20142015
University of Mississippi
Common Reading Experience
A Resource Guide:
Integrating The Girls
of Atomic City: The
Untold Story of the
Women Who Helped
Win World War II into
the Classroom
Written by EDHE, Library, Physics and
Astronomy, and Writing and Rhetoric
Faculty and Staff
2014-2015
Table of Contents
Page Number
1. Using The Girls of Atomic City in the Classroom
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Why does UM have a Common Reading Experience program?
Why was The Girls of Atomic City selected?
How do I teach a work of historical non-fiction?
How do I encourage students to read?
How do I lead a class discussion?
How do I deal with controversial topics?
How do I build instruction around the book’s themes?
What library resources are available?
What events or speakers are being planned for the fall semester?
What if one of my students has a disability and needs the book in a different format?
2. Basics of Nuclear Physics and Energy
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3. Fast Facts and Timelines
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Women in the 1940s
WWII events and Atomic City events timeline
4. Integrating The Girls of Atomic City into EDHE 105/305
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Topics and discussion questions by textbook section
Group project assignments
In-class exercises
Writing and research prompts for EDHE 305
5. Integrating The Girls of Atomic City into WRIT 100/101
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Discussion starters
In-class essay prompts
6. Appendix
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Chapter-specific discussion questions
Sample rubrics
*An electronic version of this Guide is available in the EDHE_105-305_Instructors_2014-2015_Fall
Blackboard course under “Content” and on the Department of Writing and Rhetoric website at
http://rhetoric.olemiss.edu/teachers/cre/.
University of Mississippi Common Reading Experience Resource Guide
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Chapter 1
Using The Girls of Atomic City in the classroom
Why does UM have a Common Reading Experience?
The Common Reading Experience provides a shared intellectual experience for new members of the UM
community. Through reading and considering a common book, new students engage with each other and
with UM faculty in exploring issues relevant to today’s global community. The Common Reading
Experience helps students understand the expectations of college-level academic work, the nature of
scholarly inquiry, and the values of an academic community. The program also enriches new students’
campus experiences through co-curricular programs and events related to the book. The Common
Reading Text is used in all EDHE classes, all Writing 100/101 classes, and several other classes on
campus.
Why was The Girls of Atomic City selected?
The Common Reading Text is chosen by a committee made up of UM faculty and students. This year’s
selection was chosen after careful consideration of dozens of potential options. So, why should we care
about events that happened seventy years ago? Many reasons, but here is a list of some main ones for
possible discussion or further research:
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Atomic energy is still an important part of our lives. The idea of atomic energy is barely one
hundred years old, but its realization has changed our world in previously unimaginable ways.
Students might research how atomic energy impacts our daily lives.
We are probably most familiar with atomic energy for its incredibly devastating realities and
dangerous potential: the U.S. dropped atomic bombs on Japan to end World War II; Chernobyl,
Three Mile Island, Fukushima Daiichi, and other nuclear power plants incurred meltdowns;
modern news stories cover the pressures to keep atomic weapons out of the hands of leaders in
Iran, North Korea, etc. Students might research the impact of radiation exposure or what the real
threat of atomic weapons in certain hands means to the world.
Nuclear energy provides a relatively cheap and efficient way to deliver electricity through nuclear
power plants. Students might research how nuclear energy compares to other energy sources
such as coal or natural gas in terms of price, efficiency, economic impact, environmental impact,
etc.
Denise Kiernan’s book may only focus on a small number of women, but the figures in her book
were part of a huge change in the U.S. that led to the family and employment structure most of us
are familiar with today. When we see a mother of two on her way to work today, we think
nothing of it, and women like Celia, Toni, Kattie, and Colleen helped make it this way. Students
might research the progression of women in the workplace over the twentieth century,
specifically during World War II. This research might include changes in numbers of women
working, income equality, and the types of job opportunities for women.
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Many of the facilities at Site X are still in use today at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Students might research what happens at Site X in the current world and how the activities there
might impact their daily lives.
How do I teach a work of historical non-fiction?
The Common Reading Experience provides students and teachers in all disciplines a chance to interact
with a shared text. Certain ways of examining texts, such as analysis, may feel like foreign territory to
some teachers; however, analysis is a skill that is useful in all areas of education and beyond and can be
approached in ways with which teachers are comfortable. Many literature classes feature longer
discussions and seminar papers, but work with the Common Reading Text does not need to be so in-depth
or take up entire class periods. Try to implement short in-class discussions, homework assignments,
response papers, or journal writings using the themes and prompts listed in this guide. Or ask students to
examine the choices Kiernan makes as a writer (style, structure, dialogue, etc.) and how they impact us as
readers. Consider how Kiernan adds details to scenes from seventy years ago while trying to write an
historical non-fiction piece. This resource guide should provide starting points for discussions,
homework, and/or writing assignments that will challenge students.
How do I encourage students to read?
Before assigning reading:
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Preview The Girls of Atomic City with students. Introduce the book during class. Explain how
the book will be used in the course and how it will help students meet learning outcomes. Share
your own excitement about the book, perhaps describing some favorite passages, events, or
characters.
Help students understand the depth of reading required. Display a passage and model critical
reading.
Model active reading strategies such as text annotation and marginalia.
As students read:
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Provide focus questions for students to consider while they are reading. (See the chapter-specific
discussion questions in the Appendix of this guide.) Ask them to respond to those questions in
writing before the next class.
Have students identify and submit a discussion topic or question via email after they have read an
assignment but before the next class meeting. Use their topics and questions as the basis for class
activities.
Require students to keep a reading response journal in which they comment on or question the
reading assignment.
Ask students to underline several passages from a reading assignment. In class, ask students to
discuss one of their underlined passages.
After students have read:
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Use class time and activities to build on, rather than summarize, the reading assignment.
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At the start of class, assign a one-minute paper in which students identify both the most crucial
part of the reading assignment and an unanswered question they have about the reading
assignment.
During the first few minutes of class, ask students to write about links between the reading
assignment and the topic being discussed in class.
Distribute one or two questions that build on the reading assignment. Use the think-pair-share
protocol. Students first consider the question(s) on their own. Then they discuss the question(s)
with a partner. Finally, they share their results with the class.
How do I lead a class discussion?
A good class discussion, like any part of teaching, should be structured yet open to improvisation. Here
are some pointers for leading a discussion based on what students have read (or even their attendance at
an event).
Preparation before the class meeting:
Though you may have already read the book, be sure to review what the students are reading for your
class meeting. Make a list of what you would like your students to learn from this exercise in order of
importance.
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For instance, you might make priority one that students understand the plot/action of what they
read.
Then you might select a couple of scenes or events in the book that seem important or interesting
(or even puzzling – just because you are leading class discussion does not mean you have to have
all the possible answers).
Perhaps you have selected several themes in the book as your focus. You might choose scenes
that relate to the way the U.S. media operated in 1940s wartime or the social environment in Oak
Ridge.
You can also ask students to respond to a specific quote or passage.
Jot down a few notes so you can access them easily during your class discussion. Annotate your
own text.
Class time:
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Establish respect. Class discussion is a time for exploration, and the classroom is a safe
environment for students to say what they are thinking. Remind students of the first rule of the
University creed: “I believe in respect for the dignity of each person.” Be sure students are
listening carefully to each speaker and taking his or her ideas seriously.
Before discussion, ask students to reflect on a directed, yet open, question in a five- to ten-minute
writing. Encourage students to keep writing throughout the allotted time even if they run out of
things to say. They will surprise themselves with this unstructured writing. This writing is not a
quiz with one correct answer. Ask them questions such as “What do you think is the significance
of X?”; “How is X different from today?”; “Why did X do what he or she did?” You could also
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ask them to do a close reading of a particular passage, perhaps even comparing it to another,
earlier passage.
Avoid general questions, such as “What did you think of the reading for today?” or “What did
you find interesting?” These are dead-end questions and will lead to short discussions.
To mix things up, you may also have them work together in groups of three to find discussion
starters or answers to your questions.
Other ideas and approaches:
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Different classes have different personalities. Some will be naturally chatty, and others will be
naturally quiet. Just make sure the environment in which they speak is a safe one and continue to
encourage discussion in different ways if something is not working.
Some students will direct their comments just to you. Encourage them to talk to each other,
perhaps by rearranging the classroom setting.
If you had them write a response, invite students to share what they wrote.
If you had them work in groups, invite a representative from each group to share what they found.
Encourage students to point to specifics in the text. Ask them where they see what they see.
Invite students to read sections out loud.
Be open to where the conversation takes you. Sometimes students will pick up on details that you
didn’t see the first couple times you read it.
Try not to let the class discussion go over fifteen to twenty minutes. Students are most productive
in that time frame.
At the end of the discussion, recap the major points made.
The Reading Group Guide at the end of the paperback edition lists some good discussion
questions. Course-specific discussion prompts are also included in the course-specific sections of
this guide. A list of chapter-specific questions appears in the Appendix of this guide.
How do I deal with controversial topics?
Some issues in The Girls of Atomic City may spark controversy in the classroom. Instructors can
encourage civil discourse by establishing clear ground rules for discussion, modeling civil behavior, and
keeping discussion tied to the book and to the course objectives. Issues that may generate controversy
include but are not limited to gender inequality, thoughts or attitudes about war, war propaganda, racism,
sexism, discrimination, religion, military spending, and eminent domain.
How do I build instruction around the book’s themes?
1. The book weaves many themes: war, physics, opportunity, propaganda, gender inequality,
secrecy, education, social interaction, courtship, leadership, family, and others.
2. A class focusing on the theme of gender inequality might look like this:
 Individually, students identify and write about a passage that illustrates the theme of gender
inequality. (five to seven minutes)
 As a class, students discuss the passages they have chosen. (ten to fifteen minutes)
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With partners, students list gender stereotypes that Kiernan’s book reinforces, debunks, or
complicates. (five to ten minutes)
Student pairs report their findings to the entire class. (ten to fifteen minutes)
Homework: Students identify another artifact (a commercial, television show, newspaper
headline, etc. from our current time) that incorporates one of the stereotypes discussed in
class.
What library resources are available?
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Guides.lib.olemiss.edu/2014cre
Explore this online guide to The Girls of Atomic City featuring full text articles, book reviews,
DVDs owned by the library about the war, video clips from Oak Ridge, interviews with Kiernan,
and more.
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Oak Ridge at a Glance
View items related to the book in the 2nd floor display case in the J.D. Williams Library compiled
by Lucien Cremaldi (Physics) and Melissa Dennis (Library).
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Extra copies of the Book
Five copies of the book are available for 24 hour checkout from the J.D. Williams Library. These
books are at the reserve desk at the main circulation desk.
What events or speakers are being planned for the fall semester?
All events are free and open to the public. Students are highly encouraged to attend.
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First-Year Convocation
Best-selling author Denise Kiernan is our guest speaker for First-Year Convocation on Tuesday,
August 26 at 7:00p.m., Tad Smith Coliseum. Bring your copy of The Girls of Atomic City for
Kiernan to sign after the ceremony.
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Lessons from Oak Ridge: The World of Computer Modeling
Professor Greg Tschumper (Chemistry) will present on his research experiences at Oak Ridge and
introduce students to the world of computer modeling on Tuesday, September 9 at 7:00 p.m.,
Coulter Hall Auditorium.
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Oral Histories from Oak Ridge
The Sarah Isom Center for Women and Gender Studies presents Kathy Harris Shinnick, UM
alum, scholar, and oral historian. Ms. Shinnick will discuss her research on the women of Oak
Ridge during WWII, including her grandmother. This event will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 21
or Wednesday, Oct. 22 at 7:00 p.m., Bryant Hall.
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Fueling the Atom Bomb: Exploring the Physics Behind the Work at Site X
Ever wonder how the women at Oak Ridge helped make fuel for the atom bomb? Professor
Josh Gladden (Physics & NCPA) will explain the basics of nuclear fission and why enrichment
was so important. There will also be a Geiger counter and a cloud chamber demonstration of
ionizing radiation. This event will take place on Tuesday, October 7, 7:00 p.m., Lewis Hall 101
Auditorium.
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Interview with a Scientist
Jason Hale (Office of Research & Sponsored Programs) is coordinating a campus visit by Jack
Wells, a current scientist from Oak Ridge. Time and Location TBD.
Any additional scheduled events or speakers related to the Common Reading Text will be posted with
times, dates, and locations on the Common Reading Experience website, http://umreads.olemiss.edu/.
For questions or concerns, please contact Melissa Dennis, Outreach & Instruction Librarian, at
mdennis@olemiss.edu.
What if one of my students has a disability and needs a copy of the
book in a different format?
Students with disabilities should visit Student Disabilities Services in 234 Martindale as soon as possible
at the beginning of the semester. SDS provides classroom accommodations to all students on campus
who disclose a disability, request accommodations, and meet eligibility requirements. SDS will be able
to help your student acquire a copy of the CRE book in an appropriate format. The SDS website has
some helpful resources for instructors, which are located at
http://www.olemiss.edu/depts/sds/SDSFaculty.htm.
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Chapter 2
Basics of Nuclear Physics and Energy
Prepared by Dr. Josh Gladden, Department of Physics and Astronomy & Director, National Center for Physical Acoustics
Basic Terminology
Chain Reaction: The process by which one splitting nucleus causes a neighboring unstable nucleus to
split, typically by emitting neutrons which are absorbed by the other nucleus. This process repeats over
and over until the density of unstable nuclei reduces below a level required for a sustained reaction.
Element & Atomic Number: The number of protons in a nucleus is known as the atomic number and
determines the type of element (1 proton for hydrogen, 2 for helium, 92 for uranium, etc.).
Enrichment: Chemical and physical processes which increase the ratio of unstable isotopes to stable
isotopes (e.g., U-235 to U-238 in a sample of uranium). Naturally this ratio in uranium is about 0.7% U235; a sustained reaction (such as for power reactors) requires 3-20% U-235; a weapon requires much
higher reaction rates and needs about 85-90% U-235.
Isotope: For a given number of protons, the number of neutrons can vary. Nuclei with the same number
of protons but different numbers of neutrons are the same element but different isotopes. For instance,
uranium 235 has 92 protons and 143 neutrons while uranium 238 has 92 protons and 146 neutrons. The
“235” and “238” are known as the mass number of the nucleus (protons + neutrons).
Nuclear Fission: The process by which an unstable nucleus splits into 2 smaller nuclei (called daughter
nuclei) plus typically other particles such as a few extra neutrons and radiation.
Nuclear Radiation: There are 3 types of nuclear radiation:
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Alpha: A helium nucleus (2 protons and 2 neutrons) which is positively charged. It can be easily
stopped because it interacts strongly with other atoms.
Beta: A high energy electron or positron (positive version of the electron). It is more penetrating
than alphas and can be stopped by a few millimeters of aluminum.
Gamma: A very high energy photon (particle of light) which is electrically neutral. It is very
highly penetrating and typically requires a significant mass of dense material like lead, steel, or
concrete to stop. It can also damage DNA in cells which leads to cancer.
Nucleus: The extremely dense core of the atom composed of two types of particles: positively charged
protons and electrically neutral neutrons. Almost all of the mass of the atom is packed into this central
location occupying only about 1/10 millionth of the volume of the atom.
Nuclear Fission
Fission of an atomic nucleus occurs when a large nucleus (high mass number) splits into two fragments,
much as a large drop of water will split into smaller drops. This can only happen to a nucleus that is
“meta-stable,” meaning it needs a small kick of energy to excite it enough to become unstable and split
(as shown in Figure 1). Once the large nucleus splits into two smaller ones, they are very strongly repelled
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from each other because they are both positively charged. Thus they race away from each other at very
high energies that eventually result in heat. Depending on the rate at which this fission (and resulting
heat) happens, it can be used to create an enormous explosion (a weapon) or simply boil water to produce
steam to turn a generator and produce electricity.
In the case of uranium, U-235 is such a metastable nucleus. If one neutron is absorbed by a
U-235, it becomes U-236 which is extremely
unstable and will split (fission). However,
most uranium in nature (about 99.3%) is U238.
If it absorbs one neutron, U-238
becomes U-239 which is stable and will not
split. In addition to the extra neutrons, a
fission event will also release a gamma
particle—one of three types of ionizing Figure 1: Fission of uranium 235.
Image credit: Saint Mary's University
radiation.
(http://www.ap.smu.ca)
Chain Reaction and Enrichment
The key to making a sustained series of these nuclear reactions (or a chain reaction) is that several spare
neutrons are also produced during the fission process (see Figure 1). These neutrons can then be absorbed
by a nearby U-235 nucleus to make it fission, producing more stray neutrons, and so on and so on. The
key, however, is to have nearby U-235 nuclei. In natural uranium, less than one out of every 100 atoms is
U-235; the rest are U-238 which will absorb the extra neutrons without splitting. To get a chain reaction,
the uranium needs to be enriched so there is a higher concentration of U-235. The higher the enrichment
level, the faster the reactions can take place and the more power produced.
The raison d’etre of the Oak Ridge facility was this enrichment of “tubealloy” or uranium. The primary
way to separate U-235 from U-238 is to use the fact that U-235 is a little less massive. They used three
different processes to separate the U-235 from the U-238: the Y-12 factory used strong electric and
magnetic fields to separate the nuclei, K-25 used a chemical process to make gasses containing uranium
(UF6) and the process of diffusion through a semi-permeable membrane, and S-50 used a thermal liquid
diffusion process. For all the tons of raw uranium ore that came into Oak Ridge, only a small handful of
product (highly enriched uranium) actually left the facility. This is what the agents were transporting in
handcuffed briefcases to the Los Alamos, NM facility where the weapon was being designed and tested.
Computer Simulation of Nuclear Fission
A good simulation of the fission process has been created by the Physics Education Technology Project
(http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/nuclear-fission). This simulation is free to download and requires
Java to be installed on your computer (most have it by default). If you get an error trying to run the
simulation, instructions are posted on the PHET homepage. The simulation will not run on iPads.
You can first explore the fission process of a single nucleus under the “Fission: One Nucleus” tab. Fire a
single neutron at a U-235 nucleus to see it turn into a U-236, get excited, and split. The “Chain Reaction”
tab allows you to mix U-235 and U-238 at different ratios (use the sliders on the right) and see if the
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reaction can be sustained. Note that if the U-235 is less than about 5-10%, a single fission event is
unlikely to trigger a second event and the reaction stops. Also, note the higher the U-235 concentration,
the faster the reactions occur and the faster the energy is released. The third tab illustrates the basic
operating principle of a nuclear reactor for producing electrical power. The control rods can be moved
further into or out of the nuclear core and are made of materials known to absorb neutrons well (such as
graphite). If the rods are further in, they absorb more neutrons and slow down the reaction so less heat
and energy is produced.
Figure 2: Screen shots from the Nuclear Fission simulation by PHET. The left frame shows a system of about 50%
enriched uranium before any fission events. The right frame shows the system a few seconds after a single neutron was
fired into the system. The small grey dots are stray neutrons which will set off other fission events if absorbed by U-235
nuclei.
Nuclear Weapon
The goal of a nuclear weapon is to release as much energy as
possible in as short a time as possible. For a fission-based nuclear
weapon, this means getting the fissionable nuclei as close together
as possible. Thus the enrichment needs to be very high (about
90% U-235), but even that will not make the reaction fast enough.
The fissionable atoms actually need to be squeezed together even
tighter than they normally would. This is accomplished in one of
two ways: the “gun” method or the “implosion” method. In the
gun method, one subcritical piece of fissionable material (typically
highly-enriched uranium) is fired into another subcritical piece of
fissionable material using regular chemical explosives. When the
two subcritical pieces collide and compress, a supercritical state is
achieved with exponentially increasing reaction rates. This was the
mechanism used in the first bomb, “Little Boy,” dropped over
Figure 3: Two basic designs of a
Hiroshima. In the implosion method, a very precise sphere of nuclear weapon. Each requires
fissionable material (typically plutonium) is machined and coated conventional chemical explosives to
with regular (chemical) explosives. When the explosives go off, compress the fissionable material to
attain a supercritical state. Image
the uranium sphere is strongly compressed, which brings the credit: “Gun-type fission weapon,”
fissionable nuclei closer together resulting in a supercritical state. Wikipedia
This method was used in the bomb known as “Fat Man” dropped over Nagasaki.
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Chapter 3: Fast Facts and Timelines
Year by Year
Women in the 1940s
1940: Margaret Chase Smith,
first woman to serve in both the
House and the Senate, elected to
the House of Representatives.
Women in Uniform
Almost 350,000 American women served in
uniform, both at home and abroad, through the
Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WACs), the
Navy Women’s Reserve (WAVES), the Marine
Corps Women’s Reserve, the Coast Guard
Women’s Reserve (SPARS), the Women Air
Force Service Pilots (WASPS), the Army
Nurses Corps, and the Navy Nurses Corps.
1941: Media campaigns urge
women into the workforce.
1942: WAACs and WAVES
established. Congress authorizes
women to serve in the Navy.
Women served in uniform in such roles as
clerical workers, drivers, pilots, mechanics,
radio operators, analysts, and nurses. Sixteen
women were killed near the front lines as a
result of enemy fire.
1943: The All-American Girls
Professional Baseball League
founded.
1944: The first female U.S. Navy
captain, Sue Dauser of the Navy
Nurses Corps, commissioned.
Sixty-eight women were captured as POWs in
the Philippines. Over 1600 nurses and 565
WACs were decorated for bravery under fire
and meritorious service.
1945: Eleanor Roosevelt
appointed as U.N. delegate.
1946: Emily Greene Balch, cofounder of the Women’s
International League for Peace
and Freedom, awarded the Nobel
Peace Prize.
1947: A survey by the National
Association of Women Lawyers
identifies a total of 53 women
judges in federal, state, and local
courts.
1948: High jumper Alice
Coachman becomes the first
African American woman to win
an Olympic gold medal.
1949: Georgia Neese Clark
confirmed as the first woman
Treasurer of the United States.
Source: The National WWII Museum
Women in the Labor Force
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During World War II, the female labor force grew by 6.5 million.
At the height of the war, 19,170,000 women were in the labor force.
One in ten married women entered the labor force.
The percentage of working women with children under ten years of
age increased from 7.8 to 12.1 from 1940 to 1944.
In 1944, skilled female workers made an average weekly wage of
$31.21 while skilled male workers earned $54.65 weekly.
From 1940 to 1944, the percentage of women workers employed in
factories increased from twenty to thirty percent.
From 1940 to 1944, the percentage of women workers employed as
domestic servants declined from 17.7 to 9.5 percent.
Female employment in defense industries grew by 462 percent from
1940 to 1944.
Source: Susan M. Hartmann, The Home Front and Beyond: American Women in the 1940s
(Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1982).
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WWII Major Events
Atomic City Events
1934
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Ida Noddack publishes “Uber Das
Element 93,” suggesting the nucleus of
an atom can be split.
1938
Lise Meitner identifies fission.
September 1939
Germany invades Poland,
starting World War II;
Britain and France declare war on Germany.
April – May 1940
Germany invades Norway, Denmark,
Belgium, and the Netherlands.
September 1940
Germany begins “the Blitz” of London.
June 1941
Germany invades the Soviet Union.
December 1941
December 7, 1941
Presidential Executive Order 8985 establishes
the Office of Censorship and encourages
voluntary censorship by the media.
Japan bombs Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
The U.S. declares war on Japan.
June 25, 1941
Presidential Executive Order 8802 bans
racial discrimination in defense industries or
government, enabling African Americans to
work at Oak Ridge.
February- May 1942
Japan captures Singapore, Philippines, and Burma.
June 4-7, 1942
Late 1942
Construction begins on Site X; Fermi confirms a
The Allies defeat Japan in the Battle of Midway.
sustained nuclear reaction is possible.
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WWII Major Events
Atomic City Events
1943
German troops surrender in Stalingrad;
Axis troops surrender in northern Africa;
Italy surrenders.
1943
Celia Szapka, Toni Peters, Jane Greer, Kattie
Strickland, and Rosemary Maiers arrive in Oak
Ridge.
February 1943
Construction of Plants Y-12 and X-10 begins.
November 1943
X-10 goes critical; sustained enrichment of Y-12.
1944
Virginia Spivey, Dorothy Jones, and Colleen
Rowan arrive in Oak Ridge.
June 6, 1944
D-Day; Allied troops land in France.
Summer 1944
Manhattan Project’s expenses reach roughly
$100 million per month ($1.34 billion in 2014).
July 1944
Eve Ferguson negotiates construction of S-50.
Spring 1945
First enriched uranium from Y-12.
May 7, 1945
Germany surrenders; World War II ends in Europe.
July 16, 1945
Atomic bomb test in New Mexico desert.
August 6, 1945
Atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.
August 7, 1945
Under Secretary of War Robert Patterson sends
letter of congratulations to CWE.
August 9, 1945
Atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki.
September 1945
Japan signs surrender agreement, ending war.
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Chapter 4: Integrating The Girls of Atomic City
into EDHE 105/305
The Common Reading Text is used each year in EDHE 105/305 courses primarily as a framework for
class discussions, projects, and writing assignments that explore social themes and/or issues from the
book. A goal of EDHE 105/305 instructors is to use the book (with a focus on those themes and issues)
to teach students how to explore and vocalize their personal reactions, to understand and appreciate both
the things that make them different from their peers and the things that they have in common, and to
effectively and respectfully voice their own opinions and viewpoints.
Topics and discussion questions by textbook section
The following list of possible discussion starters or writing prompts is organized by The Ole Miss
Experience textbook section and topic.
Section I: College Survival (Communication and Technology chapter)
Role of media
 How did workers at Oak Ridge obtain news and information about the world around
them?
 Where do you go for your news and information?
 What would Oak Ridge have been like with modern media?
National security vs. free speech
 As a member of different groups, you likely accept certain limitations on free speech in
those groups. Consider and discuss how and why your free speech is limited by
membership in specific groups, and discuss why you think these limitations exist.
 Oak Ridge workers willingly accepted limitations on free speech. Why? At what point
does national security become more important than free speech?
 Discuss the peer-to-peer monitoring that took place at Oak Ridge. Was this necessary
because of national security or a violation of free speech? Would you ever monitor your
friends?
 Discuss Edward Snowden. Is he a hero or a traitor? Has he compromised our national
security?
 Several years ago, a UM staff member worked at an Ole Miss – LSU football game and
tweeted in support of LSU during the game. The following week, all UM employees
received an email from central administration discouraging this type of behavior. Is this
a violation of free speech? Do employers have some rights to limit employee speech?
Section II: The University of Mississippi
World War II
 What do you imagine life was like as a student at UM during WWII?
 How did faculty/staff/students contribute to the war effort? Consider checking yearbooks
and student newspaper resources from the war years for information.
14 |
Propaganda
 Discuss the use of propaganda during World War II on all sides.
 What kinds of propaganda are you exposed to at UM?
 “Rosie the Riveter” has become an iconic figure from World War II. What message did
this poster convey then and what does it convey now?
Patriotism
 Each generation looks at patriotism differently. Compare and contrast patriotism in the
1940s and today.
 Reflect on the attitudes of sports fans loyal to their team. What are some extreme ways
fans show loyalty to their teams? Do you think this devotion is a form of patriotism?
Section III: Life Outside the Classroom
Sexism
 Compare women in the workplace then and now.
 Discuss the following statement: "The project liked high school girls, especially those
from rural backgrounds. Recruiters sought them out relentlessly, feeling young women
were easy to instruct. They did what they were told. They weren't overly curious. If you
tell a young woman of 18 from a small town background to do something, she'll do it, no
questions asked" (69).
Racism
 Provide examples of racism from the book. Why was this treatment considered
acceptable and not challenged?
 Compare racism then and now. In what areas have we progressed? In what areas do we
need more improvement?
Globalism
 Who were the international "bad guys" and "good guys" during WWII? Whom would
you consider "bad" or "good” now?
 The book references German scientists who were detained in the U.S. because of their
nationality. Can you provide examples of how this happens now and to whom it
happens?
 How did World War II change the world?
Entering a new society
 What did the women who came to Oak Ridge expect to find there? How did their
expectations compare with the reality?
 What were your expectations coming into UM? How did you picture your everyday life?
How has your reality thus far compared to your expectations?
15 |
Section IV: Wellness
Effects of isolation/secrecy/stress
 How do you handle isolation/stress? Compare this to the people at Oak Ridge.
 How would you have handled the stress in Oak Ridge? Would your stresses have been
similar? Different?
 Discuss the psychological impact of the secrecy and isolation at Oak Ridge on the
workers.
Section V: What’s Next in Your Life?
Recruitment of workers
 What were the recruiting practices when the government hired the Oak Ridge workforce?
Discuss the current legality of some of these practices.
 When you apply for a job, you have certain employment rights. Discuss these. Include
discussion of Title IX, affirmative action, and harassment.
Bohemian Grove
 The Bohemian Grove Society is described as a group of influential men who meet to
discuss cultural or political trends and then work to see these changes implemented.
Discuss a past and present event that has been impacted by this selective group. Do you
think the event would have happened the same way without this Society?
 Is it what you know or who you know? Can you develop important connections, or do
you think they must be inherited? If you believe that you can develop those connections,
how do you accomplish that?
Group project assignments
Teach the Class
Note to instructor: Consider choosing themes listed in the sections on writing prompts and
discussion ideas.
Your assignment is to teach your classmates about the book by engaging them in the discussion topics
assigned to your group. Each presentation must be ten to fifteen minutes long. On the day of the
presentation, each group must submit a brief outline or “study guide” which provides the main points.
The only “rule” is that you are not allowed to simply recite what you believe to be the main points.
Develop a class activity or game, write a song, perform a skit, make a video, use visual aids, etc. Be
creative! Also, if you choose to use a Power Point presentation, be advised that you MUST have another
visual aid or activity to go with it. Power Point presentations alone will not count as an aid or activity.
To get started, find some passages or parts of the book that fit with your assigned themes, and consider
how you could get the class discussing what the author is trying to teach us about these themes, etc.
The outlines that each group provides along with the presentations will constitute how the book will be
covered on the final exam. So teach your classmates well, read the entire text if you have not already
done so, and pay careful attention to the other presentations.
16 |
Set the Scene
Your assignment is to create a multimedia presentation for your classmates that explores one aspect of life
in the United States during World War II using a movie as the starting point. Each group will choose one
movie from the list below and watch it as a group outside of class. Then, find a point of connection
between the movie and the book and use that to create your presentation.
Start by asking students to choose one of the sixteen movies held in the library. Click on the DVD &
Videos tab on the website: guides.lib.olemiss.edu/2014cre .
Other movies of interest may include: The Day After Trinity, Windtalkers, Infinity, Empire of the Sun, and
American Experience: The Trials of J. Robert Oppenheimer. Use video clips, pictures, magazine photos,
and other media to create a multimedia presentation approximately twenty to twenty-five minutes long.
Character Profiles
Assign each team of two to four students one of the characters from the book. Ask each student to write a
profile of that character specifying the basic details of his or her life, a timeline of what happens to him or
her during the book, and a summary of his or her personality. This could be a written assignment or a
presentation.
In-class exercises
Getting to Know You Taboo
The people who lived and worked in Atomic City came from many different backgrounds and had to get
to know each other in very strange circumstances. Near the beginning of the semester, pair students off
and ask them to get to know one another without asking or telling any of the following:
1)
2)
3)
4)
Where you are from
What you plan to major in
What classes you are taking
Where you work or have worked in the past
After ten to fifteen minutes of conversation, have each student introduce his or her conversation partner to
the group with the information gathered. When finished, lead a group discussion around the following
questions:
1)
2)
3)
4)
Did you find this difficult or easy to do?
What would your first few days/weeks of college have been like if you had to follow these rules?
Did you like anything about this game?
How do you think the constraints on sharing information shaped the relationships of the women
in Atomic City?
Variation: Have two students play “taboo” in front of the whole class and have the observers enforce the
rules. Each time a participant breaks a rule, he or she receives a penalty point. The student with the
lowest number of points wins either bragging rights or a small prize. Finish the class with the reflective
discussion questions above.
17 |
In-class Debate
Choose one of the controversial issues or themes described in this guide and write a proposition
statement. For example:
Resolved: The government is always justified in using censorship and coercion to protect national
security secrets.
Divide the class into two or more groups with one or more sides taking the affirmative position and the
other side(s) the negative. Allow ten to fifteen minutes for research and drafting arguments. Each side
then presents its case in the following format:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
Affirmative constructive speech
Negative constructive speech
five-minute work period
Negative rebuttal speech
Affirmative rebuttal
five-minute work period
Negative rebuttal
Affirmative rebuttal
Decision
Variation: Require research and preparation outside of class. Make teams of two to three and use the
debate as the group project assignment.
Writing and research prompts for EDHE 305
1. Interview a friend or relative who lived during World War II. If you do not know anyone who
remembers that time, use an oral history from a reputable Internet site. Compare/contrast that person's
experience with those of the women in The Girls of Atomic City. You might choose one woman in
particular from the book to guide the questions you ask in the interview or to guide your selection of an
oral history from your Internet source.
2. Research three national newspapers and a peer-reviewed journal from the past two years to discover the
modern world’s relationship to nuclear power. The Manhattan Project required a large-scale operation to
create a nuclear explosion (using the yields from three simultaneous and largely secret operations). How
might a modern day operation of this sort be conducted in secret? Could such a secret be kept in this age
of social media and digital communication? Compare the hypothetical operation you imagine to what we
know of the Manhattan Project.
3. The establishment of the Fair Employment Practices Committee (46) was important in hiring people to
work in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Today there is an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission office and
executive director on this campus. There is also an Institutional Review Board designed to protect test
subjects from the debilitating effects of research on human beings. Using the information in The Girls of
Atomic City and several other sources, write at least five meaningful questions that you might ask
someone from a panel of EEOC and IRB experts.
18 |
4. The federal government's representatives told facts and fallacies to the landowners in the Tennessee
Cumberland Gap. Write about three of these instances and explain how they affected residents. Why were
these kinds of persuasive tactics used? What might be a moral dilemma in continuing to use such tactics?
5. How did the people involved in this secret operation perceive the Federal Bureau of Investigation?
Note a couple of individuals in the book who were fearful about background checks. Research the role of
the FBI in our region today. Write three or four questions that you might ask a representative of the FBI
speaking to you in class. Think of questions related to your reading and times of crisis.
6. Think about popular culture of the 1940s and 1950s and how World War II influenced the culture of
that time. Compose a brief presentation that you can share with your teacher and your classmates. It may
be a piece of writing that you compose, or you could construct a collage or grouping of artifacts (or
photos of artifacts), or you may film a short video that engages with what you want to feature. For
example, how did the paintings of Rockwell, the photos of Westcott, the 1943 song "I'll Be Home for
Christmas," and the influence of female stars like Audrey Hepburn and Marlene Dietrich figure into the
story of Oak Ridge, Tennessee and American culture in general? If you wish, find another instance of
popular culture from that era (board games, toys, sports), research how World War II influenced the way
those cultural artifacts were used or engaged with, and present to the class.
7. Describe the attempt to keep the press from revealing the secrets of the work going on in Oak Ridge
and Manhattan during the war effort. What went on behind the scenes to keep the news quiet? Write
about the possibilities for espionage and an alternate ending to the war based on the information published
in an Atlanta paper. What was rumored to have happened as a result of that publication? How does this
compare to the role of the press today?
8. Who won the Nobel Prize in 1938? Why was the woman (or women) with whom he worked not
featured? Using informed logic, demonstrate how this choice revealed gendered perceptions of the time.
Write a letter with a thoughtful, reflective stance from one of the women to the Nobel Prize committee
five years later.
19 |
Chapter 5: Integrating The Girls of Atomic City
into WRIT 100/101
The first-year writing courses—WRIT 100 and WRIT 101—use the Common Reading Text as the basis
for an in-class essay exam. In this assignment, students are given a prompt pertaining to the Common
Reading Text and asked to write an essay during the allotted class time. Some teachers may also use the
book to help teach reflection, writing strategies, rhetorical choices, analysis, argument, research, audience
awareness, and a variety of other skills. Further, many classes will participate in group discussion related
to the book. First-year writing courses use the Common Reading Text as a basis for student reading and
writing rather than as a literary study.
Discussion starters
1. “TubeAlloy: Security, Censorship, and the Press” and Chapter 8, “The One About the Fireflies . . . ,”
are great starting points for discussion/freewriting about the rhetorical implications and intricacies of
censorship and propaganda.
2. Much of the research for the book was gathered through oral history. Ask students to discuss/write
about the benefits/drawbacks of that form of research, citing examples from the book to support their
points.
3. One reviewer described some of the language in the book as “borderline vernacular,” vernacular
meaning the everyday language of a particular region. Find some passages that fit that description and
discuss/write about whether they add value to or detract from the book.
4. The bell in the middle of Oak Ridge’s public green is an example of powerful visual rhetoric.
Consider why the bell created such controversy, and look for other examples of visual rhetoric in the
book.
5. An often-heard criticism of the book is that the organization is confusing, that there are too many
threads of stories to follow. Agree or disagree, and propose alternative patterns of organization.
6. Discuss/write about the design of the book, including the cover, the alternating fonts, the cast of
characters list, and the epigraphs from Vi Warren. Why did the author and/or publisher make these
choices? Were they effective?
7. In many ways, The Girls of Atomic City is a book of details, such as the courting gift of Ivory Soap
flakes, Kattie’s biscuit pan, and the lines drawn on the backs of legs because no hose were available.
Discuss the value of these small details. In what ways do they enhance the book? In what ways do they
detract?
8. Oak Ridge, TN was, in many ways, an ideal location for Site X. Discuss why and point to specific
examples from the text.
20 |
9. Scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer told President Harry S. Truman at a meeting in October of 1945 that
there is “blood on my hands” (292). In response, “Truman told Oppenheimer that if anyone had blood on
his hands it was Truman himself” (292). Discuss the rhetorical implications of that conversation. Why
would Oppenheimer make that statement to Truman? Why did Oppenheimer’s words anger Truman?
In-class essay prompts
1. For such a complex project, many of the workers had little or no scientific and/or mathematical
training prior to arriving in Oak Ridge. In fact, many employees tasked with doing scientific and/or
mathematical work were teenagers “who had just strolled out of rural Tennessee high schools” (68).
Write an essay in which you analyze the situation in America at that time and explain why such
employees were hired to do scientific and/or mathematical work at Oak Ridge. Point to specific examples
from the text in your essay, and cite using MLA style.
2. It is often said that the U.S. “won” WWII. In fact, Kiernan’s title says as much. The science behind
the atomic bomb, however, came from more than just Americans. Write an essay in which you explain
why foreign scientists and others might have found or thought of the U.S. as the best place to build an
atomic bomb. Point to specific examples and people in your essay, and cite using MLA style.
3. In describing the housing situation at Site X, Kiernan writes “[w]omen were not, no matter the
circumstances, considered heads of household” (86). Analyze the circumstances in the U.S. and in Oak
Ridge, TN at that time and write an essay in which you make an argument for or against this policy.
Point to specific examples and people in the text, and cite using MLA style.
4. Oak Ridge, TN, and more specifically, Site X, was a place shrouded in secrecy. Write an essay in
which you analyze the conditions in the country and at Site X at that time and make an argument about
whether such secrecy was necessary. Was the level of secrecy too much? Not enough? Why? Point to
specific examples from the text, and cite using MLA style.
5. We live in a culture of instant information and even instant global news. Further, many journalists and
media outlets consider it their duty to expose information, even when that information may be harmful to
some. In WWII, though, much information was kept secret and even some leaked information was
suppressed by media outlets. Write an essay in which you analyze the access to information in the U.S.
and the world during WWII and compare and contrast that with today. Is it always the people’s right to
know the whole truth? Why or why not? Should media outlets ever suppress information? Why or why
not? Write a thesis-driven essay that explores this issue. Point to specific examples from the text and our
current world, and cite using MLA style.
6. Scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer told President Harry S. Truman at a meeting in October of 1945 that
there is “blood on my hands” (292). Write an essay in which you explore why people who knew how
devastating the atomic bomb would be continued to work on it. Point to specific examples from the text,
and cite using MLA style.
7. In the epilogue, Kiernan writes, “The challenge in telling the story of the atomic bomb is one of
nuance, requiring thought and sensitivity and walking a line between commemoration and celebration”
21 |
(313). How does Kiernan meet this challenge? Does she favor celebration over commemoration or vice
versa or a blend of both? Craft an argument using examples from the book, and cite using MLA style.
8. Washington Post reviewer Scott Martelle criticizes a lack of depth in the book by noting that Kiernan
“provides a broad collection of anecdotes about the experiences of women at Oak Ridge but ultimately
leaves it to the reader to figure out what it all means. Fewer anecdotes, and more distillation and analysis,
would have made this worthy effort much stronger.” Agree or disagree with Martelle’s critique, citing
specific evidence from the book to support your point. Cite using MLA style.
9. In an interview, Kiernan describes her research process this way: “I find with stories like this that there
are several elements that you work to line up: individual memory, collective memory of a community,
primary source documents, media coverage from the time period, and of course books and reports. . . .
You have to come at things from as many different angles as possible.” Choose one of the research
methods Kiernan employed (oral history, primary source documentation, media coverage from the time
period) and analyze its effect on the book. In what ways did the method enrich the book? In what ways
was the method less effective? Provide specific examples from the book to support your analysis. Cite
using MLA style.
10. USA Today reviewer Patty Ruhle observes, “Kiernan confesses that she struggled with which
characters to include from her many interviews, and it shows.” Discuss a character(s) and/or situation(s)
that seems underdeveloped to you. Consider what the reader learns about the character(s) and/or
situation(s) and what the reader doesn’t learn but should. Make a case for why deeper development of
those characters or situations would have enriched the book. Point to specific examples from the text, and
cite using MLA style.
11. Washington Post reviewer Scott Martelle notes “Kiernan has amassed a deep reservoir of intimate
details of what life was like for women living in the secret city, gleaned from seven years of interviews
and research. That is both the book’s strength and its weakness.” Analyze Kiernan’s attention to detail in
the book. In what ways are the details a strength? In what ways are they a weakness? Provide specific
examples from the book to support your analysis, and cite using MLA style.
12. Seattle Pi reviewer Meredith Ann Rutter praises Kiernan’s discussion of science in the book in this
way: “Kiernan's science chapters are remarkable . . . [and] clearly written for lay readers; the author
presumes that her readers have little to no background in science. The fact that she successfully describes
nuclear fission without ever using a diagram is testimony to the clarity of her writing.” Do you agree?
Craft your own argument about Kiernan’s treatment of science. Is it too simplistic or too deep? Are the
science chapters interspersed too often or not enough or in the wrong way? Develop a thesis that affirms
or disagree with Rutter’s praise, and provide evidence from the book to support your thesis. Cite using
MLA style.
13. On July 16, 1945, President Truman wrote in his diary, “I hope for some sort of peace, but I fear that
machines are ahead of morals by some centuries and when morals catch up perhaps there'll be no reason
for any of it. I hope not. But we are only termites on a planet and maybe when we bore too deeply into
the planet there'll be a reckoning. Who knows?” Using evidence from the book to help support your
argument, make a case that machines were or were not ahead of morals in the development of the atomic
bomb. Cite using MLA style.
22 |
14. “Kids, get in the car! Off they went to a stranger’s ‘living’ wake” (30). This is an example of some of
the “fun” that people like Toni’s family created during World War II. What role does “fun” play in the
book, both at Site X and in the communities outside of Site X? Provide specific examples from the book
to support your analysis, and cite using MLA style.
15. Oak Ridge’s designation as Site X had long-lasting ramifications for landowners in the Tennessee
Cumberland Gap and for all Tennesseans. Write about the effect on Tennesseeans of the choice of Oak
Ridge as Site X. What were the ethical implications? What were the financial implications? Who
gained? Who lost? Provide specific examples from the book to support your analysis, and cite using
MLA style.
23 |
Appendix
Chapter-specific discussion questions
Revelation, August 1945

Why does Kiernan begin the book with a brief section that takes place after the atomic bomb was
dropped?
Chapter 1 – Everything Will Be Taken Care Of: Train to Nowhere, August 1943




Why did Celia go to a job and a location she knew almost nothing about?
Why did Celia’s mother not want her to journey far from home?
Why did Celia’s brother Ed want her to move away for a job? Why did Ed’s decision end the
debate over Celia leaving?
What is so appealing about Celia’s story that makes Kiernan start Chapter 1 with her?
Tubealloy: The Bohemian Grove to the Appalachian Hills, September 1942

Why did Edgar Sengier have so much Tubealloy? Why was he so willing to protect a material
some considered a “geological nuisance” (18)?
Chapter 2 – Peaches and Pearls: The Taking of Site X, Fall 1942




How did the United States Government acquire the land for Site X? Why is this significant?
Why were peaches significant to Toni?
Do you believe the local lore about John Hendrix and his prediction? Why or why not? What do
you think people in Oak Ridge thought about it? Why?
How was Toni’s father instrumental in her decision to go off on her own to Site X?
Tubealloy: Ida and the Atom, 1934

Why did the scientific community disregard Ida Noddack’s theories on splitting a nucleus?
Chapter 3 – Through the Gates: Clinton Engineer Works, Fall 1943







Why weren’t Kattie’s children able to come with her to the Clinton Engineer Works? Why did
she go anyway?
Why did the Oak Ridge Journal publish the line that it is “the only newspaper in the country
without any news” (42)?
Why were mysterious men asking around Paris, Tennessee about Jane Halliburton Greer?
Why didn’t Jane study engineering at the University of Tennessee?
What is presidential Executive Order 8802? What did it mean for people at Oak Ridge?
Even though salaries were relatively high at Site X, why were some positions hard to fill?
How did people living at Site X attend church? Why was this arrangement problematic or not?
24 |

Why couldn’t children in the U.S. hope to receive Lionel train sets for Christmas in 1943?
Tubealloy: Lise and Fission, 1938


Why was Lise Meitner not able to continue working as a physicist in Berlin?
What scientific breakthrough did Lise Meitner make in 1938? Why did it have such an impact in
the U.S.?
Chapter 4 – Bull Pens and Creeps: The Project’s Welcome for New Employees





Why might someone with money problems not have been hired at Site X?
Why did Virginia end up teaching in the bull pen? What were the benefits of her teaching?
Why was the Project interested in recruiting “high school girls, especially those from rural areas”
(69)?
Why did Dot (Dorothy) take the test to work on the Project?
Why did the two men in dark suits ask Helen Hall to spy? What did Helen have to gain or lose by
accepting or refusing their request?
Tubealloy: Leona and Success in Chicago, December 1942



What did “He sank a Japanese admiral” (75) really mean, and why did Laura Fermi not know?
What is a “suicide squad” (76) and why was one standing by when Enrico Fermi attempted to
create the world’s first ever self-sustaining nuclear reaction?
Why did Laura Fermi think it “significant that so many of the project scientists were not from the
United States” (79)? What does this fact tell us about the world at that time?
Chapter 5 – Only Temporary: Spring into Summer, 1944






Why did Colleen’s mother think the Rowan family needed to find jobs at the Clinton Engineer
Works to support her son Jimmy?
Why were there no sidewalks at the Clinton Engineer Works?
Why was Colleen’s mother not regarded as a “head of household” and, thus, ineligible for her
own housing?
Why did Colleen think she needed to get in lines when she saw them?
Why were there such strict regulations about opposite-sex visitors in the dorms at Site X? Why
were women’s social lives an important concern for the brass at Site X?
What does Kiernan mean when she writes, “The military men may have been in charge, but the
irrepressible life force that is woman – that was well beyond their control” (98)?
Tubealloy: The Quest for Product


Why was standard welding not sufficient for the nickel-plated pipe that carried the gaseous form
of Tubealloy at K-25?
Why did the District Engineer at Site X ask the United States government to borrow around 6,000
tons of silver?
25 |
Chapter 6 – To Work






Why might a group of high school-educated young women, most from rural Tennessee, have
generated more enriched Tubealloy than a group of PhDs?
How did Virginia know what Tubealloy really was? Why was this knowledge helpful and/or
problematic?
Why was Jane making less money than men who worked under her? What does this say about
the culture at the time?
Why might the anonymous construction worker have made Kattie three biscuit pans?
What did the train accident in July of 1944 reveal to some about Oak Ridge and the surrounding
areas?
Why did Toni turn down an offer of a promotion?
Tubealloy: The Couriers

Why was it desirable that the Tubealloy couriers could have been mistaken for salesmen?
Chapter 7 – Rhythms of Life






What does Kiernan mean by “Rhythms of Life”? Why was the phrase perhaps particularly
poignant at Site X?
Why were there so many cases of depression at Site X?
Why were stockings a rare commodity, even at dances?
Why was Colleen impressed with Blackie’s gift of soap on one of their first dates?
What was attending church like inside Site X? What were the positives and negatives of such a
situation?
Why were many Knoxville shopkeepers, local businesses, and others upset by and/or unfriendly
to employees of the Clinton Engineer Works?
Tubealloy: Security, Censorship, and the Press




Why did Dr. Zay Jeffries want to consider the future of atomic energy in the “postwar world”
(151-2)?
Why did Col. Stafford Warren lump homosexuals together with crooks and drug addicts when
speaking about screening potential employees?
Why did President Roosevelt issue Executive Order 8985, creating the Office of Censorship?
Why was publishing the location of Site X in a newspaper considered a major problem?
Chapter 8 — The One about the Fireflies . . .



Was the censorship of the Oak Ridge Journal justified? Was the Superman comic strip really a
threat? Why or why not?
Why was Helen so cautious about speaking to the basketball coach who appeared at her practice
session?
Why was Celia so concerned about the censorship of her letters to her mother?
26 |



Who interrupted Dot’s date, and how did Dot react? Does her reaction surprise you? Why or
why not?
What is your reaction to the propaganda billboards and posters that appear? In what ways might
they have been effective? In what ways might they have been damaging?
Why did the workers at Oak Ridge tolerate the “creeps” (167)?
Tubealloy: Pumpkins, Spies, and Chicken Soup, Fall 1944

How was the surveillance of the scientists different from the surveillance of the Oak Ridge
workers? Why was it different? Were the differences justified?
Chapter 9 — The Unspoken: Sweethearts and Secrets



Why was the secrecy enveloping Oak Ridge easier on dating couples than on married couples?
How did Dr. Clarke characterize the psychological toll of working at Oak Ridge?
Why did Virginia enjoy working at Oak Ridge so much, and why did she respond to her coworker’s assertion that women shouldn’t attend college?
Tubealloy: Combining Efforts in the New Year

Why was Roosevelt’s reelection good news for the project?
Chapter 10 — Curiosity and Silence



Why was Rosemary forced to give up her apartment?
In what ways was the mystery patient different from other patients? Why was he treated with
electroshock therapy?
Why was Kattie able to adapt so well to her job despite the cold winters and the difficult nature of
her work?
Tubealloy: The Project’s Crucial Spring


Why were the couriers treated so well?
Why was the development of methods for detecting “49” (207) in the body delayed? What were
the ethical implications of that delay?
Chapter 11 — Innocence Lost






Why was Ebb Cade a “good” candidate for the “49” (211) injection?
What were the ethical implications of the doctors’ decisions to inject plutonium into the patient
without his consent?
What were the implications of Virginia and her date’s conversation while hiking? How might the
secrecy of the project have incited curiosity?
What are the social/political implications of military uniforms, and why was Colleen’s adoption
of her boyfriend’s fatigues such an affront to the sergeant?
Why did Dot find being married at Oak Ridge more challenging than being single?
Why did Kattie have such a strong work ethic?
27 |
Tubealloy: Hope and the Haberdasher, April-May 1945




Why would Truman, a senator known for frugality, approve the largest expenditure in the history
of the American military? What factors must have come into consideration in his decisionmaking process?
How did the victory in Europe affect the status of the project?
In what ways did the Franck Report and the Interim Committee’s report differ in their
recommendations regarding the use of “the Gadget” (230) after Germany’s surrender? Which
argument do you find more persuasive, and why?
Why did the Allied forces detain the European scientists at Farm Hall?
Chapter 12 — Sand Jumps in the Desert, July 1945




How would you characterize the atmosphere or mood of the people who observed the test in the
desert?
Why did Truman delay telling Stalin about the success of the test? Why was Stalin not surprised
when he learned about it?
Why did Leo Szilard, the Met Lab scientists, and others feel compelled to compose the July 3 and
July 17 letters?
Why did the majority of the scientists polled at Met Lab favor a military demonstration against a
Japanese city followed by an opportunity for surrender?
Chapter 13 — The Gadget Revealed





What were some of the factors that could have impeded the success of the Hiroshima mission,
and what might have happened if the mission had not succeeded?
Why did the U.S. drop the leaflets on Japanese citizens after the Hiroshima bombing? How
might Japanese citizens have reacted to those leaflets?
In his address to the nation, Truman said the greatest “marvel” of the enterprise was “the
achievement of scientific brains in putting together infinitely complex pieces of knowledge held
by many men in different fields of science into a workable plan” (254). In what ways did the
operation at Oak Ridge mimic that “marvel”?
When President Truman mentioned Oak Ridge in his address, what were the reactions of the
workers at CEW, and what did those reactions reveal about the toll of working at Oak Ridge?
What did the reactions of Lise Meitner and the detained German scientists reveal about
international reaction to the dropping of the atomic bomb?
Chapter 14 — Dawn of a Thousand Suns


Why did Under Secretary of War Robert Patterson urge CEW workers to continue to keep their
work secret?
In the letter chemist Bill Wilcox wrote to his parents, he described CEW in this way, “Never
before in the history of the world has so much responsibility been placed on the shoulders of such
young people . . . no place for old men . . .” (274). Why was youth such a dominant factor in the
success of CEW? In what ways were young men and women more suited for the work that
happened there?
28 |

This chapter describes the conflict many CEW workers faced at the end of the war: would they be
able to stay in Oak Ridge, and would they want to stay in Oak Ridge? What were the potential
benefits of staying? The disadvantages? Would you have wanted to stay?
Chapter 15 — Life in the New Age








Why were the reports by Japanese journalist Nakamura and Australian journalist Wilfred
Burchett censored by both the Japanese and the U.S. governments?
In what ways could the human radiation experiments, like the one on Ebb Cade, be justified? In
what ways could they be seen as unethical?
Why were Lise Meitner and the other women who contributed to the discovery of fission ignored
by the Nobel Prize committee?
What were the benefits for Oak Ridge residents of the military’s diminishing control of the town
in the late 1940s and 1950s? What hardships did the town face as military control was ceded?
How did the dawn of the atomic age change people’s sense of security? In what ways did they
feel safer? In what ways did they feel more vulnerable?
What societal shifts are apparent in the snapshots of Jane, Virginia, Kattie, Helen, Rosemary,
Toni, Dot, and Colleen that Kiernan includes at the end of this chapter?
Why was the International Friendship Bell so controversial?
What were the implications of Dot’s embrace of the Japanese woman at the end of the chapter?
Epilogue


Kiernan notes that on her first visit to Oak Ridge she expected to see atomic symbols everywhere
but that the history of the town “remains, in many ways, still hidden in plain sight” (311). Why
might Oak Ridge be discreet about its history? Should it be?
Why did the Smithsonian curators give up on creating an exhibit on the development of the
atomic bomb?
29 |
Sample Rubrics
Sample Group Presentation Rubric
1. Was the content of the presentation well organized and presented with compelling evidence?
1
2
3
4
5
Comments:________________________________________________________________________
2. Did the visual component enhance the presentation?
1
2
3
4
5
Comments:________________________________________________________________________
3. Was the verbal presentation clear and engaging?
1
2
3
4
5
Comments:________________________________________________________________________
4. Did the group engage the class in a discussion?
1
2
3
4
5
Comments:________________________________________________________________________
5. Did the group follow the time limits?
1
2
3
4
5
Comments:_______________________________________________________________________
30 |
Sample Group Presentation Peer Evaluation
Your name: ______________________________________
1) Team member name: ________________________________________________________
This team member contributed fairly to the creation of the outline.
Yes
No
If no, please explain:
_________________________________________________________________________________
This team member contributed fairly to the creation of the presentation. Yes
No
_________________________________________________________________________________
2) Team member name: ________________________________________________________
Yes
No
_________________________________________________________________________________
No
_________________________________________________________________________________
3) Team member name: ________________________________________________________
Yes
No
_________________________________________________________________________________
No
_________________________________________________________________________________
4) Team member name: ________________________________________________________
Yes
No
_________________________________________________________________________________
No
_________________________________________________________________________________
Other comments or concerns about your group and how you worked together?
_________________________________________________________________________________
31 |
ASSESSMENT RUBRIC FOR RESPONSE PAPERS
STUDENT’S NAME: ________________________________________
ASSIGNMENT TITLE: ________________________________________
SCORE: _____________
CONVENTIONS/MECHANICS
Ineffective
Partially-effective
Effective
Multiple errors in writing hamper
communication, and text does not
demonstrate standard English
grammar, punctuation, and/or
usage, and/or does not meet the
requirements for length and format.
Minimal errors in standard English,
grammar, punctuation, and/or usage
are present in some of the writing,
and/or the text does not meet
requirements for assignment length
and/or format.
The writing meets guidelines for
standard English grammar,
punctuation and usage, with very
few minor errors present. Meets
requirements for assignment length
and format.
D/F
C
B
INFORMATION PRESENTED
Ineffective
Partially-effective
Effective
Exceptional
Does not introduce or
integrate information
relevant to the
topic/event, or includes
inappropriate use of
sources. In the case of an
event paper, it is unclear
that the event was
attended.
Demonstrates only
minimal or ineffective use
of integrating information
relevant to the
topic/event. Writing only
barely addresses details of
event or class materials.
Introduces and integrates
information relevant to
the topic/event. Writing
addresses details of event
or class materials, and
places information within
a larger context.
Demonstrates
exceptionally strong,
integrated information
that enhances credibility
of writing. Writing
includes skillfully
represented details about
D/F
C
B
A
REFLECTION/RESPONSE
Ineffective
Partially-effective
Effective
Exceptional
Fails to explore new ideas
and/or works without
making any connection
between event or class
materials and a personal
context.
Begins exploration of new
ideas, but could push
further. Experience of
event or class materials is
put in a personal context,
but lacks development of
ideas.
Explores ideas unfamiliar
to the reader, and
questions different
thinking. Puts experience
of event or class materials
in a personal context, is
well-developed, and
includes self-evaluation.
Exhibits a significant
investigation of new ideas
by way of exploring an
Shows signs of personal
growth and/or
considerable selfevaluation.
D/F
C
B
A
Write additional comments on the back of the rubric.
32 |

The Girls of Atomic City - Department of Writing and Rhetoric

Transcription

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