transforming america: world war ii homefront wwii final.pdf · lesson plan 5 – 8 transforming...

Lesson Plan 5 – 8

Transforming America:

f o r g r a d e st e a c h e r ’ s

An Educational Outreach Program of the

Tennessee State Museum

t e n n e s s e e ’ s t r a v e L i n g t r e a s u r e s

World War IIHomefront

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p a g e 1a n e d u c a t i o n a l o u t r e a c h p r o g r a m o f t h e t e n n e s s e e s t a t e m u s e u m

G o a l

to introduce students to life on the homefront in tennessee

during World War ii.

C o N T E N T

this trunk will convey the significance and impact of World War ii on the

american (and more specifically, tennessee) homefront. it will also help

students make greater connections between the events of WWii and their

lives today.

o B J E C T I V E S

•recognize the changes that took place on the tennessee

homefront due to WWii.

•analyze how public opinions were shaped by propaganda

posters.

•recognize the sacrifices made at home because of WWii,

as well as those made abroad by american soldiers.

I N T r o d u C T I o N

from scrap drives and ration books to the secret city of oak ridge,

tennesseans played an integral role in the World War ii war effort. in this

trunk, the first lesson will set the stage as students identify photographs as being pre-war or during the war. students will also

learn about the sacrifice and achievements that all tennesseans made during one of the major turning points in our history. trunk

activities will focus on many of these sacrifices and hardships as well as war strategy that concentrated on using propaganda to

affect public opinion.

one lesson in particular will investigate the secret world that permeated oak ridge during the development of the nuclear bomb.

students will simulate this world by working in groups on very secretive projects that will culminate with them having developed a

pseudo nuclear bomb. the class will then ponder and discuss the results of nuclear warfare at the end of the war.

T E N N E S S E E ’ S T r a V E l I N G T r E a S u r E S

IntroductionTransforming America: World War II Homefront

World War II Era PoSTEr

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t r a n s f o r m i n g a m e r i c a : W o r l d W a r i i h o m e f r o n t p a g e 2

P a G E 3

For the Greater Good: Sacrifice and Change on the american Homefrontthis lesson uses photographs to illustrate changes in tennes-see that occurred during World War ii. students will classify tennessee photographs as pre-war or taken during WWii. then, altogether the class will talk about the sacrifices people made during the war. students will then evaluate different photographs and decide what type of sacrifice each represents.

P a G E 6

We’re all in the army Now: analyzing World War II PostersWorking in teams, students will analyze ten propaganda post-ers deciding what the poster’s message was, who the audience was, what kind of emotion the poster hopes to evoke, and how successfully the poster does this.

P a G E 8

“Shhh, It’s a Secret!” How oak ridge Changed the Worldthe class will be divided into teams and told that they are helping to develop a secret device. only when each group is finished, does the class find out that they were working on an imaginary bomb and delivery device. this goes into a lesson on oak ridge, tennessee’s role in the development of the atomic bomb.

pre-WWii and WWii photographic packets (8)photograph worksheet (8)photograph worksheet keysacrifice photographs powerpointsacrifice photographs key

propaganda and secrecy signsid badges for members of each teamproject material boxes for each team— red, Blue, Yellow, greenproject key on each teamsecret envelope with two photographs of bombsreproduction of Knoxville newspaper on the bombstudent summary about oak ridgeOak Ridge: Secret City edited film dVdWorksheet on the filmfilm worksheet key

reproduction posters from the WWii homefront (11)analyzing a poster worksheetWorksheet keypropaganda explanation

T H r E E H I S T o r y l E S S o N S T r E a S u r E T r u N k I N V E N T o r y

1l e s s o n

2l e s s o n

3l e s s o n

ContentsTreasure Trunk




this lesson serves as an introduction for the other World War

ii lessons that will follow in this unit. it uses photographs to

illustrate changes in tennessee that were ushered in by the

outbreak of WWii as well as explain why and how those

changes were brought about. furthermore, this lesson em-

phasizes some of the important sacrifices that tennesseans

were willing to make on behalf of their country. finally, this

lesson concludes by giving students an opportunity to think

about sacrifices made today.

have students keep in mind that war causes a great upheaval of life

and with it almost always comes change. technology, industry, busi-

ness, and family life are just a few of the areas in which changes occur.

the changes that WWii brought are no exception.

sacrifices are a huge part of war, and are often the catalyst for change. By looking at photographs of pre-WWii tennessee and photo-

graphs from the WWii years, students will be provided with an excellent source of information on lifestyles and culture of the era. this

information can be used so that we may better understand some of the sacrifices that people had to make and how those sacrifices

impacted change in tennessee and the united states.

G o a l

to recognize the changes in tennessee that took place as a result of WWii, as well as

some of the sacrifices tennesseans made as a part of that change.

o B J E C T I V E S

•identify the differences between the pre-WWii and WWii tennessee homefront.

•understand the sacrifices that were made on the WWii tennessee homefront.

•connect the sacrifices of the past with sacrifices that might be made today.

Continued next page

l E S S o N d u r a T I o N

1 to 2 SESSIoNSF o r G r a d E S

5

For the Greater Good:Change and Sacrifice on the Tennessee HomefrontLesson 1

?Guiding Question

What were some changes in tennessee from the pre-WWii to the WWii era? Why were tennesseans so willing to make such sacrifices for

their country?

CurrICuluM S Ta Nda rdS

see page 12 for the state and national

curriculum standards for this lesson.

l E S SoN 1 rE SourCE S

the handouts and worksheets are

located as a pdf on the cd and as a hard

copy in the back of the book under the

lesson 1 tab.



lesson 1 continued

P r o C E d u r E S – P a r T 1 ( C H a N G E )

1. divide the class into groups of four to five students and pass one packet of photographs and one photograph worksheet to each

group. explain that the students will work together to sort the photographs into two categories: photos that represent pre-WWii

tennessee and photos that represent tennessee during the war years. also explain that they will need to defend why they assigned

each photo to a particular category and which differences they see between the two sets of photographs.

2. all the groups will briefly share how they sorted their photographs and what the differences they noticed between the two catego-

ries. each group needs to identify the theme of their packet and then point out which photographs represent prewar and which

ones were taken during the war. the key (behind the resources tab) gives the teacher additional information about the photograph

that the students may not know.

P r o C E d u r E S – P a r T 2 ( S a C r I F I C E )

1. explain to the class that during times of war, citizens are expected to sacrifice for their country. the most obvious example is to die

during the war or have a loved one die. When this happens, the person gives his life for his country and his or her family has to do

without their loved one. Write the words “object” and “sacrifice” on the board, and tell the class that you are going to show them

photographs from the war.

show students the WWii photographs powerpoint, one at a time, and read the explanation from the key. then ask the class what

kind of sacrifice the photograph represented. Write their answers on the board. [there could be more than one answer.]

2. emphasize the sacrifices that these objects represented for those on the WWii tennessee homefront, and then ask students about

americans’ willingness to make these types of sacrifices today. point out that america is at war today in iraq and afghanistan.

ask the students to think of any sacrifice that americans are making today because of the war. go down the list you just put on

the board and check the sacrifices that are also made today. (answers highlighted on the key.) in addition, point out the following

differences.

•Whilethereisnotadrafttoday,peoplewhojointhearmyleavetheirhomeandlovedones.

•DuringWWII,womenwerelefttotakeoftheirhomesandchildrenbythemselveswhentheirhusbandswenttowar.Whilethis

also happens today when husbands leave for iraq or afghanistan, point out that this might be reversed. female soldiers are also

sent to war zones, leaving their husbands to run the home and take care of the children.

For the Greater Good:Change and Sacrifice on the Tennessee Homefront



a S S E S S M E N T

ask your students to list ways people might sacrifice to help others even when there is

not a war. this might include giving up some of your leisure time to help others such

as mowing the grass at your elderly neighbor’s house, or participating in a walk to raise

money for a charity. parents might save money to send a child to college. Your students

should come up with many more.

E x T E N S I o N

using the internet and news accounts, have your students research the number of

deployed military units that are serving in today’s wars. google “family strain number of

military deployments.”

here are some topics we found:

•Doesnumberofmilitarydeploymentsincreasewellchilddoctorvisits?

•Extendedmilitarydeploymentstocombatareasincreasestress,anxiety

and depression among families

•Theemotionalcyclesofdeployment.

now compare deployments during WWii for students. point out that while many in the

armed forces were stationed stateside and could get weekend (or longer) passes to go

home, those sent overseas could not. so some soldiers and sailors might be away from

home for a few years. Would their families have the same issues as military families

today? yes

1. pre-WWii and WWii photographic packets (8)

2. photograph Worksheet (8)

3. photograph Worksheet Key

4. sacrifice photographs

5. sacrifice photographs Key

l E S S o N 1 T r u N k M a T E r I a l S

M a N lE aVING N aSHVIllE For W WII




guns were the principal weapon of World War ii, but there were

other more subtle weapons that the u.s. government used. this

included propaganda messages in posters, radio, and film.

propaganda is a message put out by a government or organi-

zation to promote a policy, idea, or cause. during World War

ii, the u.s. government wanted the public to wholeheartedly

support the war efforts. they also wanted to maintain a good

public morale and a public commitment for the war.

persuading the american public became a wartime industry.

the government launched an aggressive propaganda campaign to

galvanize public support for the war or to encourage particular actions.

the basic message was simple—we’re on the side of good, the enemy is

the side of evil. these images and messages were designed to tug at human emotions.

these types of messages included:

•Warnings of what could happen if america lost the war. many of these messages were intended to scare people. they tried to moti-

vate through fear to make sure americans felt strongly about what the country was fighting for.

•Pleas for buying war bonds to help fund the war effort. fighting this war was expensive. the usual source of funding for the govern-

ment was taxes. rather than raise taxes, the government opted to sell war bonds. this provided extra funds to help pay for the war costs.

•Encourage americans to accept social change. many americans who didn’t join the armed forces were asked to join the industrial

force. african americans and women were able to obtain industry jobs that had not been available to them before the war. this was

contrary to some social and racial beliefs. posters and other propaganda devices stressed the importance of war production and ac-

ceptance of new people in the community and in local jobs.

•Pushing for more effort—the u.s. government wanted to encourage more factory

production and more community-led scrap drives. at the beginning of the war, the u.s.

was unprepared; it did not have enough industries producing war items. this changed

as industries that produced consumer goods like cars and radios were retooled to start

producing items needed for war such as ships, airplanes, tanks, and guns. the govern-

ment installed price and wage controls, and rationed consumer goods like coffee, meat,

sugar, and other items.

•Encouraging sacrifice. the government promoted the idea that everyone must sacri-

fice for the war effort. obviously people who had a loved one serving overseas or had a

son, father or husband die sacrificed more than others. But the government encouraged

We’re All in the Army Now: Analyzing World War II Posters

F o r G r a d E S

5 – 6l E S S o N d u r a T I o N

1 SESSIoN

Lesson 2








lesson 2 tab.

?Guiding QuestionsWhy did the u.s. government

produce propaganda posters during World War ii? What were some of

the messages?




women to go without nylon or silk stockings so the materials could be used in parachute

cords. families were told to have meatless meals and to cut back on using sugar. people

were also encouraged to leave their cars at home to save gas, and to grow their own

vegetable gardens so farmers could supply the troops—all in the name of sacrifice.

G o a l

to understand how propaganda posters influenced the thoughts and actions of ameri-

cans during World War ii

o B J E C T I V E S

•to understand the importance of propaganda posters during a war

•to recognize the purpose behind World War ii posters

•to be able to identify target audiences for WWii propaganda posters

a S S E S S M E N T

after the lesson, ask the students to design a propaganda poster that the government

(local, state, or national) might use today. assign the students homework to write a de-

scription of their poster, identifying the purpose, message and audience. then the next

day during class, have them actually design the poster.

P r o C E d u r E S

display all eleven posters out in the front of the classroom so all the students can see them. explain that these are reproductions of

posters that were produced and posted in the u.s. during World War ii. explain that they are considered propaganda posters. read the

explanation about propaganda. explain the types of messages listed in the introduction.

1. take the “deliver us from evil” poster. the purpose of the poster is to get people to buy war bonds. Which message does it use?

(fear) point out that the swastika behind the girl was a symbol of nazi germany. the girl has stringy hair, a dirty face, and she

looks scared. the underlying message is that she has been mistreated by the nazi forces. ask the class if they think this is an

effective poster. is the message clear? does it have emotional appeal? do you think it had a great impact? [this is one of the more

effective posters from the war.]

2. divide the class up into groups of three or four students. assign each group a poster from the remaining ten and give them the

“analyzing a poster” worksheet. tell them they are going to analyze a poster that was used during World War ii (You may need to

explain that these posters are reproductions.) using the same techniques that the class did for the “deliver us from evil” poster. in

order to analyze the poster, tell the students to consider who the audience was for the poster and which actions did the government

want people to do. give them time to answer the questions on the worksheet.

3. go through each poster with the entire class having each group report on their results. a key is provided so you can add additional

information.

1. reproduction posters from the WWii homefront (11)

2. analyzing a poster Worksheet

3. analyzing a poster Worksheet Key

4. propaganda explanation

PoST Er ENCour aGING PEoPlE To Bu y Wa r BoNdS




during World War ii, there was a secret project known as the “manhat-

tan project” that built the two atomic bombs that were dropped on

Japan to end the war. oak ridge, tennessee, was one of the major

development centers of that project. [other centers were los

alamos, new mexico, and the hanford site in Washington state.]

the oak ridge site included a uranium enrichment plant

designed to separate uranium 235 from uranium 238 so that it

could be used as fuel for a nuclear weapon. they also developed

the process for creating plutonium that was used as the full pro-

duction method at another manhattan project site.

oak ridge was a small rural community of about 4,000 residents in

1942. By 1944 it had a population of 75,000 and was the fifth largest city in

tennessee, but due to the project’s secrecy, it was not shown on any maps of the state at the time. people in the area often said that

it seemed that the town “grew overnight.” most of the population worked on the project either in the labs, production facilities, or

related public services.

the building of the facilities, as well as inventing the processes that would allow the

separation of uranium, had to be accomplished at the same time so the united states

could develop the technology before the german and Japanese governments. this huge

undertaking had to be done in complete secrecy. the government did not want anyone

to know the goals behind the manhattan project. the project’s final goal was a secret

even to the vast majority of the workers.

two atomic bombs were made with the fuel and processes created at the oak ridge

facilities and were used on Japan in august of 1945. the first bomb, nicknamed “little

Boy,” was made from uranium, and dropped on hiroshima, Japan, on august 6, 1945.

the second bomb, “fat man,” made with plutonium, was dropped on nagasaki, Japan,

on august 9, 1945. although the u.s. didn’t have any more atomic bombs prepared,

the Japanese thought they had more. With the destruction caused by the two bombs,

Japanese leaders decided to surrender rather than risk more bombs. on august 14,

1945, Japan surrendered to the allies ending World War ii.

most of the workers at oak ridge found out what they had made the same way the

rest of the world did, in the newspaper the day after the first atomic bomb had been

dropped.

“Shhh, It’s a Secret!”How Oak Ridge Changed the World

F o r G r a d E S

5 – 8l E S S o N d u r a T I o N

2 to 3 SESSIoNS

Lesson 3








lesson 3 tab.

?Guiding QuestionsWhy did the government keep

oak ridge secret and were they successful?



G o a l S

to expose students to the unique city of oak ridge, tennessee, and give them a better understanding of its contributions to World War ii

o B J E C T I V E S

•for students to recognize the contribution of oak ridge, tennessee, to the war effort

•When given a group task, students will collaborate to complete the task according to the stated criteria

•students will understand the larger scope of the manhattan project

•they will understand how secrecy is maintained on a government project and why it is important

a S S E S S M E N T

the assessment for this lesson will primarily be informal with student participation in class discussion and activities as the focus. stu-

dents should show an understanding of the seriousness of using the atomic bomb as a means of ending the war and the importance of

the role oak ridge played in that decision.

P r o C E d u r E S Do not present any introduction or information about Oak Ridge prior to this lesson.

Preparation before class

•post warning signs and propaganda posters from the trunk around the room.

•put the top secret envelope in the front of the room.

•review the team materials and decide which airplane design you want to use with your students.

P r o C E d u r E S - P a r T 1 – I T ’ S a S E C r E T !

1. each student will be assigned a specific role as a team member. there are four teams: red, Blue, Yellow, and green. issue group id

cards to each group member.

2. have work areas for each team and let the students go to their areas.

3. tell the students that this is a highly classified project. each group will be developing something. no one is to know what the other

group is doing. in fact, no one is to talk about what they are doing. they are free to talk about other things while they are working,

but not what they are working on. read the security Brief to the students.

4. also tell the students that fBi agents are secretly assigned inside their classroom. these agents are there to watch the students

and make sure no one passes information to other teams. the students will be told that these agents will report any security

breach to the teacher. Note: No student will be assigned this task. It is merely designed to increase the state of paranoia inside the

work force!

5. also it is important for team members to report any security breaches they see. tell them: “if you hear anyone talking about your

project to another team, report them to the teacher. Also, if anyone asks you what you are working on then it is your responsibility to

report that person to the teacher. Write their name on a sheet of paper and turn it in to the teacher.”

Continued next page

1. propaganda and secrecy signs2. id badges for members of each team3. project material boxes for each team—

red, Blue, Yellow, green4. project key on each team5. secret envelope with two photographs of bombs

6. reproduction of Knoxville newspaper on the bomb7. student summary about oak ridge8. Oak Ridge: Secret City edited film dVd9. Worksheet on the film10. film worksheet key




lesson 2 continued

“Shhh, It’s a Secret!”How Oak Ridge Changed the World

6. issue each group their project materials and their list of directions for completing their project. allow about 20 minutes for all

groups to complete their assignment. You may have to assist some of the teams with their project.

7. When all projects are completed successfully, display each group’s product in the front of the classroom. for example, allow

the Blue team to demonstrate their electromagnet and how the magnetic field can be turned “on” and “off” to pick up and drop

paperclips.

8. then collect one paperclip chain, the paper sphere, and paper airplane. the teacher will place the paperclip chain into the paper ball

and then tape the ball to the belly of the airplane using regular transparent tape. the teacher will then fly the plane as the students

observe.

9. inform the groups of what each of their roles was in the process of accomplishing the overall goal to build an atomic bomb and a

delivery system for the bomb:

•TheBlueTeambuiltanelectromagnetwhichisanefficientmeansofseparatingU-235andU-238becauseitcanbeturnedon

to gather the fuel and then turned off to release the fuel in a new container. this was one method used in oak ridge to separate

uranium.

•TheYellowTeamseparatedthefuelforthebomb(uranium235).Thisseparationprocessisknownasenrichinguranium.The

team then chained the u-235 together.

•TheGreenTeamconstructedabombcasetoholdtheU-235andothersubstances.

•TheRedTeamconstructedanairplanetodeliverthebomb.

10. the teacher will explain to the students that in World War ii, there was a secret project known as the manhattan project that built

the two atomic bombs used on Japan. oak ridge, tennessee, was a major part of that project. scientists working there separated

the uranium 235 from uranium 238 to use as fuel for one of the two atomic bombs. they used two methods of separation. one

method involved using an electromagnet to gather the uranium 235. an electromagnet was used because of the ability to turn

the magnetic field “on” and “off”. this allowed them to “pick up” the uranium 235 and then “drop it off” at another location. the

process of separating uranium 235 from uranium 238 is known as enriching. the second method was gaseous diffusion. [Your

students did not use this method.] in this method, based on the scientific principle that molecules of a lighter isotope would pass

through a porous (holes) barrier faster than heavier ones, the uranium was based through numerous barriers. since u-235 is

lighter, this eventually removed the heavier u-238.



11. explain to the class that at oak ridge, many of the employees

did not know what they were making and/or how it would be

used. even so, everyone knew that they were supposed to

keep their work secret so enemy spies couldn’t find out about

it. ask these questions.

a. When you came into class today what did you think about

all of these signs?

b. how did they make you feel?

c. did it make you nervous that people might be spying on

you?

d. did anyone talk about their projects to other group

members?

e. did anyone try to spy on your group’s project?

f. do you have any idea of what this class project was about?

12. after a short discussion about secrecy, ask them if they are

ready to see what the finished product of what they con-

structed. open the top secret Box in the middle of the room:

Bring out the photographs of fat man and little Boy. ask

students if they can identify what these are? they may guess a bomb. then show the Knoxville newspaper image with the atomic

bomb exploding on it.

13. tell the class they will learn more about oak ridge tomorrow.

P r o C E d u r E S - P a r T 2 – S E C r E T C I T y F I l M

14. in the next class session, ask the students how they would have felt if they had built a bomb that killed so many people? ask them

to speculate how the people in oak ridge felt about dropping the bomb on Japan.

15. have the students read the summary on oak ridge. show Secret City: The Oak Ridge Story.

16. after watching the movie, pass out the worksheet and have the students answer questions about the film.

E x T E N S I o N

hold a class debate about whether or not the u.s. should have dropped the atomic bomb. assign students to be pro and anti bomb.

give them time to discuss their arguments.

M a NH aT Ta N Pro JEC T Wa rNING - oa k rIdGE, T ENNESSEE



Tennessee4.03. understand the rights, responsibilities, and privileges of citi-zens living in a democratic republic.5.1.spi.2 interpret how culture changes over time as a consequence of industrialization, technology, or cultural diffusion (i.e., railroad transportation, telecommunication, building design, varied types of music, and the growth of government services). 5.2.tip.3 discuss how the united states government creates eco-nomic rules in times of crisis (i.e., rationing, fdic).5.4.tip.1 give an example of a conflict and solution between common good and individual rights. 5.09 understand america’s role during World War ii.5.5.spi.5 interpret a visual contrasting life before and after World War ii (i.e., education, family size, transportation, urbanization, and the role of women). 5.5.tpi.1 recognize continuity and change in the history of tennes-see, the united states, and the world.6.01 recognize the impact of individual and group decisions on citizens and communities in a democratic republic. 6.02 understand how groups can impact change at the local, state, and national level.

Tennessee High School:•understand the effects of World War ii on american society.•understand how World War ii affected the american economy.•analyze how World War ii affected the american economy (i.e,

women in the workforce, movement to urban centers, military in-dustrial complex, minority employment, postwar g.i. Bill, globaliza-tion, rationing, childcare).

•recognize the effect of the new deal and World War ii on tennes-see (i.e., the creation of fort campbell, Kentucky, tennessee Valley authority, secretary of state cordell hull, oak ridge).

•evaluate the impact of the manhattan project (i.e., the creation of oak ridge, tennessee, nuclear proliferation, espionage, ethical debate, medical experimentation, nagasaki, hiroshima).

•4.0 recognize the effects of political policies on civil liberties during World War ii.

•5.0 investigate the causes and significance of World War ii.

•6.0 understand the dynamics of american life during World War ii

National Curriculum:e8.3a the student understands the international background of World War ii. e8.3c the student understands the effects of World War ii and home.

S T a N d a r d S C o V E r E d B y T H E T r u N k

State and National Curriculum Standards


LE

SS

ON

1

RESOURCES

L E S S O N p L a N R E S O U R C E S

1. Photograph Worksheet

2. Photograph Worksheet key

3. Objects Sacrifice key

Lesson 1 For the Greater Good:Change and Sacrifice on the Tennessee Homefront

tsm WWII tabs.indd 1 12/13/10 10:17 AM

World War II HomefrontT R A N S f O R m I N g A m e R I C A : T e N N e S S e e ’ S T R A v e l I N g T R e A S u R e S

A n E DU c AT I o n A l o U T R E A ch P RoGR Am o f T h E T E nn E s s E E s TAT E mUs EUm • © 2 0 10

Pre-World War II and World War II Photographs Worksheet

page 1 of 1

look at the photographs. Working in your group, decide which ones were taken before the war and which ones you think were

taken during World War ii. [hints: think about how the people shown in the photographs are dressed. people during World

War ii dressed somewhat like we do today. also if you have three obvious WWii pictures, the other three are before the war.]

after you decide when the photograph was taken, write the photograph’s title in the correct column below.

each packet tells a story about life in tennessee. the theme for your packet is included. explain to your class, how your

photographs fit this theme.

Before World War II during World War II1. 1.

2. 2.

3. 3.




leisure Packet

Before World War II during World War IIdance at Memphis club: the couples are dancing the jitterbug – a dance popular in the 1930s. this might look like a war time picture to students; point out that during war, many of the young men would have been gone.

Girls in front of Webbs Theater: going to the movies was a popular pastime during the war. the ameri-can flag and the girls clothing dates this as a war photograph. this pho-tograph was taken in front of Webbs theater in harriman, tennessee, in 1942. Before the movie began, there would be a short film about the latest war news.

Paris, Tennessee centennial parade: people riding in wagons as part of a parade celebrating the centennial of the city in 1923. the clothing should indicate to students that this is pre-war.

Soldiers listening to jukebox: Jukeboxes became popular during the war. soldiers, like most young adults, liked listening to popular music.

uT football player: all american university of tennessee football player george cafego in 1939. ut fielded teams during World War ii although many players and head coach robert neyland left to serve in the military. it did not have a team in 1943 due to lack of players.

local dance in Nashville: every large city that had a military base located nearby often had social activities to appeal to soldiers. it was felt that most soldiers would be homesick for their families and friends, and city leaders wanted to host social events for the soldiers—including meeting young women and dancing. this photograph was taken at the Ymca in nashville in 1942. the soldiers had arrived at the army air force classification center in the city for a short time before shipping out, so the soldiers and girls prob-ably didn’t know each other prior to the dance.

Photographic Packets key page 1 of 6




page 2 of 6Photographic Packets key

Everyday life Packet

Before World War II during World War IIunemployment line in Memphis: part of the daily unemployment line in memphis in 1938. they are sitting outside the state employment service office waiting their turn to ask about jobs. although the great depression started with the stock market crash in 1929, the effects of unemployment continued through the 1930s. it wasn’t until after the start of World War ii that there were plenty of jobs available.

Victory Garden in city park: families were encouraged to grow their own vegetables during the war so that farmers’ produce could go to feed the troops. these were called Vic-tory gardens. here two local armed forces personnel check on the plants at nashville’s centennial park.

Family in front of fireplace: photo-graph of a family at home in loyston, tennessee, in 1933. this photograph was taken by famed photographer lewis hine who had been hired by the tennessee Valley authority to document life in the valley before norris dam was built.

Soldier washing clothes in snowy stream: a photograph of an ameri-can soldier somewhere in europe. often soldiers on the move didn’t have time to set up a formal camp, but rather slept and ate by the road. in this case, the soldier is taking time to wash his clothes in a stream.

Couple in café: photograph of the day’s café in Jackson, tennessee in 1930. this is hard to date. students will probably note that there are three strong WWii photos, and assume by elimination that this is a pre-war one.

recycling fats: a woman brings her saved can of grease to the butcher to recycle during the war. the busi-ness owner then passes it on to a rendering plant. the poster says “save waste fats for explosives.” Waste fats or grease was left over after frying bacon or meats. instead of throwing away the leftover fat in the pan, it would be poured through a sieve into a can and saved.




Photographic Packets key

Children’s lives Packet

page 3 of 6

Before World War II during World War IIChildren in Wilder pumping water: this photograph was taken in Wilder, tennessee, during the 1930s. the young girl is pumping water from a well that is described as the town’s sole water supply. this means they did not have water running into their homes.

Collecting fat for scrap drive: these school children line up to deposit fat or grease as part of a scrap drive. each child has a container with the fat they collected at home.

little girls and dog: a photograph of two sisters (on each end) standing with a friend and their dog beside their dad’s truck in 1930s. according to the sign on the truck, he did elec-trical work in lexington, tennessee.

knitting sweaters for soldiers: teenagers get together at someone’s house to knit sweaters to be sent to soldiers. these would probably be given to the american red cross to distribute.

Students in shop class: a photo-graph of two students at farragut agricultural school in Knox county learning how to use electrical equip-ment in 1941. skills with machines were often taught at public schools to prepare students for jobs. how-ever these students probably ended up in the armed forces after they graduated.

leaving home for the army: a man kisses a young girl held up to him while he is on a train in nashville on the way to join the armed forces. many children saw their fathers or brothers leave home for the armed forces during the war. notice the older woman in the background crying and the people watching from the bridge.




page 4 of 6

Women’s lives Packet

Before World War II during World War IIWeaving cloth: a woman works a loom to weave cloth by hand at a school in gatlinburg. the fact they are teaching women how to weave dates it before the war.

Checking ration coupons: a woman checks the price and ration coupons on the bottom of the can. during the war, certain items were rationed. this meant that in order to buy the product, you had to have enough money and enough coupons. on this can, it indicates that the cost is 16 cents, but it also requires 12 coupons.

Telephone operators: a photograph of telephone operators in lexington, tennessee. Before the 1950s, all phone calls went through an opera-tor who would connect the caller to the desired number. the women’s dresses date the photograph before the war.

Building an airplane: a woman uses a rivet gun to build an airplane at the Vultee plant in nashville. Women were encouraged to work at formerly all-male jobs since many young men in those jobs joined the armed services. since industries had increased production of war goods, extra workers were needed at the plants. You might also want to point out that this labor need meant it was easier for african americans to get industrial jobs during the war.

Waitresses at café: a photograph of the waitresses at mrs. robert’s eat shop in Jackson, tennessee, in 1935. another hard-to-date photograph. since the other three photographs are obviously during the war, the students should be able to put this one pre-war by a process of elimination.

Sewing a parachute: a young woman at the army’s camp camp-bell in tennessee sews a parachute during the war. she was probably a civilian employee at the camp.





Men’s lives Packet

page 5 of 6

Before World War II during World War IIBuilding a road culvert: a pho-tograph of men building a culvert beside a road in tennessee. these men were working for the civilian conservation corps (ccc), a new deal federal government program to give unemployed men jobs working on public projects.

loading bombs on an airplane: not all men in the armed services served in a combat role. here these men’s jobs are to load bombs on an airplane before the pilot takes off to bomb a target. the palm trees in the background place this air strip somewhere in the pacific ocean.

Singing on town square: a group of unemployed men are hanging out on the town square in maynardville, tennessee. one of them is playing a guitar and singing.

Firing a gun at sea: these men are part of the u.s. navy, and are firing guns at Japanese ships in february 1945 in the pacific ocean. notice the spent shells below the guns.

Building a TVa dam: a group of men working on the fort loudon dam. the dam was built by the tennes-see Valley authority (tVa) that was set up as part of the new deal in the 1930s to bring electricity and employment to people living in the tennessee river valley.

Welding a ship: u.s. industries increased production during the war. these workers in chattanooga are welding a part on a ship they are building.





page 6 of 6

rural life Packet

Before World War II during World War IIWashing clothes: a family in east tennessee washes clothes outside in 1933. a young girl stirs a kettle of clothes over a fire, while two older women at the right are rinsing the clothes. these would then be hung out to dry. the water was heated to help remove dirt.

army inspection: members of the u.s. army on the tennessee maneuvers in 1942 have their gear and tents out for inspection by officers. the tennessee maneuvers was a major army exercise held in the farmlands of tennessee to help prepare soldiers for an expected invasion of france. nearly 800,000 men participated in the maneuvers.

Farm workers: a group of farmer workers in Blount county pose for a photograph in the 1930s.

Farmer on tractor: a farmer in ten-nessee during the 1940s. farmers in the state began to use tractors more and more to plow fields. farmers were exempt from the draft since their work was considered essential for the war effort. laborers who worked for farmers were not exempt.

Plowing a field: a farmer plows a field in northeast tennessee using two mules during the 1930s.

Cooking on side of road: two men from tennessee cook a meal while on duty with the army in europe dur-ing the war.





objects/Sacrifice key(Items in gray are answers to #4 in the procedure)

page 1 of 1

object Explanation Sacrificedraft registration (reproduction) if drafted, a man had to report to the armed

forces for service during the war.gives up job, home life, and the ability to be with his family.

ration stamps reproduction must be used to purchase certain food and other items in short supply (beef, coffee, sugar, tea, tires, etc.).

can’t purchase items that you want if you don’t have enough ration stamps

Victory garden photograph people grow their own vegetables at home. have to work harder—digging ground, planting, and tending vegetables instead of buying at the store.

photo of teenager with canned jars nashville teen won contest for most canned foods

extra work canning foods instead of buying at the store

Bemis war bonds photograph people, like these workers at Bemis, tn, were encouraged to buy war bonds to help fund the war effort.

instead of having extra money to spend on themselves, workers bought war bonds.

“get a War Job” poster the poster encourages women to work to help them through missing their husbands.

Women were left to take care of their homes by themselves when men went to war. many missed their husbands greatly.

“get a War Job” poster encouraged people to use items until they wore out.

people didn’t buy new clothes or new items.

nylon & silk stocking scrap drive photo Women were encouraged to turn in their silk and nylon stockings in to the scrap drive to be recycled as parachute cord.

it was fashionable for women to wear stock-ings. they had to switch to cotton ones or go without.

listening to radio news photograph this nashville woman’s four sons were serv-ing in the armed forces. she listens to the radio news to hear if any of their units were involved in action.

people worried that their loved ones might be killed in the war.

photograph of 1940 automobile When the war started, factories quit produc-ing new automobiles and started manufac-turing war materials like jeeps, tanks, or airplanes

no one could purchase a new car.

gasoline ration card no one could buy gas for their car unless they had enough ration stamps. and people didn’t get very many stamps unless they had an important job. (doctors, manufacturing, police, etc.)

people walked or rode the bus more. they did not take vacations using their cars.

photograph of amputee injured soldiers sometimes lost limbs or suf-fered life-long disabilities

injuries received in the war changed peoples’ lives forever

obituary death notice for Knoxvillian Walter gentry killed during WWii

people lost loved ones who died in the war


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Lesson 2L E S S O N p L a N R E S O U R C E S

1. Analyzing a World War II Poster Worksheet

2. Analyzing a World War II Poster Key

We’re All in the Army Now: Analyzing World War II Posters




analyzing a World War II Poster Worksheet page 1 of 1

1. What is the written message on the poster?

2. describe the image used on the poster.

3. What is the purpose of the poster?

4. Who was the audience for the poster?

5. What is the emotion the poster conveys?

6. is there an underlying or deeper message in the poster that is not stated? if so, what is it?

7. What emotions does this poster raise?

8. rate your poster on how well you think it does the job it was intended to do. use these ratings:

a. one—not very good. unclear why the poster was designed or what the message is

b. two—only fair. message or image is not very clear

c. three—average. message and image understandable

d. four—better than average. clever design and/or use of message

e. five—excellent. poster has emotional appeal and a great impact

look at your poster and answer the following questions.




analyzing a World War II Poster key page 1 of 3

1. Sub Spotteda. Written message: “‘sub spotted—let ‘em have it!’ lend a hand—enlist in your navy today” b. image: sailor guiding a canister (depth charge) labeled “tnt” while other sailors lower it down on a shaft. the flash in the background is a depth charge with shaft attached that has just been launched. c. purpose: to persuade men to enlist in the u.s. navy d. audience: Young men from 18 to early 30s e. emotion: pride f. underlying message: these young men look strong and brave, so if you enlist, you will become strong and brave too.

2. Careless Worda. Written message: “a careless word…a needless sinking” b. image: men in a row boat at sea. some look to be injured with torn clothes. in the background a burning ship is sinking. c. purpose: to keep people from talking about war secrets. germany had spies working in the u.s. for example, if a spy overheard someone talking about their son’s ship leaving norfolk, Va, on a certain day, the spy could notify the germans who could have a submarine waiting outside the harbor to try and sink the ship. d. audience: people in the u.s. e. emotion: fear f. underlying message: uses fear to reinforce written message. the sinking ship looks frightening.

3. you buy ‘em, we’ll fly ‘ema. Written message: “‘You buy ‘em, we’ll fly ‘em!’ defense Bonds stamps” b. image: a pilot in the cockpit of his plane with other planes in the background. he is giving a thumbs up signal. c. purpose: to encourage sales of defense bonds. d. audience: people in the u.s. e. emotion: pride f. underlying message: the pilot looks capable and brave while the planes in the background look impressive. this tries to convince everyday americans that they have a part in keeping the pilots and airplanes flying for the war.

4. We’re in the army nowa. Written message: “We’re in the army now. Your aid is vital. save metals, rags, paper, bones, rubber, glass. they are used in war supplies. get in touch with your local committee.” b. three well-dressed women. one is carrying folded newspapers, the other kitchen utensils and the third an iron decora-tive item. a dog is carrying a bone. c. purpose: to encourage people to recycle home, business, and farm items. d. audience: people in the u.s. e. emotion: togetherness f. underlying message: the musical notes are there because “We’re in the army now” was a popular song. this encourages the idea that people at home were helping to fight the war. the use of three attractive, well-dressed women is a advertising technique that helps people see themselves as characters in the ad who are helping out. the dog was added as being cute, but actually bones could be used to make glue for aircraft, ground up to make fertilizer or turned into glycerin for explo-sives, so even the family dog was helping out.





5. don’t let that shadowa. Written message: “don’t let that shadow touch them. Buy War Bonds” b. images: three children on the grass holding toys. the older boy is holding an airplane while the younger has an ameri-can flag. they look frightened as the shadow of a swastika covers the ground. c. purpose: to sell war bonds d. audience: people in the u.s. e. emotion: fear f. underlying message: that our children could be threatened by nazi germany if we don’t win the war.

6. We can do ita. Written message: “We can do it!” b. images: a woman dressed in a blue work shirt with a red bandana holding her hair back. she is flexing her arm muscles. c. purpose: encourage women to work at formerly all-male jobs d. audience: adult women e. emotion: pride f. underlying message: By putting her in a blue collar shirt, the poster suggests that women can work in blue collar posi-tions, since (having her flex her arm muscles) women are strong enough. the premise was that if women would work in formerly all-male jobs, then men could join the armed forces and fight.

7. americans will always fight for libertya. Written message: “1778, 1943. americans will always fight for liberty” b. images: in the background are continental army soldiers with the year 1778 over their heads while modern day soldiers with the date 1943 over their heads march in front. Both groups of soldiers are looking at each other. c. purpose: to make the populace feel more patriotic and to reinforce the belief that americans are fighting World War ii for liberty. d. audience: all americans e. emotion: pride, patriotism f. underlying message: Just as the people in colonial american rose up against tyranny and fought the revolutionary War, americans today are fighting for liberty for themselves and others in World War ii.

8. I gave a mana. Written message: “i gave a man! Will you give at least 10% of your pay in War Bonds?” b. image: a woman holding a smiling baby and young girl. c. purpose: to get people to invest at least 10 percent of their pay in war bonds. d. audience: Working adults e. emotion: sadness, guilt f. underlying message: a woman has to raise her two children alone because her husband has gone overseas and died. With all of her sacrifice, the least others can do is buy war bonds. [note: some may interpret the poster to mean that the husband is not dead since the children are smiling. in this case, the sacrifice is that she is alone while her husband is over-seas and the children can’t see their father.]





9. Get a load of thisa. Written message: “get a load of this… the army needs lumber for crates and boxes” b. image: three men, two with their shirts off appear to be loading or unloading crates while in the background ships are under attack. c. purpose: to get people to conserve lumber so there would be more for the war effort d. audience: farmers and lumber companiese. e. emotion: Wanting to help f. underlying message: the posters often showed men with their shirts off and with muscled arms. this was a propaganda technique to imply that american soldiers were young and strong. the enemy was usually drawn as sinister characters. this was part of defining the enemy as evil and americans as good. this poster encouraged people to help young, strong american soldiers.

10. don’t rely on the other fellowa. Written message: “don’t rely on the other fellow. uncle sam is relying on you. Work to win!” b. images: in the first drawing, one guy is working hard and sweating while other two stand around talking. in the second drawing, the man is working without sweating, as a figure dressed as uncle sam has his arms around the two men who are now working. c. purpose: to get people to work hard at their jobs. d. audience: Working people e. emotion: guilt f. underlying message: that uncle sam (the u.s.) needs for people to work hard so the country can win the war. this also tries to make people who aren’t working hard feel guilty.


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“Shhh, It’s a Secret!”How Oak Ridge Changed the WorldLesson 3L E S S O N p L a N R E S O U R C E S

1. Security Briefing

2. List of Group Assignments and Materials (Teacher’s key)

3. Student Summary about Oak Ridge, Tennessee

4. Student Worksheet for Secret City Film

5. Student Worksheet for Secret City Film Key




Subject: Security Briefing page 1 of 1

You have been selected for a highly classified top secret project. You will be broken into teams according to the color on your

badge. You are not allowed to discuss this project with anyone outside of your team. You will only discuss with your team

members items which are necessary to complete your assigned task. do not speculate about why you’re being asked to per-

form this task. You do not need to know. You do need to always remember that the task you are performing is vital and your

failure could result in the death of thousands of your fellow americans.

there are those who want to know what you are doing. they have sent spies and saboteurs in the past, and they will again.

one of the people right next to you could be a spy. if you suspect you know a spy don’t hesitate to write their name down and

give it to the project security officer (your teacher).

due to the importance of the work you are doing, we have placed specially trained fBi agents in the workforce to safe guard

you and your vital work. they will report any suspicious activity to the project security officer.

remember loose talk helps our enemy so let’s keep our trap shut!




list of Group assignments and Materials (Teachers key)

page 1 of 2

yellow Team: Separating U-235 and U-238 isotopes

Project materials: bottle, metal & plastic paper clips, magnet, empty container

Top Secret Product: this group is separating u-235 isotopes (metal paper clips) from u-238 isotopes (plastic paper clips).

the metal paper clips will be magnetically drawn to the electromagnet. point out that many people working on the electro-

magnet also didn’t know what they were making.

Purpose: the u.s. government needed to separate u-235 from u-238 isotopes in order to construct the bomb

Instructions: the yellow team will be assigned the task of separating the metal paperclips from the plastic paper clips using

a magnet. all paper clips will be placed in the empty bottle that is provided. the students will remove the metal clips from

the bottle without removing the plastic paperclips. they will accomplish this by moving the magnet along the outside of the

bottle. at no point can the students manually empty the clips from the bottle. after the metal clips are removed, students will

connect paperclips into chains of six paper clips per chain.

Blue Team: Build an Electromagnet

Project materials: Wire, alligator clips, metal paper clips, nail, one 6-volt lantern battery, scissors, knife-type switch,

tape measure.

Top Secret Product: to create an electromagnet that can separately pick up metal paper clips (u-235). students cannot touch

the paper clips with their fingers. they must only use the magnet to move metal clips.

Purpose: make an electromagnet to separate u-235 for an atomic bomb

Instructions: the blue team will be assigned the task of constructing an electromagnet using the materials provided. the nail

must be wrapped from end to end with wire, attached to alligator clips, and then connected to the 6-volt battery and knife

switch. the electromagnet must be capable of picking up a small metal object and releasing it on command. Be sure the stu-

dents leave the knife switch open in the “Off” position whenever they are not using the electromagnet. Heat will build up in the

wire and battery if left “On” for long periods.




list of Group assignments and Materials (Teachers key)

page 2 of 2

red Team: Build an airplane

Project materials: 8.5 x 11 paper, measuring tape, masking tape, and folding instructions.

Top Secret Goal: to create a flyable airplane.

Purpose: to make an airplane capable of delivering the bomb

Instructions: the red team will be assigned the task of constructing a paper airplane. using the design given, each mem-

ber will attempt to construct his/her own aircraft. the team will be assigned an open area where members can test-fly their

planes. they will measure the distances the planes fly with a customary measuring tape by marking where the planes land

with masking tape. the team will submit the one aircraft that flies at least 10 feet. if all the planes fly at least 10 feet, then the

one that flew the farthest will be submitted. if the group finishes early, they may decorate their planes.

Note: Two airplane designs are included. Look in the Red Team folder and determine which paper airplane instructions seem

best for your students and disregard the other set of instructions.

Green Team: Build a sphere to hold the bomb

Project materials: small yellow paper, ruler, folding instructions.

Top Secret Goal: to create a box

Purpose: to create a holding device for the bomb materials.

Instructions: the green team will be assigned the task of constructing a paper sphere (also known as a chinese Water Ball),

using the design provided. they will construct the sphere using a variety of paper of different sizes. the group will make at

least three paper spheres. the final paper sphere must be no larger than 2 inches wide by 2 inches tall.




page 1 of 1

during World War ii, there was a secret project known as the “manhattan project” that built the two atomic bombs that were

dropped over Japan to end the war. oak ridge, tennessee, was one of the major development centers of that project. [other

centers were los alamos, new mexico, and the hanford site in Washington state.]

the oak ridge site was a uranium enrichment plant designed to separate uranium 235 from uranium 238 to use as fuel for

the nuclear weapon known as “little Boy.” they also developed the process for creating plutonium that was used as the full

production method at another manhattan project site. plutonium was the fuel for the nuclear weapon known as “fat man.”

oak ridge was a small rural community of about 4,000 residents in 1942. By 1944 it had a population of 75,000 and was the

fifth largest city in tennessee, but, due to the project’s secrecy, was not shown on any maps of the state at the time. people in

the area often said that it seemed that the town “grew overnight.” most of the population worked on the project either in the

labs or production facilities or related public services.

the building of the facilities as well as inventing the processes that would allow the facilities to separate the uranium had to

be accomplished at the same time so the united states could develop the technology before the germans and Japanese. this

huge undertaking had to be done in complete secrecy. the government did not want anyone to know what the manhattan

project’s goals were. the project’s final goal was a secret even to the vast majority of the workers.

the atomic bombs made with the fuel and processes created at the facilities at oak ridge were used on Japan in august of

1945. “little Boy” was dropped on hiroshima, Japan, on august 6, 1945, and “fat man” was dropped on nagasaki on august

9, 1945. although the u.s. didn’t have any more atomic bombs prepared, the Japanese thought they had more. due to the

destruction caused by the two bombs, Japanese leaders decided to surrender rather than risk more bombs. on august 14,

1945, Japan surrendered to the allies ending World War ii.

most of the workers at oak ridge found out what they had made the same way the rest of the world did, in the newspaper the

day after the first atomic bomb had been dropped.

Student Summary about oak ridge, Tennessee




Student Worksheet for Secret City Film page 1 of 2

1. Why was oak ridge called a secret city?

2. Why did the u.s. president franklin roosevelt decide to develop an atomic bomb?

3. What was the code name for the project?

4. Why did u.s. leaders choose the oak ridge site?

5. how did the federal government get land for the project?

6. What was the local name for the project during World War ii?




Student Worksheet for Secret City Film page 2 of 2

7. Why was separating u-235 from u-238 so hard?

8. did people in oak ridge know what the plant was making? did the people who worked at the plant know?

9. Why was the briefcase chained to the courier’s wrist?

10. What was the result of the united states dropping two atomic bombs on Japan?

11. many of the oak ridge workers did not know they were working on an atomic bomb until after it was dropped. do you

think the workers felt excited or deceived when they found out the purpose of their work?




Student Worksheet for Secret City Film key page 1 of 1

1. Why was oak ridge called a secret city?

Because the u.S. government was conducting a secret project there—they were trying to build the first atomic bomb.

Most people who lived in the city or the state didn’t know what was going on.

2. Why did the u.s. president franklin roosevelt decide to develop an atomic bomb?

Scientists told the President roosevelt that they thought scientists in other countries, including Germany, were

trying to find a way to build an atomic bomb, and the u.S. needed to be first.

3. What was the code name for the project?

The Manhattan Project

4. Why did u.s. leaders choose the oak ridge site?

It was close to a power source—Norris dam. Had access to river and railroads for easy transportation. Had ridges

and valleys that could be used to separate the town from the plants. It was out-of-range from submarine attacks.

5. how did the federal government get land for the project?

after choosing the location, they gave families living on the land less than one month to leave. The families didn’t

have a choice; they had to take the money the federal government offered them for the land and leave their homes.

6. What was the local name for the project during World War ii?

Clinton Engineer Works

7. Why was separating u-235 from u-238 so hard?

There was only a small amount of u-235 in uranium and no one had ever tried to separate it out from u-238.

Scientists had to figure out how to do it.

8. did people in oak ridge know what the plant was making? did the people who worked at the plant know?

No, No

9. Why was the briefcase chained to the courier’s wrist?

It was the processed uranium and the chain was to keep someone from grabbing the briefcase and stealing it.

10. What was the result of the united states dropping two atomic bombs on Japan?

The Japanese government surrendered and the war ended. Students might also point out the loss of life and the

destruction caused by the bomb.

11. many of the oak ridge workers did not know they were working on an atomic bomb until after it was dropped. do you

think the workers felt excited or deceived when they found out the purpose of their work?

Various answers. [From historical documents and interviews, most felt excited and proud. They believed they had

helped end the war sooner and saved american lives.]


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