Opening the Secret City

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Abstract

New education standards as well as teaching and learning pedagogy have moved toward more student-centered learning, critical inquiry, and collaborative learning. Providing the tools to prepare teachers for this shift was a goal of “Opening the Secret City,” which brought together thirty Tennessee high school teachers of English, social studies, and science for a week-long summer workshop that guided them to world-renowned research labs, gave them time with local historians and scientists, and presented them with a collection of primary and secondary resources all centered on the historic Manhattan Project. Teachers across multiple disciplines—and eventually many of their students—were immersed in the rich history, science, and literacy of the Manhattan Project and of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, a historical and educational gem ideal for teaching and learning. The workshop and resources served as a model for interdisciplinary teaching and learning using a themed approach that takes advantage of local, regional, and state resources, regardless of classroom location. Researchers sought during and after the workshop to learn teachers’ perspectives on the way cross-disciplinary collaboration strengthened their understanding of content and standards knowledge; their perspectives on the way more access to primary and secondary sources shaped student engagement and learning; and teachers’ thinking on the way workshop activities shaped their pedagogical knowledge and classroom strategies.