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Queen of Physics:How Wu Chien Shiung Helped Unlock the Secrets of the Atom
by Teresa Robeson
Illustrated by Rebecca Huang
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Entry written by Dr. Jennifer M. Graff, Dr. Jenn Sanders, and Dr. Courtney Shimek on behalf of the Biography Clearinghouse.
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Research & Writing ProcessWho is Teresa Robeson?
A self-professed aficionado of physics and amateur astronomer, Teresa Robeson considered studying astrophysics in college, but ended up studying linguistics with a little climatology on the side. Born in Hong Kong, raised in Vancouver, Canada, and currently living in Indiana, Teresa is committed to writing books for children that focus on science and her Chinese cultural heritage. Queen of Physics: How Wu Chien Shiung Helped Unlock the Secrets of the Atom is her debut picturebook, and she has a forthcoming nonfiction, science-related picturebook, Clouds in Space: The Nebula Story. Teresa is an alumna of the We Need Diverse Books mentoring program and her manuscript, Clear and Bright: the Ching Ming Festival, won the Silver prize in the 2020-21 Astra International Picture Book writing contest. Visit her website and blog to learn “top-secret” information about Teresa and more about her current projects.
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Teresa's Process
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Listen to Teresa explain how she researched and wrote Queen of Physics. In particular she addresses:
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Who is Rebecca M. Huang?
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Originally from Taiwan and currently living in the San Francisco Bay area of California, Rebecca’s contribution to the arts community began with doodling as a child and has evolved into her serving as the program coordinator for the Community School of Music and Arts. In both her first illustrated picturebook, Bobo and the New Baby (2018), and in Queen of Physics (2019), Rebecca primarily uses printmaking techniques and color pencil. Visit her website to learn more about her and view some of her work.
Queen of Physics has received numerous awards and honors in 2020 including the Asian/Pacific American Libraries Association’s youth literature award, the ILA Children’s and Young Adults’ Book Award Nonfiction Honor, ALA’s Notable Children’s Book, and a NCTE Orbis Pictus Recommended Book. |
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Rebecca's Process & Artifacts
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Listen to Rebecca explain how she researched and illustrated Queen of Physics. In particular she addresses:
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Craft & Structure
Peer Conferencing for Writing
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Teresa Robeson was mentored by author and poet, Jane Yolen, during her participation in the We Need Diverse Books mentorship program. This mentorship was influential in helping Teresa develop a poetic voice in Queen of Physics and in revising the book for publication [see her interview at 24:24]. Peer conferencing or peer tutoring can serve as a similar opportunity for young writers to get feedback on their writing (Sanders & Damron, 2017). Students need to be taught how to effectively peer conference, and once they learn a handful of strategies, peer tutoring can be a truly collaborative and mutually beneficial learning experience for the writer and peer mentor. Sanders and Damron (2017), in their book about writing peer tutoring, recommend training students in these five WRITE processes: Watch, Respect, Involve, Teach, Encourage.
Students can also focus their conferences on any writer’s craft lesson they have been taught. Engaging in regular peer conferences or peer tutoring experiences helps young writers understand the value of feedback throughout the writing process and counters the myth of the isolated, independent writer. |
“Watch for ideas and organization first.”
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Comparing and Contrasting Text and Illustrations
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Picturebook biographies are wonderful resources for text and illustration comparisons and contrasts. In Queen of Physics, comparing and contrasting Teresa and Rebecca’s strategic compositions are optimal activities to not only better understand authors’ and illustrators’ craft structures but also to understand Wu Chien Shiung life experiences.
In her interview, Teresa shares how Candace Fleming’s concept of the “vital idea” guided what she included or excluded in her picturebook biography about Wu Chien Shiung [see Teresa’s interview video at 14:13]. Teresa often used signal words of contrast (e.g., but,yet), alignment (e.g., and, too), and cause-effect (e.g., because, if . . . then) to document Wu Chien Shiung’s personal, professional, and societal trials and tribulations. These words invite readers to follow many of the highs and lows of Wu Chien Shiung’s personal and professional journeys, and how those experiences contributed to her character development, including her perseverance. |
Paying specific attention to these signal words, have students map out the successes and difficulties of Wu Chien Shiung’s life. Students may come to find that some events were both positive and negative at the same time. Additionally, students can compare and contrast contemporary views on gender, science, etc. with the historical views during Wu Chien Shiung’s life in China and the U.S. For younger students or students who need more support, provide sentence frames such as, People used to think…, but now many people believe . . . or In the past, . . . but in the present, . . . .
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Similarly, Rebecca discusses her intentional use of contrasting shapes such as sharp rectangles and smooth circles or ovals [Rebecca’s Interview video 13:40], lines, and color hues [Rebecca’s Interview video: 19:15] to help evoke or convey emotions such as frustration, sadness, joy, and comfort. Rebecca’s artistic and compositional decisions help establish the historical tone and accentuate the significant events and people in Wu Chien Shiung’s life [Rebecca’s Interview video: 11:30]. Her use of single and double-page spreads to signal the significance or intensity of particular moments in Wu Chien Shiung’s life are equally as strategic [Rebecca’s Interview video: 20:48].
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Have students pay attention to Rebecca’s art throughout the book, comparing and contrasting the use of rectangles and circles, colors, angular or curved lines, and the use of single or double-page spreads in relation to the narrative content. They can document what they notice using virtual or physical sticky notes on particular pages or discuss the artistic choices and effects during a whole group read aloud. Ask students to document how certain pages make them feel. They can also document and/or discuss what art elements contributed to their feelings. Other possible questions include, How do these emotions connect with how Wu Chien Shiung feels at that particular moment in her life? Where might there be mixed emotions and how are those mixtures conveyed through text and image?
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Content & Disciplinary ThinkingBuilding Historical Knowledge about ChinaChina has a long and rich history that dates back thousands of years B.C.E. (before the common era). In its early years, China was ruled by a series of dynasties. During the 1900s when Wu Chien Shiung lived in China, there were several political uprisings and government transitions, including the establishment of The Communist Party of China in 1921, the Shanghai Massacre of 1927, and an 18-year civil war from 1931-1949. This political turmoil was referred to in the Queen of Physics when the author mentioned Madame Wu’s involvement in protests against the government.
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Nat Geo Kids provides a brief overview of China’s country and history. Teachers might read other picture books or biographies to begin to build historical context. For example, Confucius: The Great Teacher by Demi (2018) tells about the life of Kong Qiu (or Kong Fuzi), an influential teacher, governor, and philosopher who helped develop China’s Confucious values and beliefs. To learn about another female Chinese scientist who lived and worked around the same time as Wu Chien Shiung, students can read the picturebook biography written by Songju Ma Daemicke and illustrated by Lin, Tu Youyou’s Discovery: Finding a Cure for Malaria (2021).
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After learning a little more about China’s history, revisit Queen of Physics and ask students, How does this history help you understand Wu Chien Shiung’s life better? Have students create a two-column chart about what they knew before the history exploration and what they understood better or differently after learning new information.
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Additional Asian American or Pacific Islander Activists
Wu Chien Shiung faced discrimination for being Chinese and a female in a White male dominated industry (physics), but she persevered and became such a phenomenal physicist that she became known as “The First Lady of Physics Research'' by Smithsonian magazine and the “Queen of Physics” by Newsweek (opening 19). In her later years, she worked to develop educational programs for girls in STEM in both the U.S. and China. Despite all of these accomplishments, she has been erased from most history books [see Teresa’s interview video [3:00] and Rebecca’s interview video [1:25].] Her relative erasure from history parallels how often she was overlooked in her life and reminds us of other prominent Asian and Asian American/Pacific Islander (AAPI) activists doing important work in fighting racism and discrimination but also are left out of our curriculum. In addition to exploring websites for Anti-Asian hate resources for educators such as CHOOSE, Rethinking Schools, and the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), here is a list of 10 AAPI activists to know and further research with students.
Yuri Kochiyama was a political activist from California who fought with Malcom X to work for racial justice, civil and human rights, and anti-war movements. She went on to work in the redress and reparations movements for Japanese-Americans and continued to fight for political prisoners until she passed away in 2014.
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Pranjal Jain is an Indian-American activist who has been organizing since she was 12 years old. As a current undergraduate at Cornell University, she is the founder of Global Girlhood, a women-led organization that inspires intercultural and intergenerational dialogue in online and offline spaces.
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Fred Korematsu was 23 years-old when the people of Japanese descent in California were forced into internment/concentration camps. He refused to comply with the order and he was arrested by the FBI. With the help of the American Civil Liberties Union, he sued the United States government, and although the legality of the forced internment was initially upheld, Korematsu’s conviction was overturned 40 years later. See Densho.org’s website for more information about Korematsu, a list of biographies about Korematsu for young audiences, and other Japanese Americans who challenged the incarcerations, such as Mitsuye Endo.
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Kiyoshi Kuromiya was an author who co-founded the Gay Liberation Front Philadelphia after the Stonewall Riots and actively fought for gay liberation throughout the United States. Later, when the AIDS epidemic began to intensify, he developed the Philadelphia chapter of ACT UP (AIDS Coalition To Unleash Power) and founded the Critical Path newsletter, which informed thousands of people and inmates worldwide about AIDS and how to obtain HIV treatment.
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Kristina Wong is a Korean-American artist, comedienne, writer, and performer who uses social media and performance art to end anti-Asian racism, to provide essential services for the homeless, and to make and distribute face masks for front line workers and vulnerable populations during the COVID-19 pandemic. She is most widely known for creating an award-winning digital series titled Radical Cram School that features Asian American history and identity not included in most school curricula.
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Stephanie Hu is a Chinese American who founded Dear Asian Youth while she was a high school student as a support website for marginalized young people as a result of the rise in anti-Asian racism and violence during the Covid-19 pandemic.
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Anna May Wong was the first Chinese American movie star to appear in U.S. box offices. Although she was often relegated to smaller roles that perpetuated Asian stereotypes, her career spanned silent films, talkies, theater, and television, and she helped blaze the trail for Asian American performers after her. See Paula Yoo and Lin Yang’s (2009) picturebook biography, Shining Star: The Anna May Wong Story, published by Lee & Low Books.
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Larry Itliong was a Filipino American labor organizer who fought for agricultural workers’ rights and helped organize the Delano grape strike from 1965-1970. He often worked alongside Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta and founded the Filipino Farm Labor Union. He eventually became a leader of the AFL-CIO union’s Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee.
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George Takei is an actor and activist for LGBTQ and human rights and an advocate for Japan-U.S. relations. After spending his childhood in a Japanese internment/concentration camp, he is most widely known for his role of Sulu on Star Trek, but he has also worked consistently in Hollywood since the late 1950s in a variety of roles. He currently serves as a spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign’s “Coming Out Project.” His graphic novel memoir, They Called Us Enemy (2019), co-written with Justin Eisinger and Steven Scott and illustrated by Harmony Becker has won numerous youth literature awards.
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Haunani-Kay Trask was a Hawaiian activist, educator, author, and poet. She was a professor emeritus at University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, the founder of the Kamakakūokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies and its director for 10 years, and a leader of the Hawaiian sovereignty movement.
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Social & Emotional Learning
The Role of Names in Identity
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Names are an important part of a person’s identity, and there are often culturally specific naming practices in different countries or for particular groups of people. In Queen of Physics, Wu Chien Siung’s name is spelled as it would be in China as well as other Asian countries such as Japan and Korea: the family’s surname (Wu) is listed first and then the individual’s given name, often written in syllabic form, follows (Chien Siung). Middle names, common in European American communities, are often absent. In many Hispanic or Latinx/e cultures, people have two surnames that represent the paternal and maternal families. Both surnames should be used when possible. The TESOL International Association provides useful information for seven cultural naming practices. Since names are such a meaningful part of people’s identities, it is important that we take time to learn to pronounce people’s names correctly (to the best of our linguistic abilities) and use names in culturally accurate ways.
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Here are some great children’s books to help start the conversation with students about the importance of names and their given and preferred/chosen names.
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Family Separations
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Teresa’s poetic narrative captures the deep sadness Wu Chien Shiung and her family felt when she moved to a school 50 miles away from home, then 150 miles away, and eventually over 7,000 miles to the United States to continue her education. After WWII, Wu Chien Shiung did not get to see her parents again before they passed away because of the political unrest in China and her dedication to her work.
Teresa’s emphasis on the separation of Wu Chien Shiung from her family and the sacrifices she made in service to her work reminds us of other circumstances where children are separated from their families, as well as contemporary picturebooks that capture many of these circumstances. Travel is often impossible for families due to financial burdens, the inability to take time away from work and school, and/or government restrictions. Some separations are forced, while others are tough decisions families have to make for financial opportunities and stability among other reasons. |
The following picturebooks highlight examples of family separation that young students might relate to or can develop empathy from.
After reading some or all of these picturebooks with your students, discuss the similarities and differences amongst them. What emotions did the protagonists of these stories express and how did they each cope with the separation from their families? How were these stories similar to and different from Wu Chien Shiung’s decision to leave her family for school? How do you feel when you do not get to see your family or friends for very long? How has the pandemic changed the ways we interact with our families that live far away? |
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New Texts & ArtifactsPrintmaking a Character for FictionRebecca Huang uses a medium called printmaking to create her illustrations for the Queen of Physics. Two basic relief printmaking techniques are woodblock and linocut in which printmakers carve a reverse or mirror image of their final picture onto linoleum or wood blocks. Then they use ink rollers called brayers to roll ink across the carved block and either hand rub or use a special press machine to press the inked block onto paper to create the final artwork. Often, a printmaker will carve multiple layers in the block, stopping to print each layer in a different color, to create a multicolored print. Pace Prints has a detailed description of the many kinds of printmaking techniques, and YouTube has some great videos about printmaking techniques. Funny Bones written and illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh is another award-winning biography about the printmaker Jose Guadalupe Posada, and the book includes information about printmaking techniques as well.
By using basic supplies such as styrofoam plates and markers for printmaking, students can create a character to print and use in their own creative story. Watch this video of a teacher demonstrating the styrofoam printmaking process. |
If you have 1-2 hours...Each student can design a main character for a story they write, and then draw and marker-print the character on paper. In this activity, students will experience the process of printmaking in a simplistic way that helps them understand the steps and all the work that goes into making printed images. If you only have 1-2 days, students can include a background setting for their character in their styrofoam drawing and print. If you have more time, we suggest students leave the background blank/empty for the next activity.
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If you have 1-2 days...After they create their printed character (above), students can draft the story in which their character experiences a problem, challenge, or adventure. Based on the story they create, they can add a background setting in their picture to place their character in the context of their story. Students will simply draw the background setting and objects around their character on their printed picture.
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If you have 1-2 weeks...Students can print their character four to six times, on separate pieces of paper, to create a storyboard with multiple scenes. Save one of these prints to make a title page for the story. For this activity, we recommend students leave the background of the styrofoam plate empty so they can draw in different backgrounds as the story progresses. Then, they can divide their corresponding written story into sections (three, four, or five, depending on the number of prints they made). For each story section, they can draw in a related background setting, additional characters, or objects to help complete the scene. In the end, they will have a multimedia print that has their character marker-printed and the background drawn in with pen, marker, or other tools.
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Write Your Name
Building on the information shared above in social and emotional learning on the role of names in identity formation, this name writing activity will scaffold students in exploring their own experiences with and feelings about their name. There are several versions of Perl and Schwartz’s “Writing Your Name--In Four Parts” activity (2006, p.15), and we provide an adaptation below. The goal of the activity is to have students explore various objective and subjective ideas about their name and reflect on their own name histories and experiences.
If you have 1-2 hours... |
If you have 1-2 days... |
If you have 1-2 weeks... |
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After reading one of the books listed above, such as Your Name is a Song, have students turn and talk to a partner about their own experiences with their name. To encourage active listening, you can have student A retell student B’s name experience to the class, and vice versa, or combine two pairs of students to form a small group of four, to save time.
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Engage students in the full writing activity, using these directions:
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Follow up on the previous writing activities by having students start writing a personal narrative that integrates the information and ideas from the sections above, using the portions they like and discarding the portions they don’t want to put in their final narrative. Students will probably need a full 30-45 minute writing session to write the first draft, and a second day to get peer feedback and make revisions. To make this composition multimodal, students can find or take three or four photographs that they feel represent their identity and complement their written narrative. Be sure to make time in the following day or two for students to share their stories with each other. You might have an author share time, across multiple days, to let students read their story aloud, or students can compile their personal narratives into a class anthology.
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References:
Sanders, J., & Damron, R.L. (2017). They’re all writers: Teaching peer tutoring in the elementary writing center. NWP & Teachers College Press.
Perl, S., & Schwartz, M. (2006). Writing true: The art and craft of creative nonfiction. Houghton Mifflin Company.
Graff, J., Sanders, J. & Shimek, C. (2022)., M.A., & Thulin Dawes, E. (2020). Queen of Physics: How Wu Chien Shiung Helped Unlock the Secrets of the Atom. The Biography Clearinghouse.