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DISCUSSION GUIDE
The
BRILLIANT CALCULATOR: How Mathematician Edith Clarke Helped Electrify America
12. Name some characteristics you think Edith showed in deciding to teach herself, hire a tutor, and to begin college late, “at the age most students graduate.”
13. Do you think Edith’s decision to become a teacher was “giving up” on her dream of being an engineer, or was it a practical choice? Why did she decide to stop teaching?
14. What are some of the reasons Edith found electricity to be fascinating?
15. Edith worked on her own to simplify the process of building lines that carried electricity over long distances, a problem that stumped many other engineers. What kind of person would work alone on such a challenge?
16. In the illustration where the other engineers are testing her calculator, describe what you imagine they are thinking. Look at Edith’s expression and posture. How do you think Edith feels?
17. On the next page, do you recognize any of the famous electrical engineers standing around Edith? Tell what you know about them. They are not mentioned in the story why do you think the illustrator included them?
18. On the last page, around the quotation, identify some of the things that are illustrated that women engineers can do and have done.
19. Like authors, illustrators do research when they tell historical stories. What details do you notice in the illustrations that help you understand the time and place?
20. Return to the predictions you made earlier. Were you correct? Did you find answers to any of the questions you asked? What would you like to know more about?
