In the Classroom

• Take full advantage of the curriculum materials provided. Display the poster prominently. It immediately sets the tone.
• Show segments of the video in four separate class viewings.
• Photocopy sections of the curriculum guide, such as the history section, and distribute them to the class.
• Make classroom exercises as much about doing as about telling.
• Ask students to bring something that they've made to class. It can be a hand-made greeting card, ashtray, necklace, needlepoint, etc. Discuss "why" they were produced.
• Bring something into class that you can take apart and have students reassemble. Bring in several, if possible, so that students can work in teams. Ball point pens are inexpensive and readily available.
• Ask students to create flow charts to demonstrate how they recreated an object, or ask them to recount the steps in an oral presentation before the class.
• Provide students the opportunity to make something in class - cookies, cards, woodwork, jewelry, holiday ornaments, etc. Ask them to brainstorm ideas about products they can make during classroom "mass production."
• Ask older students to create a system for manufacturing multiples of these objects during a classroom session. Help younger students by assigning roles and explaining how each step is necessary to the next.
• Have several books and materials related to manufacturing readily available for students to explore.

Preparing for the Factory Tour

• Ask yourself as a teacher what you want students to gain from the factory tour. Ask yourself how students can benefit, rather than just "see how cars are made."
• Meet with the tour guide in advance to share your goals with him/her and obtain suggestions and ideas.
• Present one or two questions to the class that you want them to consider during the tour.
• Ask students to describe their favorite job at the factory...and their least favorite. Ask why they would or wouldn't want a particular job.
• Design a classroom session after the tour to explore questions about the tour or provide students an opportunity to present their ideas about what they learned.