Name:  Kathryn M. Thyer

School:  Bunker Hill CUSD#8, Wolf Ridge Education Center

AAM affiliation:  Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

Email:  kthyer34@hotmail.com

Lesson Plan description and Rationale:  Students will analyze how products are packaged in the video and in photographs.  They will compare and contrast to today’s packaging standards.  They will learn about the importance of effective packaging and put it to a test.

State Standards

State Goal 1: Read with understanding and fluency.

1C – Comprehend a broad range of reading materials.

State Goal 10: Collect, organize and analyze date using statistical methods; predict results; and interpret uncertainty using concepts of probability.    

10A – Organize, describe and make predictions from existing

                    data.

State Goal 16: Understand events, trends, individuals and movements shaping the history of Illinois, the United States and other nations.

16A – Apply the skills of historical analysis and interpretation.

Objectives

Students will understand the importance of effectively packaging a product after viewing photos of different items.  They will then create a collage of examples of different kinds of packaging used today.   Students will analyze how light bulbs were packaged in the video, "A Day With Edison".  They will test the packaging of the light bulb today as was done in the video.  Students will chart their predictions on whether the light bulb will break as a result of the testing on the chart “Will It or Won’t It”. 

Resources:  Magazines for cutting out pictures, actual packaging materials

	Schroeder, H. “A Day With Thomas A. Edison/ General Electric Co.; producer, Bray Studios.” 1922. Inventing Entertainment: The Motion Pictures and Sound Recording of the Edison Companies. [http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/papr:@filreq (@field(NUMBER+@band(edmp+4057s6))+@field(COLLID+edison))]  [edmp 4057s3 4057s4 4057s5] (February 3, 2004)
	Jones, Suzi. “Wrapped Cuts.” Buckaroos in Paradise: Ranching Culture in Northern Nevada, 1945-1982. [http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/ncr: @field(DOCID+@lit(n46304))] [afc96ran 46304] (February 13, 2004)
	Lee, Russell. “Filling packages with rice, state mill, Abbelville, Louisiana.” Sept. 1938. America from the Great Depression to World War II: Photographs from the FSA-OWI, 1935-1945. [http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/ fsaall:@field(NUMBER+@band(fsa+8a23723))] [codhawp 00186132]  (February 13, 2004)  Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA-OWI Collection
	Perlitch, William. “Substitute materials containers.  New and old powder containers. Old type (square) metal container is shown alongside a new fiber package.” Sept. 1942. American from the Great Depression to World War II: Photographs from the FSA-OWI, 1935-1945. [http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/fsaall:@field (NUMBER+@band(fsa+8b07475))] [fsa 8b07475] (February 13, 2004)  Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA-OWI Collection, [LC-USE6-D-006260 DLC]
	Palmer, Alfred T. “Aircraft tire manufacture. Workman packages airplane tires of type in common use in U.S. military fighter aircraft. Goodyear, Akron, Ohio.” America from the Great Depression to World War II: Photographs form the FSA-OWI, 1935-1945. [http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/fsaall: @field(NUMBER+@band(fsa+8b01537))] [fsa 8b01537] Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA-OWI, Collection, [LC-USE6-D-002137 DLC]

 

Methods

1. Students will view the photographs of different packaged items.  They will discuss the importance of effectively packaging a product and analyze the packaging of items that are brought into the classroom.

2. Students will search through magazines, catalogs, etc. and create a collage of packaged items.

3. Students will view the video, "A Day With Edison", showing how the light bulbs are packaged and tested.  They should pay special attention to the materials used to wrap the bulbs and what the men did to test the packaging.

4. Students will be informed that they are going to conduct an experiment to test the packaging of today's light bulbs.  They will chart their predictions on whether they think the light bulbs will or will not break when dropped on the floor. 

5. The teacher will drop the light bulbs onto the floor to see if they break or not.  The student's predictions will compared to the results of the experiment.

6. The students will then draw a picture and write a sentence showing what happened with the light bulb experiment, Will It or Won't It?.

Evaluation

Students will be evaluated on their participation with charting their predictions on the chart, their individual creations of a packaging collage and the creation of their drawing/sentence.  They will receive a satisfactory if all of these tasks are completed.

Keywords

packaging, experiment, effective, product, collage