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Why are so many toys made out of plastic?
Material Magic Unit | Lesson 3 of 6
Back > Share

Why are so many toys made out of plastic?

Material Magic Unit | Lesson 3 of 6
Lesson narration:
English Spanish
Scroll for prep
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DISCUSS:

Say you wanted to make a bunch of lion-shaped popsicles.

How do you think popsicle companies make lots of copies, without having to carve each one?

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DISCUSS:

Why do you think toy companies started using plastic instead of wood? What do you think might be so special about plastic?

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DISCUSS: (1/2)

Can you think of any other materials with this property? What else melts besides ice, plastic, metal, and glass?

For a hint, go to the next slide...

Hint:

Is there anything you eat that melts?

Here is what we thought of...

DISCUSS: (2/2)

Some candy melts. How can you test different kinds of candy to find out which kinds melt and which kinds don’t?

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Slide Image
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material


1 of 13

what something is made of, like metal, wood, or plastic
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metal


2 of 13

a natural material that is often shiny and you cannot see through it
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wood


3 of 13

a natural material that comes from trees
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plastic


4 of 13

a material people make that can be formed into almost any shape
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glass


5 of 13

a material people make that's easy to see through
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matter


6 of 13

anything that takes up space; can be in different forms such as solid, liquid, or gas

states of matter


7 of 13

the different forms of matter that include solid, liquid, and gas
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solid


8 of 13

a state of matter, such as water when it is frozen ice

liquid


9 of 13

a state of matter, such as water when you can pour it
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freeze


10 of 13

when a liquid turns to solid, like when liquid water freezes to solid ice
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melt


11 of 13

when a solid turns into a liquid, like when ice melts into water
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invention


12 of 13

a new object or way of doing things that someone creates
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experiment


13 of 13

a test used to discover new information about a question
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Image & Video Credits

Mystery Science respects the intellectual property rights of the owners of visual assets. We make every effort to use images and videos under appropriate licenses from the owner or by reaching out to the owner to get explicit permission. If you are the owner of a visual and believe we are using it without permission, please contact us—we will reply promptly and make things right.

Exploration
doll by Gabby , used under CC BY
legos by Priwo , used under CC BY
superman toy by JD Hancock , used under CC BY
toy car by Emi Yañez , used under CC BY
old photo by Grandview This Week
blocks by Josh Wedin , used under CC BY
horse by Garrison Gunter , used under CC BY-SA
wood car by Collectie Stichting Nationaal Museum van Wereldculturen , used under CC BY-SA
carving video by Gene Messer , used under CC BY
wooden lion by Ostheimer Toys , used under CC BY
xacto knife by Just plain Bill
zoo pops by World Wonders , used under CC BY
ice cubes by Liz West , used under CC BY
Ice cube melting by HeyHondo , used under CC BY
ice cube tray by Leif Maxfield , used under CC BY
yeti ice tray by Fred & Friends , used under CC BY
holding ice by AppleSister , used under CC BY-SA
wood by Elke Wetzig , used under CC BY-SA
Edmund Parkes by Barraud , used under CC BY
flask by Databese Center for Life Science , used under CC BY
zombie plastic soldiers by Scientifical Hamster , used under CC BY
army man by davidd , used under CC BY
dinosaur mold by Ron's Rescued Treasures , used under CC BY
lego man by sprout_labs , used under CC BY
Activity
mailbox by CGP Grey , used under CC BY
sign by Richard Leonard , used under CC BY
truck driving by Per , used under CC BY-SA
melting chocolate bar by Shizhao , used under CC BY-SA
caramel by Rainer Zenz , used under CC BY-SA
gummy bears by David O'Hare , used under CC BY
starburst candy by Evan-Amos
Credits

Featured Reviews

“I LOVED this lesson. I really liked how it gave the children a concrete example of how the properties of a material can influence the way that people make decisions. I also loved how it connected a popular toy to their learning which kept them engaged. The structure of the mystery science lessons is AMAZING! Mixing both the visuals/videos with task analysis of the experiments makes it not only engaging but so manageable to do in the classroom with no help. Thanks for all your hard work creating these mystery science and mystery doug for my students and I to enjoy. Keep up the great work!!”
· Erin · Teacher
“Students were very engaged. They were excited about the exploration and the problem put forth. They had some great discussions with each other about properties of materials and how they can change.”
· Colleen · Teacher
“The hands on investigation was right on target! My students couldn't believe how quickly some candy melted or that some didn't melt at all.”
· Amy · Teacher
“The kids got so excited to watch the different candies melt while others held their form. Of course they also liked getting to eat the leftover candy. The glass blowing and aluminum videos were very cool!”
· Karen · Teacher
“My students loved testing the candy to see which ones would melt more when heated up. Great way to teach material changes and the phases of matter. ”
· · Teacher
“They loved taking a look further into the "Meltable" stage and then eating a little bit of candy too. GREAT LESSON to begin the process of understanding the chemical change. ”
· Ashley · Teacher
“This lesson was so great to kick off our 5th grade unit on properties of matter! The kids were so amazed by the process and were hooked by the videos. We don't know what we would do without mystery science!!!”
· Stephanie · Teacher
“Kids loved the idea of meltability! We even extended the activity and melted old crayons, using our playground to find the most heat conducting structure to put the cups with broke crayons into. Very fun! ”
· Charisse · Teacher
“Seeing the kids' faces when the candy started to melt (or not melt) was the best part.”
· Annika · Teacher
“Students enjoyed the extras at the end of the video, and looking back into history at older toys. ”
· Rose · Teacher
“The activity with melting candy was the best part. My students were able to ask further questions to continue their scientific process!”
· Shannon · Teacher
“The candy activity was so much fun. We heated the water more & got some to melt. Then we let the chocolate harden -- one on the counter, one in the fridge, one in the freezer. We compared their firmness later -- and ate them. :) The kids also really liked the videos about the glassblower and the making of the sword.”
· · Homeschooler
“My students loved watching the candy melt in the water right before their eyes!”
· Tara · Teacher
“My students absolutely LOVED doing the experiment! They bragged about it to the other third grade students and the students who were absent when we did the experience were extremely jealous. The videos were engaging and they brought the curiosity out in my students. We had some amazing discussions with the prompts that the lesson gave. This was my first lesson taught from Mystery Science and I am looking forward to teaching more to my students...they are all looking forward to it as well!”
· Robin · Teacher
“This really opened their eyes. They loved the candy melt activity. We extended it the next day by seeing how the candy that melted solidified. ”
· Megan · Teacher
“The kids were very engaged and thought that it was neat watching the different materials melt! It definitely showed how some solids can become liquids when they are heated!”
· Marsha · Teacher
“LOVED this lesson! I liked how the video had turn & talk questions embedded throughout. The students were engaged with the authenticity of the task. The clear directions, the prep list, and the students' recording sheet were very helpful. We also loved the extension activities!”
· Kelli · Teacher
“My principal sat in on the lesson and was surprised to see how engaged all the students were. She commented on the excitement she saw on their faces and the discussions that were taking place. This lesson fit very well in the Danielson Domains that I am evaluated on.”
· Cathy · Teacher
“When my daughter suggested testing the melting point of candy by putting it in warm water - I hadn't even filled the container. She's taking it all in and thinking about it”
· Heather · Other
“This tied in really well with our States of Matter unit, and involving candy made it really engaging for my son ;-)”
· Bec · Homeschooler
“The students really liked the video on plastics, the inventor of plastics and making the connection to science. They loved the experiment and it was easy to do. The step by step how to do the experiment was fantastic and easy for students to follow along. The stop and discuss was portions would perfect as well. thank you! I also shared what we did and hopefully other teachers will do it too! ”
· Dixie · Teacher
“I used this on the day before Halloween, as suggested. It was perfect.”
· Tera · Teacher
“Easy, directions were thorough, kids loved it”
· Bev · Teacher
“watching the students light up and understand the melting properties of matter”
· Lisa · Teacher
“I LOVE Mystery Science, and my students do, too. The lessons are complete, easy to prepare and manage, especially with the step-by-step videos. Thanks for making science easy and accessible for all 28 of our third grade students.”
· · Teacher
Lesson narration:
English Spanish

Grade 2

Material Properties

Heating, Cooling, & States of Matter

2-PS1-2, 2-PS1-4

Activity Prep

Print Prep
In this lesson, students learn about melting, about the solid and liquid states of matter, and then discover why plastic was invented. In the activity, Candy Melt, students conduct an investigation to determine which types of candy melt in hot water. Using their observations, they decide which candy is the best choice to bring to a hot summer camp.
Preview activity

I have a Mystery Pack

Testing Candy for Camp Way-Too-Hot worksheet 30 copies
Coolers
To keep the water warm. You can line a cardboard box with bath towels to create a homemade cooler.
Details
1 cooler
Rulers
Used to keep the candy submerged in warm water. Popsicle stick or spoon will also work.
Details
30 rulers
Candy Variety 1 (Ex: Gummy Bears)
Candy with a low melting point. Gummy worms or other gelatin based candies work
Details
5 fun-size packs
Candy Variety 2 (Ex: Starburst)
Candy with a medium melting point. Caramels or Butterscotch Chips work
Details
1 11-oz bag
Candy Variety 3 (Ex: Jelly Beans)
Candy with a high melting point. Gumdrops or Swedish Fish also work.
Details
5 ounces
Chocolate Chips
May melt and re-solidify en-route. Still usable. A square of chocolate works too.
Details
6 ounces
Plastic Containers w/ Lids
Will be used to hold hot water.
Details
15 containers
Thick Paper Plates
These plates are used for insulation so thin plates won't work. Styrofoam plates also work.
Details
15 plates
Ziploc Bags (Sandwich Size)
Snack size Ziploc bags also work.
Details
30 bags
Prep Instructions

We suggest students work in pairs for this activity. Homeschool students can work alone, but will need to test all the different types of candy on their own.

You will need a source of hot water for this activity and a way to keep the containers of hot water warm. You can either use a cooler or create your own insulator using a cardboard box and bath towels.

Prepare the Candy

You need to fill the Ziploc bags with candy before class. This will take about 20 minutes.

  1. Count out one Ziploc bag per student.
  2. For half of those bags, put 12 chocolate chips (or a small square of chocolate) in each.
  3. Divide the remaining bags into three groups: “A,” “B,” and “C.”
  4. Put a few pieces of Candy Variety 1 with a low melting point (gummy bears or gummy worms) into each “A” bag. Put a few pieces of Candy Variety 2 with an intermediate melting point (Starburst, caramels, or butterscotch chips) into each “B” bag. Put a few pieces of Candy Variety 3 with a high melting point (jelly beans, gumdrops, or Swedish Fish) into each “C” bag.
  5. When you hand out the Ziploc bags to your students, make sure that each pair of students gets a bag of chocolate and a bag of either group “A,” “B,” or “C” so they can compare the melting point of chocolate to one of the other candy types.

Note: For a fair test, try to keep the amount of chocolate and candy in each bag consistent.

Homeschool students will need 4 Ziploc bags. One bag with chocolate chips, one with high melting point candy, one with medium melting point candy, and one with low melting point candy.

Prepare the Hot Water

When students do the activity, the water needs to be hot to the touch — a little above body temperature. You can fill the containers with hot water up to 3 hours before you do the activity, as long as you have a way to keep them insulated.

  1. Start with water that’s hot enough to make a cup of tea (about 180° F or 82°C).
  2. Fill each container about halfway with the hot water. Place the lid on top of each container.
  3. Put the containers in a cooler (or line a cardboard box with some thick bath towels and wrap the containers up to keep them warm).

Prepare the Results Chart

At the end of the activity, we suggest that you gather all student results from their Candy Melt experiment and record it on the board for everyone to see. Below is an example of the chart that you can write on the board either before class or while the Exploration video is playing.

Candy Melt Table

Exploration

20 mins

Hands-On Activity

35 mins

Grade 2

Material Properties

Heating, Cooling, & States of Matter

2-PS1-2, 2-PS1-4

Slow internet or video problems?
Credits
 
Materials Lesson 3: Why are so many toys made out of plastic?

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