Transformed!: How Everyday Things are Made

by Bill Slaven


Grade 4-7–This lively presentation looks at how 69 familiar items are made. Fun and Games includes baseballs, guitars, teddy bears, CDs, and marbles; Around the House includes books, dental floss, erasers, toothpaste, and wire; and Soup to Nuts covers bread, ice cream, peanut butter, and yogurt. The last section describes the raw materials used in the manufacturing processes, including aluminum, glass, paper, petroleum, and rubber. Historical information is included, such as the fact that the earliest form of football was played with a pig's bladder in Virginia in 1609. The steps needed to manufacture each item are numbered in bold type so that readers can follow along, and whimsical cartoon art helps them understand the process.