LESSON: CURIOUS GEORGE GOES TO A CHOCOLATE FACTORY

Lesson Summary

Curious George and the man with the yellow hat stop at a chocolate factory store. George follows a tour group around the factory, and before you know it, he accidentally – and dramatically - speeds up the candy production. How will the extra candy coming off the assembly line be handled? Curious George to the rescue!  Use this humorous book to teach your students about productivity.

Concept: Productivity

Definition: Labor productivity measures how many goods or services are produced per worker over a period of time – usually per hour. Greater productivity leads to greater efficiency and to higher standards of living.

Comprehension Questions:

What is a factory?
A factory is a place where workers produce goods.

In the story, what goods were produced in the factory?
Many different kinds of chocolate candy

What do we call the machines, tools, and equipment that help workers produce goods and services?
Capital resources

What is labor productivity?
Productivity measures how many goods or services workers produce in a period of time – usually per hour.

How did the machines in the story help the workers increase productivity in the factory?
The machines did work the workers didn’t have to do – or were unable to do. The machines helped the workers produce lots of candy each day. Also, the machines helped make the quality of the candy uniform and consistent. 

How did Curious George increase the productivity of the factory?
He accidentally increased the speed of the assembly line to “Extra Fast.” This forced the workers to work very fast, and Curious George was able to help them. Even though there was now one more “worker,” we can assume that the factory’s productivity increased! That is, more chocolate was produced per worker.

What are ways that farmers use machines to increase productivity?
They use tractors, plows, reapers, combines, trucks, etc. In fact, only about two to three out of 100 workers in the United States actually work on farms! This is a dramatic increase in productivity from colonial days, when most workers were farmers.

What are ways that other workers use tools, equipment, and machines to increase productivity?
Answers will vary depending on the type of worker chosen. E.g. carpenter – hammer, saw, screw driver, drill, etc.

What are some machines that help you and your family increase productivity at your house?
Lawn mower, vacuum sweeper, electric hedge trimmer, electric drill, dish washer – all these are examples. And there are many others!

Other Concepts: Capital Resources, Producers

  Productivity 

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