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A Busy Day at the Factory

Mabel, the quality inspector, keeps a lookout to make sure that everything is running smoothly in the candy factory. The workers work on assigned jobs. The machine they use can wrap 278 toffees in a minute. The specialization of labor and the machinery lead to higher productivity. However, there are times when the production process does not work as smoothly as desired.

Interested in using this resource in your classroom? Check out the posters that go along with this book: Productivity, Capital Resources, Specialization, Human Resources.

Author: Philippe Dupasquier
Publisher: Candlewick Press

Comprehension Questions

Producing candy takes a lot of human resources who specialize in their work. Who are the people working in the factory and what are their specific jobs?

Sid, the night watchman; Tom and Pete, the cooks; Jack and Alf, the bench hands; Florence, who loads the candy wrappers; Winnie, who stacks the boxes; Jim, the floor manager; Louise, who is in charge of the weighing machine.

What is the toffee productivity of the factory?

278 toffees can be produced every minute.

Why is there high productivity in the production of toffee in the factory?

Each worker has a special job and does it well. Workers also have many capital resources.

What capital resources are used in the factory?

Capital resources include the factory, the cooling bench, the weighing machine, the machine for wrapping candies, etc.

What may be a problem in a factory which uses many machines for the production process?

The machines could break down; slowing down or stopping production.

What are some ways the candy factory could have even better productivity?

Answers will vary. Examples: better training of workers, better capital goods/machines, working harder, etc.

Would you like to work in a factory? Why or why not?

Answers will vary.

Standards

Common Core State Standards

LA.1.RL.2 Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson.