Melting Metal

Melting Metal
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All of these people work in the same type of place. Discuss. In what kind of place do you think they all work? What do you see that makes you think that?
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These people work in a special type of factory called a foundry. People make things out of metal in a foundry. Let’s visit a foundry!
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This is a foundry. It is a big place. People are making things out of metal. Let’s go inside and see how they do it.
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This is the inside of the foundry.
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Here is what it looks like inside the foundry. Discuss. What do you see? Do you have any guesses about how they make things out of metal in a foundry?
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This big machine that was moving is a crane. Let’s go upstairs and get in the crane.
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Now we are up high in the crane with the crane driver. She will let us look down at one part of the foundry. Watch, then discuss. What do you see?
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This is metal. But it is glowing. Discuss. Why do you think the metal is glowing?
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In a foundry, people make things out of metal. The first step is to put metal into big, hot ovens. The metal can be any size or shape, as long as it fits in the oven.
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The oven is very hot inside. That makes the metal melt. It starts to turn from a solid into a liquid.
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After a while, the metal completely melts. It is now a liquid.
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The hot, liquid metal can be scooped up and poured into new shapes, like this. Then the metal cools down and becomes solid again. The metal can be poured into any shape!
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Now that you’ve seen what happens in foundries, we are going to figure out what workers wear to stay safe. Watch this person work. Look for what she is wearing to stay safe. Then go to the next slide.
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Get a See-Think-Wonder Chart. Your teacher will add your ideas to the class chart.
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This person is working in a foundry. Focus on what they are wearing. What do you see them wearing to stay safe? Write it in the See column of your See-Think- Wonder Chart.
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How do you think each thing that they are wearing keeps them safe? Write your thoughts in the Think column of your See-Think-Wonder Chart.
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What do you wonder about what this person is wearing? Write your answers in the Wonder column of your See-Think-Wonder Chart.
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This is the sheet you will use to write what you learn in this unit. You will add to this
sheet after each lesson in the unit, so it doesn’t need to be perfect today.
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This person is not ready to work in the foundry! They are only wearing shoes, pants, a shirt, gloves, and a headband to hold their hair back.
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First, you will draw the extra things a person needs to wear to be safe in a foundry. Then you will describe what they wear on different parts of their body.
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Let’s see how two students got started.
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I see them wearing something over their face. I drew it on the picture. I think it’s shiny, so I wrote that down. I’ll add more later, so I left a lot of space.
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I see something like a hat. I drew it on my picture. I think I’ve seen those before. I think they’re hard, so I wrote that down. I have space to write more later!
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Step
01/06
Get a copy of the Beat the Heat worksheet. Write your name at the top.
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Step
02/06
This is a worker in a foundry. We gave them shoes, pants, a shirt, gloves, and a headband to hold their hair back. They are not ready to work in the foundry!
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Step
03/06
Look at the real foundry worker. Find all of the things they are wearing to stay safe. On your sheet, draw those things in.
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04/06
Now, you are going to describe what they are wearing. You will write more later in the unit, so only write one or two words. Start with what they are wearing on their head and face.
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05/06
Write one or two words to describe the things they wear on the other parts of their body. Remember: you will write more later, so leave lots of space!
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Step
06/06
Save this paper. You can put it on a bulletin board for everyone to see, or just set it somewhere safe. You will add to it after the next lesson.
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It's time to do some investigations! In this unit, you'll learn about all sorts of materials and what makes them special. Special materials keep people safe in foundries!

At the end of the unit, you will use everything you've learned in a fun project.

Have fun, and stay curious!

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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.

Other
A two Liter bottle of Orange Soda on a white background with reflection by Steve Cukrov
All illustrations by Alex Kalomeris
Aluminium Foundry Furnace Load With Metal Red Hot Flames Glowing Liquid Melting by Calisproducties
Aluminium Foundry Furnace Load With Metal Red Hot Flames Glowing Liquid Melting by Calisproducties
Aluminum Metallurgical Plant Aerial View by e_leet
Climbing By The Stairs, Metallurgical Plant, Metallurgical Factory, by zmei116
Contrast of rusty tin can and fresh young plant highlights casual still life. Background of vertical photograph in bokeh. by Florence-Joseph McGinn
Ladle Casting Of Liquid Metal Aluminium by aeroshot
One whole disposable opened metal glossy chrome tin for canned food isolated on white background by OlekStock
Opened metal can with pieces of tomatoes in its own juice. Isolated on white background with clipping path by serato
Pouring The Liquid Metal Into The Solder Bar Mold by Pavel_dp
Pouring The Liquid Metal Into The Solder Bar Mold by Pavel_dp
Set with construction safety hardhat on white background by New Africa
Slow Motion Of Aluminium Foundry Furnace Loaded With Metal. Red Hot Flames by Spockmedia
Steel Casting Processes ,Sand Casting and Centrifugal Vertica and horizontal casting by DogukanKirimtayyif
Two Heavy Industry Engineers Stand in Steel Metal Manufacturing Factory, Use Digital Tablet Computer and Have a Discussion. Black African American Industrial Specialist Talk to Female Technician. by Gorodenkoff
Woman Worker Woman's Back Fair Hairs Crane Driver In The Cabin Of Crane Factory by zmei116
Woman Working With Liquid Molten Metal Melted In Furnace At Metallurgical Plant by SVTeam
Worker In White Helmet Comes Looking Crane Is Transporting Steel Vessels Metal by zmei116
Young green plant in an old can, against white background by Thomas Bethge
fusion by Alessandro Colle
zinc ingots isolated on white background by Bjoern Wylezich
Credits

Activity Prep

Print Prep

Note: This lesson is part of this unit’s Anchor Layer. If you have the Anchor Layer turned on, we recommend teaching all lessons in the remainder of this unit in order.

The anchor phenomenon for this unit can be found inside of a special type factory called a Foundry. Foundries are places where people melt solid metal into a liquid that can be poured into new shapes. Foundries can be dangerous places to work, so how do the people that work in foundries stay safe?

During the introduction, students generate observations and questions about the phenomenon and create an initial conceptual model to explain the phenomenon.

Students will gather clues during and after each lesson in this unit to help them improve their explanations. It is important to encourage students to recognize that even if they don't know the perfect answer yet, they are going to learn a lot throughout the unit and will have an opportunity to change or add to their first explanation.

Preview activity
Number of students:
Beat the Heat printout 1 per student
Material Magic Teacher Guide teacher-only resource 1 per class
See-Think-Wonder worksheet 1 per class
Prep Instructions

Before starting this lesson, review the unit Teacher Guide for an overview of the Material Magic Anchor Layer.

Set Up Your Classroom

Set up your classroom by creating a class "See-Think-Wonder" chart (the student version is linked above). We recommend using chart paper or a space on your board that won't be erased since you will revisit it throughout the unit. We recommend that you do a single class chart, and record student thinking on it. You may choose to also have each individual student complete their own chart, in which case you will need to print one copy of that chart per student.

Prepare Worksheets

Print one copy of the Beat the Heat worksheet for each student in your class.

Prepare a Place to Keep the Worksheets Safe

Students will revisit their Beat the Heat worksheets as the unit progresses. If you are in a classroom, this is a great opportunity to make a bulletin board to display student work. This will make your students' thinking visible, and it will keep their sheets organized and ready to revisit as the unit progresses. Alternatively, you can keep the worksheets in a stack in a place where they can be easily retrieved after each of the first four lessons in this unit.

Extend this lesson

Download this Lesson to your device so you can play it offline: