PROVOCATIONS I wonder what we can see in this picture? (Suggested answer: Soft drink cans) I wonder what these are made of? (Suggested answer: Soft drink cans are mainly made from aluminium.) I wonder where the aluminium for these cans comes from?
Aluminium comes mainly from a rock called bauxite that is found underground. There are five bauxite mines in Australia, and many others around the world. Bauxite is then taken to a factory where it is processed into aluminium and turned into things like soft drink cans.
PROVOCATIONS I wonder what we can see in this picture? (Suggested answer: Cans for food and drink) I wonder what these are made of? (Suggested answer: These cans are mainly made from steel.) I wonder where the steel for these cans comes from?
Steel comes mainly from a rock called iron ore (the top picture shows a person holding some pieces of iron ore). Iron ore is dug out of the ground in big mines (like the one in the bottom picture). Iron ore is one of the most common minerals on Earth. There are many iron ore mines around Australia and the world. The information and statistics in this document are approximate and have been simplified for educational/illustrative purposes. They should not be relied upon for any other purpose.
PROVOCATIONS I wonder what we can see in this picture? (Suggested answer: Bottles and containers) I wonder what these are made of? (Suggested answer: Plastic) I wonder where the plastic for these bottles and containers comes from?
Plastic is made from oil. Oil is a blackish-brown liquid that is very thick and goopy. We can find oil in the ground and we get the oil out of the ground by drilling for it (some of these drills are on oil rigs, like the bottom picture). Oil is found all around the world; the oil rig on the right is in the sea around Australia. The information and statistics in this document are approximate and have been simplified for educational/illustrative purposes. They should not be relied upon for any other purpose.
PROVOCATIONS I wonder what we can see in this picture? (Suggested answer: Newspaper, table, wood) I wonder what the newspapers are made of? (Suggested answer: Paper) I wonder where paper comes from?
Paper comes from trees. The trees in this picture are pine trees and they are planted specially to be cut down to make furniture, houses and paper. We cut the trees down and chop them into little pieces called woodchips. We then chop the woodchips into smaller and smaller pieces and mix with water to make a pulp. The pulp is then dried and rolled really thin to make paper.
PROVOCATIONS I wonder what we can see in this picture? (Suggested answers: Hat, scarf and gloves, kids, jackets, snow, trees) I wonder what the hat, scarf and gloves are made of? (Suggested answer: Wool) I wonder where the wool for this hat and scarf comes from?
Wool comes from sheep. The sheep grow the wool on their bodies and then we shear it off (like in the bottom picture), clean it, spin it and then knit it into things we want to wear. There are many sheep living in Australia. The information and statistics in this document are approximate and have been simplified for educational/illustrative purposes. They should not be relied upon for any other purpose.
PROVOCATIONS I wonder what we can see in this picture? (Suggested answers: Hat, t-shirt, kid, grass, trees) I wonder what the clothes are made of? (Suggested answer: Cotton) I wonder where the cotton for these clothes comes from?
Cotton grows on a plant called cotton plant. The white fluffy bolls are picked and spun into yarn that we then make into clothes. There are many large cotton farms in Australia.