WayBack: U.S. History for Kids is produced by American Experience, television's longest-running, most-watched history series. American Experience airs Monday nights on PBS. Web site Broadcast Schedule
	Be sure to check out the other WayBack Teachers & Parents areas. It's Not Fair! Presidents: The Secret History The Future Family Ties Flight Summer Vacation Stand Up For Your Rights Gold Rush! Technology 1900

The Future for Teachers and Parents

This site looks to the future from the perspective of the 1950s.

The site looks at consumer plastics, which took off in the '50s. A plastics engineer explains what life was like before plastics, what plastics might do in the future, and how plastics can be recycled. Site visitors can create virtual plastic products online in the Multi-Functional Plastics Production Lab or try some do-it-yourself experiments at home, like making slime. Kids can also compare job possibilities in 1950, today, and beyond. After taking a short quiz, they are presented with a fun range of possible types of occupations they might find interesting. And finally, kids can see predictions for the future made in 1950 -- and make their own!

For Teachers:

1. Plastics are all around us and have been for most people's lives. At home, have students make lists of everything they think is plastic. Were they surprised to realize how much plastic they found? Now let them roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty -- virtually, that is. After reading the interview with plastics engineer Bhavjit Ghumman to get the big picture on plastics, have students work in small groups in the Multi-Functional Plastics Production Lab. Afterwards, talk about some of the fun stuff they found out about plastics. What are the different ways plastic is molded? What are some of the different qualities of plastic? Using one of the five types of plastics they learned about, have students design a new product using one of these types.
   
2. Have students compare the predictions presented in the Crystal Ball feature with those in the Snapshot of early 20th century predictions in the Technology 1900 WayBack issue. Have any of the predictions come true? Is anything close, e.g., while we may not have atomic-powered cars, researchers are working on hydrogen-powered fuel cells? What role do students think predictions have in spurring innovation? For example, the Wright Brothers dreamed of human flight and ultimately they succeeded. Now have students make their Prediction Proclamations. Share predictions with the class and then have students save them in a safe place at home to look at in the future.
   

For Parents:

1. Today's job market is constantly changing. Many of the jobs that will be available to your child don't even exist yet! Together explore the types of job your child may enjoy -- and find out how your job stacks up to your personality! Take turns playing What's Your Racket?. Remind your child there are no right answers and he or she should respond as honestly as possible. What are some of the possible occupations for your child? What suggestions are offered for you? This is a light-hearted opportunity to explore some possible careers and what different jobs are like.
   
2. Check out the predictions made in 1950. Can you remember any predictions made in your lifetime that you thought would never come true (e.g., that most homes would have a computer)? Together make a Prediction Proclamation and then seal it away somewhere safe to look at many years in the future.
   
3. Let's get slimy! Try some of the do-it-yourself plastics experiments at home. For lots of other home-based science activities, check out the ZOOM Web site, particularly the collection of kitchen chemistry activities.