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Video documentaries (How It's Made)

Video documentaries - How It's Made (production methods)

 ATL Activity 1 - How everyday things are made

Visit this website to see how everyday things are made. Students can choose to investigate any number of these products, such as:

  • Chocolate chip cookies
  • Fireworks
  • Piñatas
  • Stretched limousines
  • Toy figures
  • Wax figures

Most of the video clips on the How It's Made YouTube Channel are quite short (around 5 minutes), so students may be encouraged to watch more than just a single video for one chosen product. They should also make notes on the different methods of production and be prepared to discuss their findings with the rest of the class.

Here is an example of how rice is made - a staple food product for around half of the world's population. If students are watching these videos in class, headphones are recommended!

 ATL Activity 2 - How the Tesla Model S is made

Watch this short video about how Tesla's best selling electric vehicle is made.

What are some of the internal and external factors that could affect Tesla’s ability to produce the Model S car? 

Possible answers could include:

  • The availability and costs of raw materials, such as aluminium and lithium (for the batteries).

  • The quality and quantity of resources, such as robots, capital equipment, factory workers, and managers.

  • The physical size of Tesla's factory

  • The productivity of the workforce (which itself is dependent on factors such as pay and conditions of work).

  • Government interventionist policies, such as subsidies for e-vehicle manufacturers.

 ATL Activity 3 - Video documentary: Hershey's chocolates

The Hershey Company, commonly referred to as Hershey’s, is an American multinational company founded in 1894 in Pennsylvania, USA. Today, Hershey’s one of the largest chocolate manufacturers in the world with sales revenue in excess of $7.8 billion.

Watch this 28-minutes video about Hershey’s operations and answer the questions that follow. Although the documentary is rather old, the processes used by Hershey’s remains the same. It is recommended that you put on the closed captions (subtitles) as the sound quality is not the best in this video.

Questions

Q1.  At the time of when Hershey’s was founded, chocolate was primarily consumed by who?

A1.  Milton Hershey

Q2.  At the time of when Hershey’s was founded, chocolate was primarily consumed by who?

A2.  Wealthy people

Q3.  How many farms did Hershey’s chocolate buy milk from?

A3.  Over 1,000 farms

Q4.  Other than cows, what other resource was present near the site of the Hershey’s factory?

A4.  Sugar cane

Q5.  What tool do farmers use to harvest the stalk (of the sugar cane)?

A5.  Machete – the process being very labour-intensive

Q6.  How many inches do cocoa beans measure in length?

A6.  6 to 10 inches; this is part of the quality control process (to ensure cocoa beans are ripe for harvesting)

Q7.  How many pods can a professional worker open in a minute?

A7.  7 to 8 pods

Q8.  Name two countries which supply Hershey’s with cocoa beans.

A8.  Ghana, Nigeria, Brazil, Dominican Republic, New Guinea, and Malaysia

Q9.  What resource does Hershey’s use from its own groves in California?

A9.  Peanuts/Almonds

Q10. What is the purpose of using constant stirring and low heat levels inside the machine?

A10. Develops the flavour of the mixture which eventually becomes chocolate paste

Q11. How long does it take for the chocolate to reach a rich mellow consistency?

A11. 72 hours; again, this is part of the production process to ensure the consistent quality of the chocolates

Q12. While the chocolate paste is being refined, what happens to the peanuts and almonds for some of the products?

A12. Prepared for roasting

Q13. What material are the ovens that roast the peanuts made of?

A13. Stainless steel

Q14. What temperature is the milk chocolate paste heated to?

A14. 82 degrees Fahrenheit / 28 degrees Celsius; this is another feature of the production process to ensure consistency of the quality of Hershey’s chocolates

Q15. What is the point of vibrating the chocolate moulds?

A15. To prevent air bubbles inside the chocolate bar

Q16. During the 19th minute of the video, suggest which type of production method is being used at Hershey’s factory?

A16. Mass/Flow production

Q17. Which Hershey’s products require different containers / packaging?

A17. Solid chocolate bars / liquid syrups and powdered glucose

Q18. How do machines work out if a container / product is bad?

A18. The package is weighed

Q19. In which year was Hershey’s founded?

A19. In 1903

Q20. Where is the largest chocolate factory in the world located?

A20. Derry Township

Download the PDF version here which can be used as a worksheet with students.

A shorter and more up to date version of how Hershey's chocolates are made is here:

Return to the Unit 5.2 Production methods homepage

Return to the Unit 5 Operations Management homepage

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