Synthetic Products

[Veronica]

What do you think are some synthetic products 10 year olds might be familiar with?

So far I've got food, beauty products, building materials and clothing.

Veronica

[PamNY]

Electronics and batteries?

[Veronica]

Sorry, I should have specified I'm looking for things that would have a natural equivalent. It's for a compare/contrast thing. :D

Veronica

[zoom-zoom]

Transportation, toys

[Dannielle]

toys (wooden toys vs. plastic), dishes (stoneware vs plastic), packaging (cardboard vs. plastic), paintbrushes, yarn , grass (astroturf vs real grass), shoes (leather vs pleather)

[GLC1968]

You could also do things like teeth, hair, fingernails and boobs...but I'm not sure the point you are trying to make. :p

[Veronica]

Mostly I'll be trying to get them to think. Why would companies make synthetic shirts instead of cotton shirts? Why Polartec (I think it's synthetic?) instead of wool? Why Legos instead of wooden blocks? Cheetos instead of cheese and crackers? Or that gross spray cheese? Silk hose as opposed to nylons? And as a consumer, how should you spend your money?

The more examples I can give them, the more likely they will have some schema (background knowledge) to write a decent essay.


Veronica

[Veronica]

You could also do things like teeth, hair, fingernails and boobs...but I'm not sure the point you are trying to make. :p


I think I'll stay away from boobs. I hope they have no schema for that!

Veronica

[Irulan]

yes polartec is synthetic: polyester

cheez whiz vs. real cheese
egg beaters vs real eggs
juice drinks vs real juice
tofurkey vs turkey
wonder vs wheat
live theatre vs a movie (?)
fake plants vs real ones

[NbyNW]

music made with instruments vs. music made using a computer

[zoom-zoom]

yes polartec is synthetic: polyester

cheez whiz vs. real cheese
egg beaters vs real eggs
juice drinks vs real juice
tofurkey vs turkey
wonder vs wheat
live theatre vs a movie (?)
fake plants vs real ones

I wouldn't call food substitutes synthetic, per se...they aren't really made of synthetic ingredients, just highly-processed ones with little nutritional value (or downright healthy). Different than a comparison of sugar vs. artificial sweeteners, which are entirely of synthetic chemical. HFCS is still natural sugar, just not a healthy natural. Nutrasweet is not natural.

The theatre/movie thing is a cool comparison, though. That could even be a discussion of 3D/tangible vs. 2D/intangible.

[PamNY]

Stuffed animals vs. real animals
Dolls or puppets vs. real people
Fake snow (used for holiday decorating) vs. real snow

[oxysback]

Wigs vs. real hair...or for that matter, hair extentions
Acrylic nails
False eyelashes
Dentures

[NbyNW]

prosthetics

[zoom-zoom]

Thinking 10 year olds again (my son is 9.5)... Wii vs. actual sports. My son has a hard time going outside to play, yet will play the same things indoors on the Wii. He hates bugs. :p

Ooh, bugs...how 'bout synthetic bug sprays vs. natural repellants, like citronella or other citrus oils/extracts, herbal stuff, etc.

[moonfroggy]

virtual pets vs real live animals

[NbyNW]

There are also natural and synthetic dyes and pigments

and bristles in hair brushes and paint brushes

[Irulan]

I wouldn't call food substitutes synthetic, per se...they aren't really made of synthetic ingredients, just highly-processed ones with little nutritional value (or downright healthy). Different than a comparison of sugar vs. artificial sweeteners, which are entirely of synthetic chemical. HFCS is still natural sugar, just not a healthy natural. Nutrasweet is not natural.

The theatre/movie thing is a cool comparison, though. That could even be a discussion of 3D/tangible vs. 2D/intangible.

You think 10 year olds will get the differences on food?

[GLC1968]

Kirsten made a really good point on the Wii. I mean, I think about my husband's son being here for a visit last month (he's 16, but still)...he would rather have stayed indoors playing video games than going outside and doing the real thing. Of course, that's bluring the lines between 'synthetic' and 'reality'...so you may not want to venture there.

Or, again based on this past visit....text vs live conversations. :p

[zoom-zoom]

You think 10 year olds will get the differences on food?

They might...10 year olds are pretty smart. My kid has some serious evil-genius moments that kinda scare me! :eek:

[Zen]

Sports drinks

[marni]

movies in a theater vs films on cd
radio stations vs sirius radio
am/vs fm
regualr clocks with normal numbers vs digital
cameras with real fil vs digital
ditto tv vs digital
reg milk vs almond, soy whatever milk

marni

[rubywagon]

reg milk vs almond, soy whatever milk

Almond and soy milk are natural though. :cool:

[channlluv]

Along the same lines as the Wii Sports: Guitar Hero vs a real guitar.

My daughter was trying to play Guitar Hero at one of those store displays in Best Buy one day and my husband, who was in several bands when he was younger and has taught her to play some on her own baby Martin (purchased for her last summer by my father, the blues musician) and her own electric guitar (bought by dad), was laughing. "Why would you want to play this when you could go home and play the real thing?" She was bored with the game in minutes, but the two of them play music together for an hour or more several times a week.

Roxy