The WWII Factory Challenge - 5.RI.1-4 & 5.NBT.5/6

RI.5.1: Why did Thomas calculate how many hours the machines would need to complete the uniforms?

• To decide how many more workers to hire

• To determine if they could meet the deadline

• To ensure the machines were functioning correctly

• To estimate the cost of production

RI.5.2: What are two main ideas of the story?

• Thomas ensured uniforms were made on time for soldiers.

• The factory produced textiles for soldiers in World War II.

• Thomas struggled to find enough workers.

• The factory didn’t meet its production deadline.

RI.5.3: How did the workers and the machines interact in the story?

• The machines were faster than the workers, so they weren’t used as much.

• The workers and machines both contributed to meeting the production goals.

• The machines were unreliable, and the workers had to sew everything by hand.

• The workers slowed down the production of the machines.

RI.5.4: What does the word “manpower” mean in the context of the story?

• Physical strength needed to lift machines

• The number of workers available for a task

• The time it takes to complete a task

• The skill level of workers operating machines

One morning, Thomas received an urgent order for 1,728 uniforms. Each sewing machine in the factory could produce 48 uniforms per hour. He needed to calculate how many hours it would take for the machines to complete the order and whether they could finish on time.

The factory had a team of 36 workers, each capable of sewing 24 uniforms a day. If the uniforms had to be completed in just 2 days, Thomas needed to determine if the team had enough manpower to meet the deadline.