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Reading level

Small Whale · Reading worksheet

Conservation and restoration of plastic objects

High school (ages 12+)
Environment & Earth

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/conservation-and-restoration-of-plastic-objects

Step 2 · Questions

1. What are plastic toys made of?
2. Why do plastic toys get sticky or break?

Step 3 · Words to know

Write what each word means, using the article.

Synthetic polymers
Material science
Minimal intervention

Step 4 · Two facts in your own words

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

1.

2.

Answer key (teacher copy)

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What are plastic toys made of?They are made from synthetic polymers like celluloid, Bakelite, PVC, and other plastics that were invented in the 19th and 20th centuries.
2. Why do plastic toys get sticky or break?They can become brittle, discolored, or sticky because light, heat, and humidity make the plastic’s chemicals change and weaken the material.

Synthetic polymers: Large molecules created artificially, forming the basis of plastics.
Material science: The study of the properties and applications of materials.
Minimal intervention: A conservation principle aiming to do only what is necessary to stabilize an object.