SAMPLE ANSWERS

Making Things

• What would you miss the most in your house if suddenly everything disappeared?
  • I would miss my bed the most because it’s where I feel comfortable and rested.
  • I’d miss the family photo albums because they hold so many memories.
• Look around your house. What can you make by yourself instead of buying?
  • I could bake bread instead of buying it from the store.
  • I could make my own cleaning spray using vinegar and lemon juice.
• What’s one thing you would make from old clothes, jars, or broken furniture if you didn’t have enough money to buy new items? How could it help your family?
  • I could turn old clothes into reusable shopping bags, which would save us money on plastic bags.
  • I could paint old jars and use them to store spices in the kitchen.
• Do you think it’s fun to make things with your own hands? What’s something you would like to create from things you already have at home?
  • Yes, it’s fun! I’d like to make a birdhouse out of old wood scraps to hang in the garden.
  • Definitely! I’d love to create a photo frame from cardboard and decorate it with magazine cutouts.
• What’s the best part of turning something old or discarded into something useful? Is it the creativity, the savings, or something else?
  • I think it’s the creativity. It feels amazing to turn trash into something beautiful.
  • For me, it’s the savings because it helps us save money for more important things.

Giving Items a Second Life

• What’s one item in your home that you don’t use anymore? How could you reuse or repurpose it into something useful?
  • I don’t use an old pair of jeans anymore. I could turn them into a small backpack.
  • There’s an old jar sitting in the kitchen. I could clean it and use it to store pens.
• Have you ever repaired or restored something instead of throwing it away? What was it, and how did it feel to give it a second life?
  • I repaired my torn school bag by sewing it. It felt great to use it again without spending money.
  • I glued back a broken chair leg. It felt good to save something from being thrown out.
• What happens to old clothes in your house? Do you throw them away or try to reuse them?
  • We try to reuse them. My mom often turns old clothes into cleaning rags.
  • We donate old clothes to a nearby charity.
• Have you ever exchanged old clothes for something like kitchen utensils, like the traditional barter system? What do you think about that idea?
  • No, but it sounds like a smart idea! It would be a great way to get useful items without spending money.
  • Yes, once we traded old clothes for bowls at a local market. It was fun and useful.
• What’s the most creative way you’ve seen someone reuse or upcycle an object? Could you try something similar?
  • I saw someone turn a broken bicycle wheel into a clock. I’d love to try that!
  • My neighbor made a lamp from old bottles. I could try making one too.
• Do you think sharing items could work in your community? Why or why not?
  • Yes, it could work if people trust each other to return items in good condition.
  • It might not work because people here prefer to own things, but it could be good for tools or books.
• Which material do you think is the best for everyday items: paper, plastic, or glass? Why?
  • I think glass is best because it can be reused many times and doesn’t pollute the environment as much.
  • Paper is better because it’s biodegradable and doesn’t last forever like plastic.
• Do you think owning fewer items could make it easier to reuse and repurpose what you already have? Why or why not?
  • Yes, because you’d focus on the things you already own and find creative ways to use them.
  • Not necessarily. It depends on how creative you are with the things you do own.
• Do you think conservation and restoration are better for the environment than buying new things? Can you give an example?
  • Yes, fixing things saves resources. For example, repairing shoes saves leather and reduces waste.
  • Definitely. Restoring furniture is better than cutting down more trees for new ones.
• Do you know any DIY skills, like sewing, painting, or woodworking, that could help you transform objects? What skill would you like to learn?
  • I know how to sew, so I can repair clothes or make small bags.
  • I’d love to learn woodworking so I could fix or make furniture.