All About Crayons
History
The Crayons were invented by cousins, Edwin Binney, and C. Harold Smith. The first box of Crayola crayons first came out in 1903 and had eight colors : Black, brown, blue, red, purple, orange, yellow, and green. The word Crayola was coined from French words by Edwin Binney’s wife, Alice Stead Binney. In English, the word Crayola means oily chalk.
Did you know that America’s favorite Crayola crayon color is... (drumroll please) BLUE!
Kinds Of Crayons
Crayons are colored wax, charcoal chalk or other materials made into sticks. Oiled chalk crayons are called oil pastels. Grease pencil or china markers are made of colored hardened grease. Watercolor crayons are also called water soluble crayons.
Kinds of Crayons Crayola crayons have many kinds. They include: Washable crayons, glitter crayons, fragrant crayons, oil pastels crayon, fabric and twistable.
Did you know that the crayon scent is among the 20 most recognizable scents in America?
How It’s Made
Did you know that the 100 billionth crayon was made in 1996?
The paraffin and pigment mixture is melted into a liquid by heating at 40 degrees Celsius. Then the mixture is poured into a a hot mold full of crayon- shaped holes. After that,they use cool water to cool the mold. A crayon is made in 3 to 9 minutes.
What it’s made of
Did you know that the first box of crayons was sold for a nickel?
Crayons are made from paraffin. It is a white or colorless soft solid that can change into a flammable liquid. This waxy substance comes from wood, coal or petroleum.Paraffin was used commercially by 1867, about the time that crayons appeared.
Glossary Charcoal -
A black material that is a form of carbon
FlammableGreaseMold-
Easily set on fire
Oily substance
A hollow container that is made in a particular shape
ParaffinPastel-
A white substance like wax that is made from petroleum
A soft, pale shade of some color
Petroleum-
An oily liquid found in the earth in certain layers of rock.
Pigment-
A colored substance, usually a powder, that is mixed with oil or water to make paints
Soluble- able to be dissolved in water Substance- something that covers object
About the Author
Maria Ma is 11 years old and is a fifth grade student at Shanghai American School. She has a hobby of collecting stationeries, souvenir pennies and crayons. She has a special way of writing about unusual topics. This book was inspired by her love of colors and and of course, crayons.