History of Chocolate

Chocolate time line- Aztec- Spain- Western World

Story of how chocolate developed from a drink to a bar.
Read and research in our books from the library. Make a time line poster.

http://whatscookingamerica.net/Beverage/HotChocolate.htm - has a recipe for Mayan Hot Chocolate.

Geography of Chocolate growing

World map, mark where Chocolate is grown vs where Chocolate is processed.
Where does the chocolate we eat come from? Why can't we grow cacao bean plants in Indiana?

Chocolate Math

Look up some recipes to make. Divide some by half, double some. (For variety try to find some recipes like Chocolate Mole Chicken? Not just desserts.)

Do some taste testing. How many people in the family like this recipe vs another recipe. Create a graph with the results.

Chocolate used to be used as a form of Currency. Create our own currency using Chocolate chips and Hershey Chocolate Kisses. Use our new currency to buy and sell things around the house. This could be stretched out for several days of math problems using the currency as a base.

Graph with M&Ms. Create a graph that shows how many of each color occurs in a small bag of M&Ms. Have K read the M&M counting book to L. http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/TM/WS_candi_M&Ms.shtml- M&M worksheet.

Websites

• http://whatscookingamerica.net/Beverage/HotChocolate.htm - Hot chocolate recipes including one labeled "Mayan Hot Chocolate" also a time line.
• http://library.thinkquest.org/15873/kitchen/focus/chocolate.shtml- Kids site about Chocolate.
• http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20000603/food.asp- article in Science News about how chocolate was considered medicinal, and rediscovering healthy chocolate today.
• http://www.fieldmuseum.org/Chocolate/rainforest_interactive/rainforest.html -Chicago Field Museum interactive kids page.
• http://sciencebulletins.amnh.org/biobulletin/biobulletin/story688.html - A page with some videos.
• http://www.icco.org/about/growing.aspx- all about cocoa plants! http://www.howstuffworks.com/chocolate.htm- site has ads, but does have simple text and great color photos
• http://www.williamsburgmarketplace.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductView?langId=-1&storeId=10001&catalogId=10605&catgroupId=15828- Colonial Recipe Chocolate, available for purchase through website.
• http://www.hersheys.com/discover/chocolate.asp- tour the Hershey's Factory online

Field Trips

Endangered Species Chocolate www.chocolatebar.com has their environmentally friendly processing plant here in town. Tours available. Contact- Kelly phone 844-2886.

South Bend Chocolate Café go and taste some hot chocolate. Take a look at their historical chocolate displays.
They have tins and posters- try to find the oldest piece in the collection. How old is it? Can we alphabetize the kinds of chocolate for sale in the case?

Hershey Chicago Go check it out next time we are on Michigan Ave.

Science

5 senses of Chocolate morning... talk about our five senses and how we might experience Chocolate with them!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cacao -check out the Scientific Classification of the Cacao plant. What does the genus Theobroma mean anyway? Who gave it that name?
Read and research to find out, then write it down and find someone to share this information with.
(It means food of the Gods and Linnaeus gave it that name! He must have thought pretty highly of this plant, don't you think?! )

http://www.rawcacao.com/ taste unprocessed Cacao beans, before they are made into chocolate. Make a Venn diagram describing Cacao beans and Chocolate.

Art

Chocolate Pudding Finger Painting

Design and create a new kind of chocolate label. (Precut paper to fit around a Hershey Bar)

Make and play with Chocolate Play Dough-

Chocolate Scented Playdough

Literacy

L- Practice writing letters with Chocolate Pudding in a brownie pan.

Read "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" together. (We found the book on CD that is read by Eric Idle. It's terrific!!)

Practice research technique with some key questions asked and easily found in the books we have borrowed from the library.

Adapt a recipe we enjoyed, and write it out for the K and L's cookbook.

Write a story involving chocolate.

Books

• All about Chocolate: the ultimate resource to the world's favorite food By Bloom, Carole
• The Biography of Chocolate By Morganelli, Adrianna
• Charlie and the chocolate factory By Dahl, Roald
• Chocolate: Riches from the rainforest By Burleigh, Robert
• The chocolate touch By Catling, Patrick Skeene
• Cocoa Ice ByAppelbaum, Diana Karter
• Milton Hershey : Chocolate King, town builder By Simon, Charnan
• The story of Chocolate By Polin, Caryn J.
• Chocolate: the nature of indulgence By Lopez, Ruth
• Chock full of chocolate By MacLeod, Elizabeth
• The "M&M's" brand count to one hundred book By McGrath, Barbara Barbieri

DVD

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Alton Brown makes Sweet Treats - Food Channel DVD

 

 

 

Proverbs 3:5-6

 

 

 

 

© Anna Noack-Brown 2005-2007.