Untitled Document

Theobroma - Food of the Gods
Joy Ritchey
Debbie Heyler
Grades 4 and up
June 1999

Purpose: Cacao has had an interesting history and many countries have been involved in producing chocolate. Recognizing that student motivation depends upon their interest, in this lesson, the students will first make observations about the cacao pod and predicts its purpose and where it comes from. The result of this lesson is that students will understand the interdependence of the cacao/chocolate industry.

Primary Questions: What are the global connections of the cacao/chocolate industry?

Secondary Questions: What is cacao? Where does it come from?

Objectives: The students will be able to:
1. Analyze information based on observations.
2. Identify the physical characteristics of the cacao pod.
3. Create a contour drawing of the cacao pod.
4. Ask questions based on observations and prior knowledge.
5. Construct and analyze climate graphs for selected places.
6. Read and interpret climate, political and specialized maps.
7. Draw conclusions based on their comparisons.
8. Make inferences about cacao bean growers and chocolate consumers.
9. Diagram the movement of a product from production to consumption.

Hawaii Content and Performance Standards:
Relationships within and among places: Explain, use, and apply geographic themes of place, human-environment interactions movement, and region.
Geographic tools and resources: Read, infer from, and construct visual representations of geographic information.

Geographic Standards:
Standard 7 (Grades 5-8): Physical Systems that shape the patterns of earth surfaces. Analyzing physical patterns.
Standard 11B (Grades 5-8): Human systems, the patterns and networks of economic interdependence on earth's surface. Explaining the spatial aspects of systems.

Geographic Skills:
Compare and Contrast
Ask geographic questions
Analyze and organize geographic information
Answer geographic questions
Make predictions based on research

Geographic Themes: Place, Region, Location and Movement

Lesson can be used with a unit on: World Geography, Humanities, Economics, Diversification of the Hawaiian Economy, Art

References
World Book Encyclopedia, "Chocolate"
National Geographic, November 1982
World Wide Web

www.smm.org/sln/tf/c/cacao
www.meijer.com/web/valentine/chocolatehistory.htm
www.hersheys.com/totally/history/chocolate/
www.mpm.edu/collect/tirimbina/choctree.html

Lesson One: The Mystery Pod

Materials Needed:
Cacao Pods
Chart Paper
Markers
Pencils
Drawing Paper

Procedure:

Explain to the students that they will be working in small groups experiencing learning by observation, inquiry, collecting answers to their questions and creating new questions.
Explain the use of the KWL (Know, Wonder and Learn) Chart.
Divide students into groups of three or four.
Place the cacao pod in a paper bag, and tell students to reach in and feel the pod. Ask them what they know of the pod from touching it.
Have each group write their observations from touching the pod on the KWL Chart allowing approximately five minutes.
Take out the pod from the bag and have students make further observations, and note them on their chart.
When students ask about the seeds cut one pod open for student examination. Students may write final comments on their KWL chart.
Inform students at this time that the pod is edible, grew in Hawaii and the scientific name is Theobroma (The Food of the Gods).
Have students add more information to the KWL Chart.
Review with students the rules for contour drawing.
Rules for Contour Drawing
1. Keep your eyes on the object as you draw.
2. When you look at your paper stop moving your pencil.
3. Use a solid line -- no shading or sketching.
4. Avoid details.
5. Move as slow as an ant.
Have students create a five minute contour drawing of the cacao pod and seeds.
Hang charts and drawings and have groups share information.

Lesson Two: Interpreting Maps

Materials Needed:
World Map to identify/color the climate zones
Markers
Climographs representing the different climate zones
Pictures of places that represent the climate zones
Climate Map
Political Map
"Chocolate Map"
Compare & Contrast graphic organizer

Procedure:

Tell students that we're going to look at climate maps to figure out where Theobroma is grown.
Ask them if they could define "climate" (Climate is "probable weather." It involves temperature, precipitation, prevailing winds and storms, seasonality.)
Distribute a world map, and tell them that with this map they are going to identify the three major climate zones. They are to color each zone using a different colored marker.
a) Tropical: 0 - 23 1/2 degrees north and south of the equator
b) Temperate: 23 - 66 1/2 degrees north and south of the equator
c) Polar: 66 1/2 - 90 degrees north and south of the equator
Discuss what type of weather and vegetation might they find in the different climate zones. Show students pictures from the different zones to help them visualize the different zones.
Show students climographs of countries that are found in the different climate zones. They are to guess what climate zone that country is located in based on the rainfall and temperature. Reinforce their understanding of the different zones by showing them more photos of the vegetation as you go over the answers.
Distribute the climate map of the world and give the students the following information:
a) Theobroma will grow at 20 degrees north and south of the equator.
b) It does grow in Hawaii.
c) It originally grew in the Orinoco Valley of the Amazon.
Provide a political map if necessary, and have students locate other possible geographic regions where Theobroma could grow. List student responses on the board.
At this point have students take a final guess as to what Theobroma is. Give them additional clues (e.g., It's called "cacao"; In its consumption form its sweet). Tell them what Theobroma is.
Distribute "The World of Chocolate" map. Go over the map with them by having students determine information based on the map key.
Provide students with the compare and conrast graphic organizer, and in groups of 2-3 students, they are to compare major growing areas with major consumption areas and list them on the graphic organizer.
Students are then to create questions and make statements based on their comparisons and write them down on their paper.
Have groups share their observations.

Lesson 3: From Cacao to Chocolate - Movement of a Product

Materials Needed:
Hand-out: "The Chocoholics v. The Cocoa Bean Growers"
Compare & Contrast graphic organizer (from lesson 2)
Markers
Cards with the procedure for making chocolate
Hand-out: Steps to Manufacturing Chocolate
"Chocolate", World Book Encyclopedia
Poster paper

Procedure:

Hand out "The Chocoholics v. The Cocoa Bean Growers" worksheet. Go over unfamiliar terminology with students; e.g., Gross Domestic Products, standard of living, literacy rate. Have students in their groups go back to their compare and contrast chart and using the handout, validate or invalidate the conclusions they made.
Have groups share their information.
As a whole class, ask students to share general statements they can make about Chocoholics and about Cacao Bean Growers based on the given information. Write down students responses on the board.
In their small groups, have students take the steps to manufacturing chocolate (written on cards) and put the steps in what they feel is the correct order.
Each group is to designate a recorder and that person is to write down the group's order under the "Guess" column on the handout.
Tell students that they will get an article title "Chocolate", which was taken from the World Book Encyclopedia. In their same groups they are to do two things with the reading: One, they are to read it, and mark the correct order to manufacturing chocolate on their handout; Secondly, they are to create a poster that illustrates the life history of a cacao, from birth to candy. Students may use symbols, drawing and brief captions for their poster. They must use one other source besides the chocolate article given.
Have groups share their posters.
Students will then return to the KWL charts they created in the first lesson and compare what they learned with what they wondered about.

Assessment:

Have students return to their original chart (KWL) and compare what they have learned with what they have wondered about. This should assess whether students were able to analyze the information based on their observations and the information they received.
The KWL charts and contour drawings will assess whether students identified the physical characteristics of the cacao pod.
Climate graphs made by students and verbal responses from the climographs and pictures viewed should assess whether students understood what climate is.
The compare and contrast graphic organizer should assess their understanding of maps and ability to draw conclusions.
Posters should assess student understanding of the movement of chocolate from poduction to consumption.

Evaluation:
Create a rubric to evaluate the posters.

Extensions:

Give students a blank political map. Read to them the ingredients of a typical candy bar, and have students create a key, and color in the country/region where each ingredient comes from. Ingredients are on the handout, "The World in a Chocolate Bar": Interpret the Poster.
Discuss the five themes of Chocolate. The lesson plan is on the handout, "The World in a Chocolate Bar."
After comparing Chocoholics c. Cacao Bean Growers from lesson 3, students could look at the Ivory Coast (the "Cacao Bean Growers") and assess whether it would be considered developed or underdeveloped. The hand-out, "The Ivory Coast: Is it rich or poor?"
Determine why chocolate factories are located where they are. The hand-out, "Where are chocolate factories located? Why there?"
Have each student write an essay describing cacao from production to consumption.
Class could be divided into groups and research the following areas:
- History of Cacao Production
- Effect of the Industrial Revolution on the Chocolate Industry
- Crop Production Methods and Diseases
- Cacao Production as an Industry in Hawaii

Appendix:
Map: Blank political map
Map: The World of Chocolate
Compare & Contrast graphic organizer
Blank climograph
Hand-out: "Chocoholics v. Cocoa Bean Growers"
Cards for the procedure to making chocolate
Hand-out: Steps to Manufacturing Chocolate