Introduction: Many of us love to eat snacks. Do we ever stop to think where they are processed or where the main ingredients are grown? This lesson allows students to explore where the ingredients of their favorite snacks come from.

Objectives: Students will be able to:

1. Associate snacks to the clues of information.
2. Identify and locate origin of ingredients and snacks on a map.

Materials:

• Baggies
• Worksheet with clues (See sample)
• World map - class map or black and white copies
• A variety of snacks
• Suggestions ( and answers to the worksheet):
  1. Honey balls
  2. Banana chips
  3. Raisins
  4. Ritz Bits
  5. M & Ms
  6. Cheerios
  7. Pumpkin seeds
  8. Low Fat Endangered Species Cookies or animal pretzels

Assessment:

1. Students' maps should be checked for accuracy of places discussed.
2. Students continue to look for information of other snacks that they eat.

Procedure:
Prior to lesson: Purchase a variety of snacks. Write clues for each snack. Bag snacks for each student. Be sure that each bag contains a sample of all the snacks.
During the lesson: Distribute the bag of snacks and worksheets. Have students read the clues and write their answers. Discuss. On a map, locate the places mentioned in the clues. Label. Have students create their own clues for snacks of their choice. Have students generalize what they have learned about snacks and their ingredients.

(Sample Worksheet)

1. A bear may enjoy this snack because honey is one of its main ingredients. This snack was produced in Taiwan. Find a place in Hawaii where honey bees are raised for honey.
2. Curious George would love to eat this snack. Can you think of a place where this snack is grown?
3. This snack was grown and dehydrated in California. What fruit does it come from?
4. During the life and times of Christopher Columbus, people thought the Earth was flat. Name the snack that has this shape. Where did Christopher Columbus explore?
5. The main ingredient of this snack comes from the cacao bean. The cacao bean can be found in tropical rainforests. Name a country where cacao beans are grown.
6. The corn and oats in this food product was grown in the United States. Where in the United States would you find crops of corn and oats ?
7. The shape of this snack reminds us that the average rainfall in a tropical rainforest is 20 inches per day. Locate a tropical rainforest.
8. This snack is shaped into an animal. List the animals that are contained in your bag. Where would these animals be found? Name the countries, region, continents, or ocean.

Lesson Extension: Agricultural Exchange
Other "Snack in a Bag"

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