There’s no denying it. My favorite part of the Polar Express movie is where the children are served hot chocolate. Some people drink their daily cup of joe or tea. I have a daily cup of hot chocolate all year long.
As part of our Christmas unit studies this past December we also did a mini unit on- what else- CHOCOLATE! Since the weather will still be cold for a couple more months its still a very appropriate fun study to do with your children.
To get started, learn about the Sweet Lure of Chocolate at the Exploratorium.
History:
Then read a little bit of the history of chocolate.
Language arts:
How many words can you find in Hot Chocolate?
Make an A-Z list of all the chocolate candy names you can remember (Almond Joy, Bar None, Caramello, etc)
Science:
Make edible chocolate modeling clay.
Watch how Hershey’s Makes Chocolate.
Visit the Field Museum to learn about the habitat of cacao trees.
This worksheet is great for older children to learn about cacao plants. It involves some research using fun websites.
Don’t forget homemade hot cocoa mix! My personal favorite is Alton Brown’s recipe. And yes you must use the cayenne pepper!
Geography:
Use this worksheet to find out where chocolate factories are in the world.
Art:
Design a wrapper for a new chocolate bar.
And if you really want to get into it you can download a free resource kit complete with 12 lessons from the Field Museum, Cocoa Connections: From Beans to Bars. How cool (or should I say hot) is that?
Mmmmmmmm….chocolate ……
I really enjoy your unit posts. We’ll hae to do some of these the weekend bfore we make Valentine’s candy.
These are such great ideas for the chocoholic mama that I am … and for the pre-schooler/toddler at home who have apparently inherited this gene! I can’t wait for our next project time.
Great ideas! My Lizzy is a chocolate lover. She is going to like these links.
MK
Great Chocolate Ideas. Thanks. Yummy!!
We’ll have to do your chocolate unit! You always have such fun stuff! I’m also sending this to my SIL. She is has a chocolate blog too!
Anne….who also has hot chocolate every single day….its a tradition, and you can’t break tradition! ;o)
Yum, more chocolate information! I love hot cocoa all year round, too, and even drink it iced in the summer time. Not cold chocolate milk, but iced hot cocoa. Excellent.
Wow – you are a woman who knows her chocolate. I am impressed!
I love chocolate. What a fun unit. Unfortunately I’m giving it up, it upsets my stomach, especially hot chocolate. 🙁
I’ve been craving a truffle or two lately–this post isn’t helping 🙂
MUST HAVE CHOCOLATE! Man, it’s 1:31am and now I’m craving chocolate! lol
~melody~
Oh, I love that part of the movie too!
Thanks for all the chocolate info…am going to have to use that with my little one…he’d get a kick out of it 🙂
Okay, you’re making me hungry. Chocoholic cravings beginning! Thanks, I think. Yum.
Chocolate is always a fun topic.
We actually went to the Hershey Chocolate Factory that is near by last year and are so sad to hear they are or have shut it down. It was one of my favorite field trips from when I was a kid. Go through the factory and then pick out a free chocolate bar at the end. At least I got my kids through it once before the quit.
Thanks for the Chocolate ideas. It sounds like fun!
Wonderful ideas! That is my favorite scene from Polar Express too. Thanks so much for sharing!
How fun! I’m not enjoying ice cream with this pregnancy but I did just enjoy a hot cup of cocoa topped with a scoop of cold ice cream. It was soooo good.
boo is going to do a chocolate unit….