All About Chocolate!
In this unit, we will read the informational text called All About Chocolate together in class. As we read, we will number the steps in the chocolate making process from cutting the pods from the cacao tree to delivering the candy to stores. We will also read about the history of chocolate dating back to the Aztecs.
Students need to know where chocolate comes from and the conditions it needs to grow, be able to sequence the steps of the chocolate making process, understand the concept of how the beans were used as money, and how chocolate was introduced to Europe and the rest of the world.
Vocabulary: cacao, conching, consume, fermentation, ingredients, machete, mills, mole, plantations (Definitions are in the glossary.)
Extra Vocabulary: cocoa butter, nib, xocoatl (Definitions can be found within the text. You should have written them in on the front of your book.)
Extra Vocabulary: cocoa butter, nib, xocoatl (Definitions can be found within the text. You should have written them in on the front of your book.)
Describing Chocolate
As a class we will brainstorm two different lists. One is a list of possible ingredients, which usually gets pretty extensive! Focusing on the five senses, the second is a list of adjectives, words to describe, chocolate. Students have typed copies of these lists to help with daily activities and our project.
Chocolate Tasting
Each day throughout the unit, students will get to sample unnamed chocolates. They will be required to write an opinion of the sample and back up their opinion with a reason. They should use descriptive adjectives and phrases to support their opinions. We discuss the term bias and ask them to not share their opinion until the next day when the identity of the sample is revealed. We also discuss the validity of different opinions based on individual differences. One person's reason for liking something may be the reason that someone else doesn't like it.
Donations of chocolate desserts are also welcome. We will sample these and write descriptions of them as well.
Donations of chocolate desserts are also welcome. We will sample these and write descriptions of them as well.
Chocolate Projects
Along with informational text, descriptive writing, and backing up opinions, we will continue to learn about persuasive writing this quarter. We will study advertising techniques that are used for commercials. Sometimes these same techniques are used in writing a persuasive essay. Targeted audience is an important term to understand. Who are you trying to persuade or convince? Study your audience and know what will reach them, and what will turn them away.
Students will be inventing their own chocolate candy, designing its wrapper, creating a slogan, designing a magazine ad, planning a radio commercial, and presenting their project to the class. This is all imaginary, of course! However, students may actually create their treat and share it with their classmates. We will never turn down chocolate!
These are meant to be student projects completed in class. If they fall behind, they may take it home to work on, but it is not meant to be a parent project. A due date will be given once we have worked through all the parts.
Projects from Previous Years
These are sample student projects from previous years. They are not perfect. They may contain spelling mistakes, leave out information, or include things that were not required. A PowerPoint is not required. These students chose to make one to use with their presentation. Some information may have also been presented in other ways during their presentation.
Refer to your directions, checklist, and rubric to make sure you have met all requirements.
Refer to your directions, checklist, and rubric to make sure you have met all requirements.