Unit Overview
Through readings, activities and discussions, students follow the story of Bruno and his friends during their visit to a chocolate festival. As they learn more about chocolate, they begin to question the production practices that keep chocolate at low prices. After meeting a fair trade chocolate entrepreneur, they decide to start their own sustainable chocolate company. But before that can happen, they have a lot of research to do.
Grades
- Grade 3
- Grade 4
- Grade 5
Lesson Type
In-class or online lesson
Environmental Topics
Climate Change, Environmental Justice, Ecosystems, Resource Conservation, Sustainable Human Development
Environmental Literacy Core Principles
For a summary of the environmental literacy principles and concepts embedded in this lesson series, please visit Green Guardians Environmental Literacy Core Principles.
Standards
ELA: RF.3.4, RI.3.1, RI.3.2, RI.3.3, RI.3.4, RI.3.5, RI.3.6, RI.3.7, RI.3.9, W.3.2, W.3.4, W.3.5, W.3.6, W.3.7, W.3.8, SL.3.1., SL.3.2, SL.3.3, SL.3.5, SL.3.6, RF.4.4, RI.4.1, RI.4.2, RI.4.3, RI.4.4, RI.4.5, RI.4.7, RI.4.9, W.4.2, W.4.4, W.4.5, W.4.6, W.4.7, W.4.8, SL.4.1., SL.4.3, SL.4.4, SL.4.5, RF.5.4, RI.5.1, RI.5.2, RI.5.4, RI.5.5, RI.5.6, RI.5.7, RI.5.8, RI.5.9, W.5.2, W.5.4, W.5.5, W.5.6, W.5.7, W.5.8, SL.5.1, SL.5.3, SL.5.4, SL.5.5, SL.5.6
HSS: HSS-3.5.1, HSS-3.5.2, HSS-3.5.3
Science: 3-5-ETS1-2, 5-ESS3-1
Guides
This project may easily be extended into optional family discussions and activities around chocolate, supply chains and fair trade. To facilitate this engagement, a family guide (in English and Spanish) has been created which teachers may choose to forward to interested parents and guardians.
Lessons
Two lessons of 30-40 minutes each and a 3-day project.
Lesson 1: All About Chocolate
Through a story and related activities, students explore a chocolate festival with Bruno and his friends and learn about the history of chocolate and the chocolate industry today. As Bruno and his friends learn more, they begin to question the practices in chocolate production. They then meet Fabio Huerta, a sustainable chocolatier, who introduces them to the concept of “bean to bar”, a sustainable practice to making chocolate.
Lesson Materials
Lesson 2: The Chocolate Supply Chain
Through a brochure and related activities, students are introduced to the concept of supply chains that link the developed and developing worlds. They also learn about the hidden human and environmental costs of the chocolate industry. To make better and fairer chocolate, Bruno and his friends decide to start a chocolate company based on ethical principles.
Lesson Materials
WebQuest: Bruno’s Chocolate
In this 3-day WebQuest, Bruno and his friends research the problems facing the chocolate industry today and their solutions. Students join the characters in reading articles, watching videos and answering questions about different stakeholders in the chocolate supply chain. The final project is to help Bruno and his friends design an advertising campaign for a fair and sustainable chocolate product.