In the US, October 28 is National Chocolate Day. Like World Chocolate Day in July, it is an annual celebration of one of the world's most beloved sweet treats. Chocolate, however, also has its dark side. The use of slave labor for production is one example of the issues that plague the industry. Whether exploring the good or bad side of chocolate, students will find plenty to learn. Here are some activity ideas to try in class.
1. How Many in the Jar?
This is a great warm-up activity to start and end the class with. Fill a large mason jar with button-shaped candy, like M&M's or Cadbury Smarties, or chocolate coins. Be sure to count them!
Put students into pairs and hand each pair a strip of paper. Ask them to write down their names and their guess for how many candies are in the jar and collect the strips. At the end of the lesson, read out the guesses and reveal the correct answer. The team with the closest guess wins the jar!
2. A-choc-stic Poems
Acrostic poems are a fun and easy way to get young learners and beginners writing! Review how to create an acrostic poem with students and show them some examples. Then have them write their own using the word “chocolate.”
How to Write a Poem
This Writing in English lesson includes a section on acrostic poems. Students will learn how to write one and then practice writing their own.
3. Chocolate Quest
This is a fun, adaptable activity for in-person or online classes. Prepare a set of questions ahead of time related to chocolate, like "Where does chocolate originate from?" and "Which country has the most cocoa farms?"
Put the class into pairs or groups and give each team a copy of the questions. To get students up and moving, teachers can display the questions around the class (on the board or using posters).
Each team must work to find the answers to the questions using materials found in the classroom (textbooks, handouts, posters, etc.) or on the internet, or both!
4. Recipe Scramble
Choose several chocolate-based recipes to print or make copies of. Cut each recipe up so that every step of the instructions is on its own strip of paper. Have students work in pairs and give each team their own set of paper strips. Have them sort through the steps and decide on the correct order.
Give each team a different cut-up recipe so they can swap with each other between rounds, or turn it into a race by giving each team the same cut-up recipe.
Our Following a Recipe lesson is a handy resource for reviewing how to identify parts of a recipe with learners.
5. News Report
This is a great activity for advanced levels and Business English students. Choose some newsworthy topics related to chocolate, like the use of child slavery in cocoa fields or the effect of climate change on cocoa production. Organize the class into groups, and assign each group one of the topics.
Each group will research their topic, prepare a short report on it, and then present their report to the rest of the class. When the class "news report" is complete, have students discuss the different news items.
6. Video Discussion
Choose a chocolate-themed movie or documentary to watch and discuss as a class. Teachers can also have students write a review. Here are some examples.
- Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)
- Chocolat (2000)
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)
- The Dark Side of Chocolate (2010)
- The History of Chocolate—Deanna Pucciarelli by TED-Ed
- How Chocolate is Made by Tasty
7. Design a Candy Bar
Inspire your students' creativity with this fun challenge. Bring in different candy bars to show and discuss with students in class. Get them talking with questions such as "Which has the best name?," "Which has the best flavor concept?," and "Which wrapper has the best design?"
Put students into pairs or groups and have them design their own candy bar. Have them describe their creation and its main ingredients—either in writing or as an oral presentation.
