Do you need to teach your upper elementary students how math is used in the real world? Chocolate factories use tons of math every day! From using the metric system in their measurements to multiplication on chocolate molds, a chocolate factory is a perfect way to help your students relate math to real life!
How does a chocolate factory use math?
Show this video to your students which interviews Nick, a fifth-generation employee at Anthony-Thomas Candies, who explains to elementary students how he uses math every day!
What are some different ways that my students can practice this in class?
Have your students draw examples of chocolate candy molds. See if they can identify the arrays they create with their molds. For example, a candy mold might have 4 rows with 5 in each mold. That mold would create 20 candies!
Have your students come up with their own chocolate bars. Have them figure out how much it would cost to create that bar! Help them think through how much materials, labor, and packaging cost.
Have students create their own chocolate factory word problems. This can include fractions, arrays, or measurements! Have them trade with a friend in class.
Do you have any additional resources that could help my students?
Check out these additional resources to use with your students.
Where can I find more information about Anthony-Thomas, the chocolate factory, shown in the interview?
Anthony-Thomas website: https://www.anthony-thomas.com/
Check out their Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anthonythomascandy/
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