Posts Tagged ‘chocolate’

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Valentine Science Activities!

February 12th, 2013

Hi!  It’s Tuesday, February 12, 2013 and time for Science at ClickSchooling!

Valentine’s Day is February 14th!  Here are some Valentine’s Day science activities:

Recommended Websites: See Below

Age Range: Varies (Grades K-12 approximately, with parental supervision)

Exploratorium: The Sweet Lure of Chocolate 

 Examine the fascinating science and history of chocolate, including the chocolate-making process with a virtual visit to a chocolate factory. Find out about the latest research into the possible health effects of chocolate consumption.

Hooked on Science:  Make Red Valentine’s Day Flowers 

 Watch a video demonstration to learn how to turn white flowers red – just in time for Valentine’s Day!

Hooked On Science: Valentine Candy Experiment  

Watch this video to learn if leftover Valentine candy will sink or swim.

Periodic Videos 

Watch a chemistry professor share some science insights about chocolate, roses, and relationships. 

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Virtually Pick Cacao Beans & Make Chocolate!

February 8th, 2013

Hi!  It’s Friday, February 8, 2013 and time for a Virtual Field Trip at ClickSchooling!

Recommended Website:

Field Museum: Chocolate

Age Range: 9 and up (approximately, with parental supervision)

Take a virtual field trip (sponsored by the Field Museum) and learn how to pick cacao beans, ferment them, and process  the beans into chocolate.

When you get to the site, you’ll see information about a chocolate exhibit at the Field Museum. While the exhibit is no longer at the Museum, there are several interactive resources still available at the site. Scroll down the page to the subheading, “Interactives” to take the animated and informative virtual tours that include:

*Manufacturing Chocolate – When you click on the title, it may take a few seconds for the program to load and open. Your patience will be rewarded when you click on the “enter” button, and follow the 12-step interactive, animated tour to see:

  • How Cacao Trees Grow
  • Harvesting Cacao Pods
  • Fermentation
  • Drying Cacao Beans
  • Shipping the Beans
  • Roasting the Beans
  • Winnow the Beans
  • Grind the Beans
  • Mixing
  • Refining
  • Conching
  • Tempering

Throughout the tour, as you read the information, you’ll be invited to use your mouse to activate the animations. Be sure to click on the “continue” buttons throughout the tour to learn more.

*The Chocolate Challenge – Take a virtual journey around the world to learn about the history of chocolate through a series of questions and answers.

*Cacao Farm – Use virtual microscopes and binoculars to discover the inhabitants that share the rainforest with Cacao trees.

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See How Chase “Cherry Mash” Candy Is Made!

August 3rd, 2012

Hi! It’s Friday, August 3, 2012 and time for a Virtual Field Trip at ClickSchooling!

Recommended Website:

Chase Cherry Mash Candy

Age Range: 8 and up (approximately, with parental supervision)

Take a video tour of the Chase Candy Factory to  see how Cherry Mash (a popular candy confection in the Midwest) is made. Cherry Mash consists of a soft, pink, maraschino-cherry-flavored center, covered in chocolate and chopped roasted peanuts.

When you get to the site you will see a brief introduction. Then simply scroll down the page to watch short videos of the candy making process and read the descriptive text.

When you complete the tour, use the menu to read about the history of this popular candy that was first produced in 1918.

Oh, and if this tour makes you hungry for Cherry Mash, you can order it in the “Candy Shoppe” at the website. :)

 

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Posted in Virtual Field Trip

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Murderous Maths’ Tricks, Games, & Lessons!

July 30th, 2012

Hi!  It’s Monday, July 30, 2011 and time for Math at ClickSchooling!

Recommended Website:

Murderous Maths

Age Range: 9 and up (approximately, with parental supervision)

This website is a companion to the Murderous Maths books (published by Scholastic) that use humor to make learning math entertaining and funny. The comic-style books feature a range of quirky characters that teach math concepts through fun and absurd stories.  At the website you’ll find many of the math tricks, games, and lessons featured in the books that you can access for free. 

When you get to the site, it all looks a little chaotic. There’s a brief introduction with links to content on the site, and an icon menu. Place your cursor over the illustrations to see where each one leads. If it looks interesting, click on it to learn more. I found the easiest way to get to the freebies, is to use the tiny menu bar located at the bottom of the page that includes:

*Fun – An assortment of math tricks and games to entertain you, and amaze your friends. For example, find out how to guess someone’s “Age By Chocolate” – and read the explanation for how it’s done.

*Features – Enjoy colorfully illustrated lessons that teach:

  • Finger Times Tables
  • Pascal’s triangle
  • The Area of an Ellipse
  • Fibonacci and Nature
  • Calculating the Area of a Trapezium
  • Square Triangle and Cube Numbers
  • How to Work Out Square Roots Without a Calculator
  • And More!

This is a terrific way to supplement math studies and engage reluctant mathematicians.

 

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Virtual Tour of “It’s-It” Ice Cream Factory!

July 20th, 2012

Hi!  It’s Friday, July 20, 2012 and time for a Virtual Field Trip at ClickSchooling!

Recommended Website:

It’s-It  Ice Cream Factory Tour

Age Range: 8 and up (approximately, with parental supervision)

At this website, you can take a video tour of the It’s-It Ice Cream Factory. For those of you who don’t know, It’s-It is an ice cream treat that originated in San Francisco. This delicious confection consists of a scoop of vanilla ice cream, sandwiched between two old-fashioned oatmeal cookies, and dipped in dark chocolate.

When you get to the site, you’ll see a notice that says It’s-It doesn’t offer LIVE factory tours.  Below it is a video screen. Click on the arrow to start the presentation that takes you through the manufacturing process that results in this yummy ice cream treat.

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Posted in Virtual Field Trip

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Virtual Field Trip to Chocolate Museum!

February 10th, 2012

Hi!  It’s Friday, February 10, 2012 and time for a Virtual Field Trip at ClickSchooling!

Recommended Website:
Field Museum: All About Chocolate – Just for Kids

Age Range: 7 and up (approximately, with parental supervision)

Valentine’s Day is coming – and that means chocolate! At this website you can take an animated tour to virtually pick cacao pods and process cocoa beans into chocolate!

When you get to the site, click on the words, “Begin the chocolate-making process,” to start the interactive tour.

When the tour is over, explore the rest of this site that provides the history of chocolate.

Don’t miss the “Educators Resources” where you will find “Cocoa Connections: From Beans to Bars” that is a free, downloadable series of 12 lessons about chocolate. Students will:

  1. Discover the botanical source of chocolate, Theobroma Cacao, a small tree of the tropical rainforest interior.
  2. Explore the ecological connections between people, plants, insects, and other animals within the tree’s habitat.
  3. Investigate cultural interactions and conservation concerns resulting from the cultivation, processing, exchange, and consumption of cacao.
  4. Recognize the changing economic and cultural roles of cacao and chocolate in local and global economies over time.

This is a terrific website for learning all about chocolate!

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Posted in Virtual Field Trip

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