Our final project is actually an extension of our October math unit on graphing and an ongoing science unit on the five senses.

After reading the story we discussed which of our senses, besides touch, we might use with chocolate. Of course, the sense of taste was discussed; however, we also decided that the sense of smell is also very important when it comes to chocolate.

First, I brought in four different flavored chocolates (cherry, orange, mint and peanut butter). Each child was asked to smell the chocolate to see if they could tell what flavor was added to the chocolate. After guessing, we created a classroom picture graph and a computer picture graph (using The Graph Club) of “Our Favorite Chocolate Scents.”

This picture graph shows our favorite type of flavored chocolate. The students smelled chocolates flavored with orange, cherry, peanut butter and mint.

We wouldn’t think of doing a chocolate project without being able to actually eat some…well at least I wouldn’t, so each child tried a sample of each flavored chocolate. Our second graph is a bar graph of “Our Favorite Chocolate Flavor.”

This bar graph shows our favorite type of flavored chocolate. The students tasted chocolates flavored with orange, cherry, peanut butter and mint.

    These are the graphs that we created for our classroom.

New York State Standards 

Math-NYS Content Strand:  Statistics and Probability

Students will

• Use simple objects to make graphs
• Make simple pictographs where one picture represents 1

Bands within the Content Strand

• Collection of Data
• Organization and Display of Data
• Predictions from Data

 Science-Science Strand:  1

• Students understand the process of scientific investigation and design, conduct and communicate about such investigations
• Grades k-4 will select and use simple devices to gather data related to an investigation and communicate about the investigations.

 Technology Strand:  4

• The student is an effective communicator through a variety of appropriate technology/media