Chocolate Badge
(Discover Knowledge)
By Abby Olson

 

Penguins: Do three requirements including the two starred *

_____1.* Try a piece of unsweetened chocolate, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and white chocolate. Which do you like best and why?

_____2.* What is the name of the tree whose fruit is made into chocolate?

 

Otters: Do four requirements including the two starred *

_____1.* Do Penguin requirements 1 & 2. Find out the top three countries that grow the tree you learned about in Penguin requirement 2. Find a picture of the tree or go on a virtual tour of a farm that grows those trees.

_____2.* What are the differences in ingredients of ready-made hot chocolate and hot chocolate made from scratch? Make some hot chocolate using store bought mix (with adult help) and some with a mix made from scratch. Compare them.

 

Dolphins: Do five requirements including the two starred *
_____1.* Do Otter requirements 1 & 2.

_____2.* What climates are ideal for growing cacao trees and what countries have those types of climates? Locate on a map or globe the three countries required for Otter 1.

 

Butterflies: Do six requirements including the two starred *

_____1.* Do Dolphin requirements 1 & 2. As far as historians can tell, in what form did people first eat chocolate? Which two ancient Central American civilizations consumed chocolate?

_____2.* What is organically grown chocolate? Does organically grown chocolate benefit the consumer, the farm worker or everyone involved? Go to the store and find at least three types of organic chocolates. Compare them to non-organic chocolates. What differences do you notice? Which type of chocolate do you prefer?

 

Eagles: Do seven requirements including the two starred *

_____1.* Do Butterfly requirements 1 & 2.

_____2.* Make and compare three different made-from-scratch hot chocolates. They may have special flavorings such as peppermint added if desired.

 

Owls: Do nine requirements including the two starred *

_____1.* Do Eagle requirements 1 & 2.

_____2.* Teach someone how to do a skill from this badge or teach some knowledge about this badge to someone.You can teach kids, your spouse, seniors, anyone, just as long as you are sharing your new found knowledge. If for some reason you cannot teach what you have learned to someone else, you may choose an additional 2 optional requirements instead.

 

Optional Requirements:

_____3. Taste a minimum of three gourmet dark chocolates and compare their tastes. Butterflies, Eagles & Owls need to write a short report on the taste differences.

_____4. Play a chocolate game such as Chocolatier or Chocolatier II.

_____5. Make at least five chocolate candies in molds.

_____6. Learn the history of at least two major chocolate-producing companies. Make a timeline of their histories. It should include a minimum of ten important events.

_____7. Bake five chocolate baked goods. Two with melted chocolate and three with cocoa powder.

_____8. Write a short report on the health benefits of dark chocolate or cocoa.

_____9. What is the average income of a cocoa farmer? Is this a low, average, or high income for his country? What is the average income of an employee in a chocolate factory? What are the top three countries that produce finished chocolate candies?

_____10. Learn the definitions of cocoa, cocoa butter, cacao nibs, white chocolate, milk & dark chocolate. Taste any of them you’ve previously never eaten.

_____11. Name six non-baked chocolate desserts. Otters make one dessert. Dolphins and older girls make two desserts.

_____12. Find three main dish recipes that include chocolate as an ingredient.

_____13. Use chocolate to make decorations on a fancy dessert or dish. Examples are curls, cutouts, leaves, and molded chocolates.

_____14. Find out some of the government standards for keeping chocolate clean as it moves through a factory. Find out the concentration of insect parts that are allowed in chocolate.

_____15. Draw a diagram of all the steps in chocolate candy making. Start with the tree all the way to the finished product.

_____16. Hold a bake sale that includes only chocolate goods. Donate the proceeds to a charity of your choice or to your troop.

_____17. Research careers that involve chocolate, such as a baker, cocoa farmer, etc. Learn what type of training you would need and what type of salary you could expect.

_____18. Visit a chocolate or candy factory, a sweet shop, or bakery. Interview one of the workers about the chocolate making process.

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