Cacao Tree FactsResearch Activity

1. Read your question sheet.2.Highlight key words.

3.Talk with your partner.4.Find the answers!

Chocolate is used in so many different foods. Can you identify these?

Word Box: powder, cake, bar,Ice-cream, biscuits, shake, sauce, hot

Chocolate is made from cacao beans.Cacao beans grow on cacao trees like this one!

Height: 6-10 metres

Grows pink flowers when it is 4/5 years old

The fruit is called ‘pods’.

If the pod is green, it is not ready. If the pod is yellow, it is ripe (ready).

Sometimes, monkeys break the fruit and spread the seeds everywhere?

Can you see the different parts of the cacao tree?

Seeds podsbranches leaves

trunkflower

Cacao beans come from the pods.Inside the pods are many little beans

(about 50 beans).Cacao beans are actually the seeds

from cacao tree’s pods.

Cacao trees need :hot temperature

sunlight (not too much)shade

little bit of rain

Some cacao trees even grow under other bigger trees, like mango trees and papaya trees.

Where do cacao trees grow?

Follow this link: http://www.chocablog.com/map/Can you find any cacao producing countries in each continent?

Cacao trees grow in countries which are near the equator.

Cacao trees grow in tropical climates – lots of sunshine and lots of rain.

https://www.timeanddate.com/weather/

Look at the map and the website link for more information!

Extra!!!!Let’s compare two trees.

What is similar and different about thecacao tree and a coconut tree?

http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/food/coconuts.html

http://www.coolkidfacts.com/cocoa-bean-facts/