Lesson Plan - The High Price of Chocolate

Build Knowledge and Vocabulary 

Before reading the article, present this prompt to students: List everything you can think of that is made with chocolate. Students can work in pairs or independently to create their lists. To challenge students, display a one-minute timer for the task and see which students develop the longest list. Then use the online Skill Builder Words to Know to preteach domain-specific terms from the article.

Read the Article

Read the article aloud or have students read it independently or in pairs. As students read, direct them to circle or highlight any words whose meanings they are unsure of.

Answer Close-Reading Questions

Have students write their responses, or use the Close-Reading Questions to guide a discussion. 

• Summarize the section titled “A Challenging Crop.” (Skill: Summarizing) 
Cocoa comes from cacao trees, which grow best in tropical climates. The trees are hard to maintain, especially during extreme weather. Cacao trees can also be killed by plant diseases. Because of these environmental issues, cocoa farms in West Africa have produced less cocoa in recent years.

• Examine the line graph, “Cocoa Prices Over Time.” Use multiple pieces of text evidence to explain the increase of cocoa prices from 2022 to 2024. (Skill: Integrate Visual Information and Text) 
The price of cocoa increased from 2022 to 2024 because of a low supply and a high demand. The cocoa supply decreased because of climate change in 2023 and 2024. The text states, “In 2023, West Africa received record amounts of rainfall” and “This year . . . droughts in West Africa are the second-worst in more than 10 years.” Because cocoa farms are producing less cocoa, the price of chocolate has increased. The text states, “U.S. retail chocolate prices have increased 10 percent in the past year and are projected to keep rising.” 

Find Text Evidence 

Direct students to the “Your Turn” activity at the end of the article. Then provide these questions for students to consider: How does the law of supply and demand impact the prices of other products you use in your life? What might happen if the demand for those other products went down? 

Analyze Causes and Effects 

Using the Skill Builder Causes and Effects, have students work independently or in pairs to identify two causes and three effects of the rising price of chocolate. After students complete the activity, review responses as a class. 

Assess Comprehension

Assign the Know the News quiz, available in PDF and interactive forms. You can also use the Quiz Wizard to assess comprehension of this article and three others.