For Grades 3-6
Name
Week One
Do YOU like chocolate? What’s your favorite kind? Write its name or draw it here.
Dear friend, Do you know what chocolate is made of? Make your best guess! Let’s find out!
We hope you will enjoy this book. We wrote it so that you could learn all about chocolate,
the problems that face cocoa farmers, and how we can all help. Please feel free to copy this
book for your friends and family!
We hope that you will write to chocolate companies to tell them what you have learned
from this book, and ask them to sell Fair Trade. There are materials at the back of the book
to help you do this!
If you want to learn more, please see the resources section at the end of the book. Your
teacher and parents can help you find the other resources and look on the internet sites
that are listed. The Fair Trade team at....
Chocolate always has cocoa and cocoa butter. It usually has sugar and
sometimes milk, too.
1 2
This drawing shows how much of these are in a chocolate bar.
45% Sugar
26% Milk
24% Cocoa
& Cocoa Butter
yay!
5% Veggie Oil
3 4
Cocoa beans grow on trees, inside pods that are as big as footballs! It is too cold to grow Cocoa grows in rainforests that are warm and wet. Can you name some
cocoa in the United States. Cocoa pods might want a scarf to stay warm here! places where cocoa might grow?
Let’s find out!
5 6
It grows in countries in Africa Cocoa also grows in countries in
Latin America
like Belize
Like the Ivory Coast and Ecuador
Ghana.
7 and Cameroon 8
Cocoa even grows in some countries in Do you know where these countries are?
Southeast Asia Do you think you could walk to them?
like Indonesia
Let’s find them on a map!
You could walk to Latin America but it would take a really really long time!
You would probably want to take a plane or a boat or a car.
Find Nicaragua, Belize and Ecuador on the map of Latin America.
When you find each of these places, write their names on the map or color
each one a different color so you will remember where they are.
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Africa and Southeast Asia are all the way across the ocean. You would have to take a long Draw a picture of yourself sharing
ride on a plane or boat to get there. Cocoa from Africa and Southeast Asia comes to the some chocolate with a cocoa farmer.
United States on big boats.
Find Ghana and Cameroon and the Ivory Coast on the map of Africa
Find Indonesia on the map of Southeast Asia.
When you find each of these places, write their names on the map or color
each one a different color so you will remember where they are.
Most cocoa farmers have never even eaten chocolate! They are too poor to buy or make
Every time you eat chocolate, you are sharing a yummy gift from hard working cocoa chocolate bars. They cannot even pay for things they need, like food and clothes and trips
farmers that live in these faraway places. Chocolate brings the world together! to the doctor.
Cocoa farmers are poor because they do not get paid very much for their cocoa.
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Week Two
Farmers do not get paid much for their cocoa beans because they do not have any say in
Cocoa farmers get 25¢ to 50¢ for each what the price should be. They just get what companies want to pay them.
pound of cocoa beans they sell.
Circle some coins to make 25¢. This is why farmers stay poor.
How do you feel about that?
Do you think that is right?
On some farms, these workers are children, just like you. They do not get to go to school,
What could you buy with 25¢? Could you buy lunch? Could you go to the or play. They have to work very hard on cocoa farms all day because their parents are too
doctor? Could you even buy a chocolate bar? poor to afford to send their children to school and hire people to work on the farm.
Some farmers are so poor they do not even have the money to pay their workers. These
This is not even enough to pay for the cost of workers are slaves. They are often children, brought from other countries to work far away
growing cocoa. from their homes and families. They do very dangerous work. They get yelled at and are
treated badly.
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Here is a picture of some children who were made to work as slaves on cocoa farms. How Some of these farmers also use chemicals to keep away bugs and diseases. These chemicals
do you think they feel? How would you feel if you were them? make the water and air dirty.
Many of the people and animals who breathe the dirty air and drink the dirty water get
very sick.
Fortunately, people are trying to fix these problems.
Some farmers have also cut down the rainforest to grow more cocoa to sell. Some chocolate companies in the United States are trying to
This has taken homes from birds and other animals that need the rainforest. end child slavery on cocoa farms.
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They are also helping farmers grow cocoa in ways that are good for the earth. How does this make you feel?
Do you think farmers should get more money for their cocoa?
But, these companies still have not agreed to pay farmers enough for their cocoa.
A lot of people think so. People like this set up something called the “Fair Trade” system.
The Fair Trade system gives farmers at least 80¢ for each pound of their cocoa. This gives
farmers enough to buy food and clothes, go to the doctor, and send their children to
school. Hooray!
This means that many children will still have to work hard so their families will have Circle some coins to make 80¢.
enough money to buy food and clothes and go to the doctor.
These are very good things for companies to do!
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The Fair Trade system also makes sure that farmers do not use slaves or mistreat their
workers. Draw something that farmers might do with their Fair Trade money.
Children do not have to work on Fair Trade farms. They can go to school and play like you.
Hooray!
If older kids want to help out on the farm when they come home from school, that is ok.
But, they cannot be made to work all day instead of going to school.
Fair Trade farmers work together and help
each other.
The farmers use some of their money to go to school to learn how to grow cocoa in a
way that is good for the earth and make their cocoa taste the best it can be.
Fair Trade farmers also share their money with their communities to build things like
schools and doctor’s offices.
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Fair Trade cocoa com es from 11 countries
Belize Bolivia Dominican Republic Ghana Nicaragua
Cameroon Costa Rica Ecuador and Peru!
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Week Three
Find these places on the maps of
Latin America and Africa. Draw some farmers here.
When you find each of these places, write their names on the map or color
each one a different color so you will remember where they are.
You can read stories about some of these farmer groups on the Internet. See the back of
the book for a list of good web sites.
There are a lot of farmers in the Fair Trade system - over 50,000!
How many did you draw?
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Fair Trade chocolate has special labels that What do you think you can do to get big companies to sell Fair Trade
chocolate?
tell you that the farmers were paid a fair
You can write to your favorite chocolate company!
Fair Trade Certified Have you ever eaten Fair Trade chocolate?
What did it taste like?
Do you think Fair Trade is a good idea? Why?
Tell them that you are sad that cocoa farmers do not get paid enough and that some even use
child [Link] them you are sad that many children work on cocoa farms instead of going to
Fair Trade chocolate is sold by only a few small com- school. Ask them to start selling Fair Trade so that these problems will not happen anymore!
panies in the United States. Big companies do not sell
Fair Trade Federation Fair Trade chocolate. Cocoa farmers do not get a fair
price for most of the chocolate we eat.
Tell your friends and family to write letters, too! If we all ask companies to sell Fair Trade,
Cocoa farmers get only 1 penny for every chocolate they will know how important it is and they will do it!
bar that is not Fair Trade!
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Here is a sample letter:
Edmond Opler, Chairman and CEO, World’s Finest Chocolate
4801 S. Lawndale; Chicago, IL 60632-3062
Edmond Opler, Chairman and CEO, Dear Mr. Opler,
World’s Finest Chocolate
4801 S. Lawndale; Chicago, IL 60632-3062
I am sad that cocoa farmers do not get paid enough to buy food or go to the doctor. I am also sad
that many children work on cocoa farms instead of going to school or being able to play like me. I am the
most sad that some even use child slaves. Please sell Fair Trade chocolate so that these problems will not
happen anymore! Please write back to let me know when you will start to sell Fair Trade Chocolate.
Do you know where to send your letter? Thank you!
Your friend,
To find out, look at the wrapper of a chocolate bar. Here is how you can contact
Here is the address for World’s Finest Chocolate: Global Exchange:
Edmond Opler, Email: fairtrade@[Link]
Chairman and CEO Web: [Link]/cocoa
World’s Finest Chocolate
4801 S. Lawndale They have a Fair Trade chocolate campaign and they can help you out! They would also love
Chicago, IL 60632-3062 to hear about your letter to the chocolate company!
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Week Four
You also can find a list of other helpful groups and web sites in the back of this book. • Look for Fair Trade bananas and fruits! If your parents like coffee and tea, they can get Fair
After you write to the chocolate company, you can do more things to help cocoa farmers: Trade in the store! See Global Exchange’s web site for company and store listings.
1. Share this book with friends & family. Ask them to buy Fair Trade chocolate & cocoa all the • You can find fairly traded clothing, hand-crafts, musical instruments, and other cool things
time. Ask them to write to chocolate companies, too! from Fair Trade Stores
2.If your school or club sells chocolate for a fundraiser, ask the chocolate company to sell Fair
Trade. If the chocolate company won’t sell Fair Trade, get your school or club to switch to a
company that does. Global Exchange has a packet to help you at [Link]/
campaigns/ fairtrade/cocoa/[Link]
3. Ask your local stores to sell Fair Trade chocolate & cocoa. You can get a list of companies Fair Trade Federation Fair Trade Certified Fair Trade Federation
[Link]
Global Exchange Fair Trade Stores
[Link]
4. Learn more about Fair Trade farmers and the places they live. See our web site for farmer
stories at [Link] fairtrade/cocoa/[Link]
Also check out the resources in the back of this book to get started.
5. Support other Fair Trade!
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Thanks for helping bring Fair Trade to more farmers like us and our families!
Mariano, Nicaragua Asamoah & Lydia, Ghana Ovida, Dominican Republic Manuel, Dominican Republic
31 32
Resources
Groups that promote Fair Trade in the United States Fair Trade Federation
1612 K St., #600, Washington, DC 20006 Child Labor Coalition
Global Exchange Coop America 202-872-5329 1701 K St. NW, Ste. 120
2017 Mission St., #303 1612 K St., #600, Washington, DC 20006 ftf@[Link] Washington, DC 20006
San Francisco, CA 94110 202.872.5343 [Link] 202.835.3323
415-575-5538 info@[Link] childlabor@[Link]
fairtrade@[Link] [Link] [Link]
[Link]/cocoa
Fair Trade Resource Network
PO Box 33772, Washington, DC 20033 Free the Slaves
202.302.0976 1012 14th St., NW Ste. 600
Equal Exchange info@[Link] Washington, DC 20005
TransFair USA
251 Revere Street, Canton, MA 02021 [Link] 202.638-1865
1611 Telegraph Ave, Oakland, CA 94612
781.830.0303 info@[Link]
510.663.5260
info@[Link] [Link]
info@[Link]
[Link] [Link] Groups promoting earth-friendly farming
Groups that are working to end child labor
International Labor Rights Fund Save the Children Canada Organic Consumers Association
2001 S Street, NW Ste. 420 4141 Yonge Street, Suite 300 6771 South Silver Hill Drive
Washington, DC 20009 Toronto, Ontario M2P 2A8 Finland, MN 55603
202.347.4100 416.221.5501 or 1.800.668.5036 218.226.4164
laborrights@[Link] sccan@[Link] [Link]
[Link]
33 34
Resources for parents and teachers
History and Manufacturing of
Cocoa and Chocolate International Cocoa
Chicago Field Museum of Natu-
ral History Chocolate Exhibit
Organization
Questions and answers about all
This certificate is presented to
Museum online exhibit on aspects of cocoa and chocolate
chocolate [Link]
Jubilee Chocolates
Exploratorium Chocolate Exhibit Lots of fun facts about chocolate
Children’s museum online exhibit and a special page to post ques-
Thanks for helping spread the word about Fair Trade and getting more companies to sell Fair Trade choco-
on chocolate tions you have.
[Link]/chocolate/ [Link] late and cocoa. You are making a real difference in the lives of more than 50,000 cocoa farmers and their
families across the world..
General information on Fair Trade
Fair Trade Federation
Global Exchange Fair Trade Oxfam International List of Fair Trade groups and
Program Oxfam has educational materi- materials in the United States
Information on all aspects of Fair als about world trade and Fair and around the world. You can
Trade, including links to lists of
other groups and materials in
Trade that you can download for
free and order from their web
find fairly traded clothing, hand-
crafts, musical instruments, and
Keep up the good work!!
the US and around the world. sites.
[Link]
other cool things from stores and For making chocolate sweeter -
[Link], click on companies that are in the Fair
“Fair Trade” [Link] Trade Federation!
[Link]
one bite at a time!
35 36
This book may be copied freely for educational purposes. Please keep this page in the book when you copy it.
This book was written by Melissa Schweisguth and designed/illustrated by Nate Rhys Córdoba
It was produced by:
Photo and Map Credits:
PAGE 7,8,9, 21-22:
Country Maps:
Page 31-32: (clockwise from top left): Melissa
Global Exchange is an international human rights organization dedicated to promoting environmental, politi-
cal and social justice. Since our founding in 1988, we have increased the US public’s global awareness while
building partnerships among peoples around the world.
Global Exchange Fair Trade Team This book is designed for grades 3-6. A version for grades K-2 is also available.
2017 Mission Street, Suite 303
San Francisco, CA 94110
37 38
2017 Mission Street, #303 •
San Francisco, CA 94110 • tel
415.255.7296 • fax 415.255.7498
fairtrade@[Link] •
[Link]/cocoa