Let’s talk about our favorite warm drink: hot chocolate. What’s the difference between hot chocolate and hot cocoa, anyway? Hot cocoa uses cocoa powder and sugar, like in the packets from the store. But to make hot chocolate, you melt chopped-up pieces of chocolate bar. The rich cocoa butter makes a thicker, smoother drink – and it goes great with marshmallows, too.
Wee ones: A mini-marshmallow can fit on the tip of your finger. Find 2 things in your classroom that are also small enough to fit on your fingertip.
Little kids: If you have 9 marshmallows floating in your cocoa and you slurp up 1, how many are left floating around? Bonus: If you start with 9 marshmallows, how many do you need to slurp up to leave a total of 7?
Big kids: If you pour 20 cups of hot chocolate and toss marshmallows in every other one starting with the 2nd, how many cups get marshmallows? Bonus: If you have 20 cups of hot chocolate and you toss marshmallows in every 5th cup starting with the 5th, how many cups get marshmallows?
Answers:
Wee ones: Items might include buttons, a pencil eraser, or tiny bits of paper.
Little kids: 8 mini-marshmallows. Bonus: 2 marshmallows.
Big kids: 10 cups. Bonus: 4 cups: the 5th, 10th, 15th and 20th.
