Chocolate Origins, History & Global Citizenship
Once Upon a Bean is a guided learning module that can be taught as a stand-alone lesson or within the wider STEM & Social Impact program; ‘The Chocolate Story’. This lesson lasts approximately 60 minutes and introduces students to the origins of chocolate, inviting them to explore where cacao comes from and how it first travelled from Mesoamerica to Europe and beyond.
Through a combination of story-driven content, guided video instruction, and thoughtfully designed learning materials, students learn about cacao’s cultural significance, early encounters between Europe and the Americas, and how chocolate became a global commodity.
This module lays the historical and ethical foundation for deeper learning about chocolate, sustainability, and global trade, making it the ideal starting point within The Chocolate Story learning sequence.
Digital learning access
Guided instructional video
Embedded lesson slides for structured learning
Downloadable PDF resources, including:
Student worksheets and activities
Reading comprehension and reflection tasks
Teacher support materials
The origins of cacao and chocolate
Cacao in Mesoamerican cultures
How chocolate came to Europe
Early global trade and its impacts
Building historical understanding within food systems
Mid–upper primary classrooms
Chocolate, food systems, or history units
Integrated humanities and literacy lessons
Inquiry-based and discussion-led learning
No prior knowledge is required. Once Upon a Bean is designed to be accessible, engaging, and age-appropriate, while supporting thoughtful discussion about history, culture, and the early foundations of global trade.
Purchase the Once Upon a Bean module
Access the guided video, lesson slides, and digital resources via a private page on the Strong & Heard website
Deliver the lesson at your own pace (designed as a 1-hour session)
Chocolate Origins, History & Global Citizenship
Once Upon a Bean is a guided learning module that can be taught as a stand-alone lesson or within the wider STEM & Social Impact program; ‘The Chocolate Story’. This lesson lasts approximately 60 minutes and introduces students to the origins of chocolate, inviting them to explore where cacao comes from and how it first travelled from Mesoamerica to Europe and beyond.
Through a combination of story-driven content, guided video instruction, and thoughtfully designed learning materials, students learn about cacao’s cultural significance, early encounters between Europe and the Americas, and how chocolate became a global commodity.
This module lays the historical and ethical foundation for deeper learning about chocolate, sustainability, and global trade, making it the ideal starting point within The Chocolate Story learning sequence.
Digital learning access
Guided instructional video
Embedded lesson slides for structured learning
Downloadable PDF resources, including:
Student worksheets and activities
Reading comprehension and reflection tasks
Teacher support materials
The origins of cacao and chocolate
Cacao in Mesoamerican cultures
How chocolate came to Europe
Early global trade and its impacts
Building historical understanding within food systems
Mid–upper primary classrooms
Chocolate, food systems, or history units
Integrated humanities and literacy lessons
Inquiry-based and discussion-led learning
No prior knowledge is required. Once Upon a Bean is designed to be accessible, engaging, and age-appropriate, while supporting thoughtful discussion about history, culture, and the early foundations of global trade.
Purchase the Once Upon a Bean module
Access the guided video, lesson slides, and digital resources via a private page on the Strong & Heard website
Deliver the lesson at your own pace (designed as a 1-hour session)
