Yet another geography simulation using food! And the students just love it. Just after I began teaching in Canada in 2003, a copy of a “Chocolate Chip Mining” activity was shared with me by a more senior colleague. It was to be used during our unit on industry in the Grade 9 Geography classes. I don’t know who the original author of this particular activity was, but I would like to thank them.
Since then, this activity has been modified for various subtopics within resource education. There are several YouTube videos and websites that provide such simulations using chocolate chip cookies. Activities range from Grades 3/4 and up to high school. Here are a few options that might be of help to you, before I chat about my own new version:
Fossil Fuels: Chocolate Chip Mining
Activity: The Most Delicious Mine
As I have been teaching the new de-streamed Grade 9 Geography curriculum in Ontario, I wanted a fun activity related to mining again, but maybe something a bit more current that teaches about the value of a particular resource. This falls under strand, C1: Natural Resources and Industries in Canada. I chose diamond mining for several reasons as it can cover social, economic, environmental and even political factors and perspectives of industry. Some information surrounding this resource includes:
- Canada currently produces about 13% of the world’s diamonds;
- Many diamond mines in Canada are set to close within the next 5-15 years;
- The remoteness and current infrastructure in the north where most of the diamond reserves are is a challenge contributing to the decline of some of these mining operations (see the image below). Some mines are simply mined-out;
- The future could be a positive one should economics couple with technological innovation to help reduce some of these challenges as Canada should have enormous deposits due to the amount of kimberlite and craton area in the country.(Northern Miner);
- The diamond mining industry employs approximately 4,160 people directly and indirectly, with 30-40% of those employed being Indigenous Canadians. (DeBeers)
In a nutshell, diamond mining is a good topic to fulfill some of the expectations of the strand.
Here is my take on the chocolate chip mining simulation, I’m calling it:
“Mining for Chocolate Diamonds“
Materials needed:
- Chips Ahoy Triple Chocolate Chunks Cookies
- Toothpicks
- Napkin/paper towel or tissue
Activity:
Students read about the 4 C’s of diamonds: Cut, Color, Clarity and Carat. They are then given instruction as how to mine their “diamonds”. The cookie has 3 different types of chocolate in it: dark(er) chocolate, milk chocolate and white chocolate. The darker chocolate is the most valuable, and the white is the least valuable.
Students have 10 minutes to mine, find and choose the largest most valuable diamond to measure and shape before the time is up. Once the 10 minutes is over they assign dollar values to the stone.
So here it is, my idea on an activity that is at least as old as my teaching career. It’s a new idea and so far after 3 rounds I’ve gotten the bugs out and the students seem to enjoy finding the largest “diamond” in their cookie while competing against their peers. It has been quite funny listening to 14 year olds (especially the boys) talking about their “princess” cuts:)
Mining for Chocolate Diamonds
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On a personal note, this mine holds a special place in my heart… When I got engaged 10 years ago, my husband who was born outside of Canada said, “I’m marrying a Canadian girl, and so she should have a Canadian diamond.” I thought it was so sweet, and since I taught World Issues and the horrors surrounding some of the diamond mining in Africa, I was extra thrilled about not having something that could even possibly be connected to conflict and human rights violations.
Diavik Mine, North West Territories
Photo courtesy of UBC
As always, I do hope this is helpful to educate your students about a particular resource and it’s value while having a bit of fun. The perfect pre-lesson would be the types of mining. As diamond mining is generally open pit mining, some visuals of operational mines would be a great introduction. Above is an image of the Diavik mine in Canada, where the diamond from my engagement ring is from. I think it is one of the coolest looking places in the world, as in the summer it looks like a hole in the ocean.
If you like this type of activity you might want to check out the post on Simulating Plate Tectonics with a Double Stuf Oreo🙂
Happy Mining!
Works Cited
Staff, Northern Miner. “JV Q&A: Canada Must Improve Permitting, Infrastructure to Revive Diamond Industry, SRK Expert Says.” Canadian Mining Journal, 28 Feb. 2025, www.canadianminingjournal.com/news/jv-qa-canada-must-improve-permitting-infrastructure-to-revive-diamond-industry-srk-expert-says/. Accesses 16 Apr. 2025
“Isolated Chocolate Chips Cookie in Cartoon Style | Free Vector.” Freepik, 2022, www.freepik.com/free-vector/isolated-chocolate-chips-cookie-cartoon-style_23722202.htm#fromView=search&page=1&position=4&uuid=8094a748-eba8-4c4c-ba24-c38e2ca875a0&query=clip+art+cookie. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
“The Economic Contribution of De Beers in Canada.” – De Beers Group, www.debeersgroup.com/reports/socio-economic-impacts/canada/economic-canada. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.