Milton Hershey: Hershey's Chocolate Creator

Written by Joanne Mattern

Published by ABDO Publishing Company in 2011

"Eventually, Hershey's company perfected its milk chocolate formula. Soon, Hershey bars were sold all around the country." (17)

Summary: This short biography is a great way to introduce students to the genre with a well-known, interesting, and likable historical figure! The biography chronicles Hershey's early years, successful business and legacy through 12 two-page chapters. The book includes essential text features such as a table of context, glossary, index, timeline, and bolded vocabulary terms. 

Reading Level: Grades 4-5

Suggested Delivery: Individual Read

Description: Biography

Key Vocabulary (by page number): Mennonite (4), apprentice (6), paraffin (8), refinery (22), exported (26)

Teaching Suggestions:

1. Make this lesson on biographies fun by allowing students to bring in one of their favorite Hershey's treats! (Check with school administration and parents about any food allergies before bringing candy into the classroom.)
2. Ask students if anyone has been to Hershey, Pennsylvania. If so, ask them to share their experiences, pictures, etc. If not, do some research to pull up some pictures and information about the town. This is an important part of Hershey's legacy and will help students to understand his relevance while reading.
3. Give students information on the other biographies in the "Food Dudes" series. Some titles are Ben & Jerry: Ice Cream Manufacturers, The Kellogg Family: Breakfast Cereal Pioneers, and Robert Cade: Gatorade Inventor. Present these as options for any further biography studies if the structure and/subject matter of this book appeals to students.

Comprehension Strategies:

Before Reading: "Walk Through" the book, showing students its' essential text features. Have students practice using the table of contents, glossary, index, etc. Emphasize that these are important features of non-fiction books.

During Reading: Read-Write-Pair-Share. After every few chapters, have students stop and take 5-10 minutes to write down reactions, questions, thoughts, points of interest, etc. Then, have students pair up and share their writing. This will help to break up the reading and give students time to talk with their peers. Encourage students to discuss the book as a biography, in other words, focus on the information key to a biography. 

After Reading: Use exit slips. It is not essential here that students remember every aspect of Hershey's life. They should, however, have picked up on several features of biographies. As the lesson wraps up, give students 5-10 minutes to write down at least 4 features of a biography.

Writing Activity: Using the four key features of a biography that students provided on their exit slips, ask students to interview a classmate and write a short (1-2 page) biography on that person. Compile the results from the exit slips on the board as a reminder for students, and display several biographies for reference of text features and organization. 

Electronic Resources:

The Story of Hershey's

This link provides a timeline which chronicles the events in the book. 

Biographies for Kids

This PDF Link provides a wide variety of biographies for kids. Organized by grade level with summaries and publishing information. 

Mettern, J. (2011). Milton Hershey: Hershey's Chocolate Creator. Edina: ABDO Publishing Company.