Standards Met:
EAL8R1 The student demonstrates comprehension and shows evidence of a warranted and responsible explanation of a variety of literary and informational texts.
ELA8R2 The student understands and acquires new vocabulary and uses it correctly in reading and writing.
ELA8RC2 The student participates in discussions related to curricular learning in all subject areas.
ELA8RC3 The student acquires new vocabulary in each content area and uses it correctly.
ELA8RC4 The student establishes a context for information acquired by reading across subject areas.
ELA8W2 The student demonstrates competence in a variety of genres.
ELA8LSV1 The student participates in student-to-teacher, student-to-student and group verbal interactions.
VA8MC.3 The student demonstrates how artists create and communicate meaning in artworks.
VA8MC.4 The student participates in aesthetic dialogue about his or her artwork and the artwork of others.
VA8CU.1 The student investigates and discovers personal relationship to community, culture, and world through making and studying art.
VA8PR.2 The student creates artwork reflecting a range of concepts, ideas, and subjectmatter.
VA8C.1 The student applies information from other disciplines to enhance the understanding and production of artworks.
M8P4. The student makes connections among mathematical ideas and to other
disciplines.
M8P5. The student represents mathematics in multiple ways.
Lesson Plan:
After viewing and discussing the artifacts in the traveling trunk, students will be asked to focus on the different types of teas (chamomile, etc.) that the upper class would have had in the afternoon, which will be one of the artifacts in the trunk. The class will view the tea set and talk about what each piece is for, and how it was used. Then, as a group, we will brainstorm how a Victorian society host a tea party, and together we will plan our own, including china, flatware, tablecloths, dresses, and of course, food.
Once we have decided upon the details, including but not limited to invitations and place settings, the class will discuss what fingerfoods they would like to have. Each child (or group of children, depending on the size of the classroom) will select a food to prepare outside of class, and include its serving utensils. (If there are any children who do not want to take on this outside of class project, they can be in charge of heating, steeping, and helping to serve the tea, as well as preparing the area of the tea party.)
On the day of the party, students should be prepared to serve the rest of the class with their recipe, as well as have baking/preparation steps listed, complete with ingredients.
An alternative to the out-of-school project: if the teacher or classroom has access to their own baking tools, the entire activity can be done during school hours.
