Students in museum
Description
Web quest on tea wares connects history, geography, and trade in China, Korea, and Japan.

Grade level: grades 9 or 10

Activity
Four fifty-five minute lessons in the social studies classroom focus on a web quest research project are followed by a field trip to the museum, tea ceremony demonstrations, and the art lesson The Art of Tea.

Chinese tea video (quicktime)
Japanese tea video (quicktime)
Korean tea video (quicktime)
 

  Lesson 1: Introduction  

The rich history of tea culture in East Asia can correct a common misconception that tea is no more than a genteel drink. This project challenges the widely taught belief that Chinese culture developed in isolation from outside influences, as well as supplements meager text information on Japan and Korea. The Jian ware Tea Bowl from China, the celadon Tea Bowl from Korea, and the Bizen ware Tea Storage Jar from Japan provide visual connections to discuss history, geography, and trade, specifically the exchange of ideas and objects related to tea practices in East Asia.

Class Discussion

The teacher leads a discussion (10 to 15 minutes) of ideas from the textbook, World Geography (see Resources). For example:

  • Geography: post a map of East Asia, pointing out mountainous terrain and waterways that shaped transportation routes as well as sources of raw materials, particularly clay and timber.
     
  • Religion: Buddhism originated in India and moved into China, Korea, and Japan. Governments adopted Buddhism as a social unifier.  Tea was treasured by Buddhist monks as an aid to staying alert during meditation.

Activity

Web Quest: The Way of Tea

  • Begin the web quest assignment by dividing the class into three groups, one for China, one for Korea, and one for Japan. (See Web Quest: The Way of Tea. This web quest can be loaded unto school computers, or printed out and given to students to use.)
     
  • Assign a role for each member of the group: recorders, researchers, presenter, etc. Give the Individual Web Quest Research Worksheet to each student as an aid in focusing on the assignment.
     
  • The culture each group researches can be assigned by the teacher or chosen by the group.
     
  • Ask each student to fill in the top section of the worksheet to ensure that they know where to begin the project.
     
  • Have students begin research.
  Lesson 2: Continue Web Quest  

The teacher facilitates the group research on Web Quest: The Way of Tea.
Note: If lesson two occurs on a Friday, assign continued research via home or library computers as homework for the weekend.
 

  Lesson 3: Report Preparation  

Group members meet and share research results to prepare for presentations. Group recorders (or the teacher) can use the Group Participation Rubric to evaluate individual contributions.
 

  Lesson 4: Oral Report and Video  
Begin this lesson with a summary of the major points of the lesson (see Introduction in Lesson One) and the purpose of the Web quest. Have each group orally report on their assigned topic for ten minutes. If time permits, show the video Sultan's Lost Treasure (see Resources).

Share and write on the board the Essay Rubric for Civic Writing as a guideline for the students' writing assignment.
 

  Lesson 5: Essay Assignment  

The teacher summarizes the key points learned from the previous lessons and students begin an individual essay writing assignment to be chosen from one of the following essay questions:

  • What aspect of the culture you researched did you like best, and why?
  • Of the places you researched, where would you like to live and why?
  • How has your thinking changed about tea as a result of this project?

To assess, see Essay Rubric for Civic Writing that is based on the instructions given to students taking the Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) High School Test in social studies.