The Victorian High Tea

School Policy clearly states that there are to be no parties in class.  In keeping with these sentiments, the Honors World Civ. program has developed a Victorian High Tea - certainly nothing as wild as a "party" as these photos attest.  The teachers will provide the tea, cups and saucers.  Students provide the rest.
 
Purpose:
The purpose of this project is to give students a sense of the culture of British (American and Western European), late 19th century culture through a variety of media, including music, poetry, and of course, tea.  Other cultural elements of the 19th century are also acceptable: India, Japan, China, Africa, Latin America, Russia, the Middle East, etc.
 
The Process (What to do):
  
 A. Decide what your area of expertise is:                                      Every student has three (or more) options. Some students have musical ability - they can choose to perform a work appropriate to the time period.  This can be done either solo or as an ensemble.  Other students may choose to perform a memorized poem from the 19th century.  Others may decide to prepare food for the class, in which case they will produce ample servings for the class.  Extra credit is available for students in period costume.

B. Sign Up!: (teacher will have the list)                                           Each student may sign up for one of the three main categories for primary credit (30 points) as well as for a secondary (different) category for an additional 15 points. 

     Music - Students interested in doing music for the class need prepare a piece or collection of pieces of approximately two and a half minutes in length.  The music performed may be longer, but a two and a half minute minimum is required.  Also, works may be from any time period up until 1914.  No music written after 1914 (the beginning of WWI) will be accepted.  Although it was not common in the Victorian era to perform music written before 1700, for the sake of ease, earlier works will be acceptable.  Performances may be in ensembles or solo.  Taped accompaniment for singers is NOT acceptable, nor are electronic instruments (guitars, keyboards, etc.).  We will reserve the music room on campus and access to the school's piano will be provided for those students interested in playing on a keyboard.  You may use sheet music (get a page turner if you need one).  You will also need to introduce the piece you are playing to the class (musical period/style, title and composer).  If you wish to add any explanatory information, you may do so, but it is not required.  Performance grades will be based on quality of the performance, not on complexity of the piece involved.  Before the performance, students must submit a sheet stating their name, period, the title and composer of the work(s) to be performed, and the instrument(s) they will be performing on. 

     Poetry - Poetry of the Victorian and Edwardian eras was a passion for many.  Consequently, part of the grade on the poetry assignment will be based on how well you emote.  Poems must be memorized and of at least 28 lines in length.  You are also required to give a brief introduction about the life of the author or the history of the work.  (You may use a notecard of information for this - it need not be memorized.)  A copy of the poem to be read must be turned in, which includes the name of the author, your name and period, and a copy of the biographical information on the author.  Poems in languages other than English must be approved by the teacher.

     Food - The third option for the Victorian High Tea involves food.  Students electing this option must prepare 30 servings of a Victorian-era food, complete with the recipe and documentation that it is, verifiably, from the Victorian era.  "Modern" elements (such as flourescent gummi-worms, Kool Whip, or Cheeze Wiz) will not be accepted, as they had not yet been invented.  Also not acceptable are simple foods such as apples.  The foods must be processed in some way and documentation showing that they were used in the time period must be given.  The teacher will limit the number of items by type: deserts, main courses, drinks, appetizers, soups, etc.  Sign-ups will be done on a first-come, first-served basis.  Students are responsible for bringing their own serving dishes and utensils as needed.  (Those do not have to be from the proper period: plastic sporks are acceptable.) 

     Costumes - students who come, dressed in period costume will receive an additional 10 points of extra credit.  Costumes need to be complete (wearing a Victorian scarf and a ring, along with Nikes, shorts, and a baseball cap will not qualify as "being dressed in period costume".)

     Other - Creativity reigns!  If you can come up with some other cultural manifestation of the Victorian era and would like to present it (other than food, music, poetry, or costumes), check with the teacher and see if it will work!  In the past students have contributed Victorian decorations, and 19th-century era waltzing.  This can be done for primary credit or extra credit, pending teacher approval.  

C. The Day of the High Tea  - If you have food that needs to be hot, I recommend using a crock pot or having a parent deliver it at the end of 4th period.  If it needs to be cool, get it to me before school and I will put it in the staff refrigerator.  If it needs to be frozen, let me know a day ahead of time so I can make arrangements with the school cafeteria for  place to store it the day of the Tea, then bring it in before school.  We will report directly to the music room 4th period (both classes).  I will select a small group of volunteers to help set up the food in another room while the rest of us listen to the music and poetry.  

Want to see what it's looked like before?  Check it out.

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Victorian High Tea FAQ’s:

Question: How much time will we have to prepare in class?

Answer:  None.

Question:  Is it going to be on the test?
 
Answer: No, I will not demand that students know about the pieces performed, the poems read, or the food served.  The goal is to *enjoy* these things, not worry about how to get points off them.

Question: My drink requires carbonated water.  Can I use 7-up or Canada Dry Ginger Ale?
 
Answer:  Nope. Find out how people made carbonated drinks in the 19th century and do that.    

Question: I really like Jazz.  Can I play a jazz piece instead of something from an earlier time?

Answer: Sorry, no.  Jazz is great - it's just not Victorian.  I'm afraid I don't want post-1914 music performed even as extra credit.

Question: I found a piece of music that's easy enough for my friends and I to play.  The only problem is, it wasn't originally written for the combination of instruments we play.  Can I re-write the piece?

Answer: Yes - making an arrangement or a transcription of a work is perfectly acceptable.  That was a common practice in the 19th century and you are welcome to make whatever arrangements you like.  Be careful to preserve the integrity of the piece itself, however.  Don't make a rock-and-roll version of a Mozart sonata (cool as that might be, it's not the point of the activity).

Question: I'm allergic to Victorian food.  Can I eat with my friends in the Quad instead of being with the class?

Answer: If you're allergic to Victorian food, you'll probably fare no better with the hormone-laden, chemically-treated, artificially created, synthetic monstrosities that pass for food in the big bad world out there.  For the safety of yourself, we must nix that proposal.  Won't somebody, please, think of the children!?