Revue of British Writers: A Time-Warp Victorian Tea Note: I modified a lesson plan from the following book: Resource-Based Learning Activities, by Anne Bleakley and Jackie L. Carrigan, Chicago: American Library Association, 1994. For the Teacher Subject; Mid-nineteenth to early twentieth century British literature Topic: Victorian and early modern British literature Plan: Each student selects and researches a specific British author. Personifying that author at a Victorian tea, the student reports on the author by responding to questions posed by the teacher and other members of the class. The librarian prepares tea (preferably English tea), tea sandwiches (a slice of cucumber and cream cheese on thinly sliced bread), and scones or shortbread with lemon curd or strawberry jam and whipped cream. (The tea can be as simple or elaborate as desired, but hot tea with something sweet creates a special atmosphere. Recipes for scones and other British tea favorites are not difficult to find. Students can assist in the food preparation.) Before the tea is served, the Queen rings the bell and the home economics teacher brings in the royal tea service. Then the home economics teacher instructs the class on proper tea etiquette. Before the day of the tea, the teacher has selected a master of ceremonies from the list of authors. At this particular tea, Dante Gabriel Rossetti called each author by name and introduced him or her to the Queen. Resources: encyclopedias in library, CD-ROM encyclopedias, Information Finder by World Book, books by and about the selected British authors, Nineteenth Century Literary Criticism, Moulton's Library of Literary Criticism, Dictionary of Literary Biography, Oxford's Companion to British Literature, The Critical Temper, and others Product: With the English teaching impersonating Queen Victoria, each student is introduced to the Queen as the assigned author (or the spouse or the father/mother of the author). The "author" discusses personal/literary accomplishments, interests, and attitudes about contemporary Great Britain. The student may bring information on an index card and is required to bring a three-dimensional prop (usually a book written by the assigned author). Alternative Lesson Ideas: The number of authors can be adjusted to correspond with the number of students in the class and the specific time period covered. A knowledgeable Queen Victoria or Prince Albert impersonator is imperative. For the Student The following British writers (to be personified my members of the fourth period English IV-CP British Literature class) have been invited to a tea hosted by Her Majesty, Queen Victoria, and her court (aka your librarian, English teacher, and your world history teacher). Matthew Arnold, Dylan Thomas, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Joseph Conrad, H. G. Wells, Rudyard Kipling, Charles Dickens, Thomas Hardy, Robert Browning, George Elliot, Jane Austen, Dame Agatha Christie, James Joyce, Charlotte Bronte, Katherine Mansfield, George Bernard Shaw, Emily Bronte, Christina Rossetti, Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Thomas Hardy, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Oscar Wilde, A. E. Housman, Virginia Woolf, George Meredith, Mary Shelley, Thomas Macaulay, William Makepeace Thackeray, William Butler Years, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Gerard Manley Hopkins, Robert Louis Stevenson, Percy Bysshe Shelley Because all of these writers were not alive at the same time, Mr. Herbert George Wells graciously offered to provide Queen Victoria with a time machine. Her Majesty, therefore, is hosting her tea in 1840 and in 1900. By using the time machine, she is easily able to time-travel between the two dates. (Actually, the year 1840 is too late for one guest and the year 1900 is too early for another one; one person is able to make both parties. Thanks to our time machine, no problem!) You are to assume the identity of one writer. As soon as you are sure which author you want to be, sign up for him or her. You must know certain facts about your author and be able to talk about your likes and dislikes, your accomplishments, and your ideas about social and historical happenings. You may bring with you whatever information you can fit on an index card. You must bring with you one three-dimensional prop and be able to explain to us why it is important to you. (Full costume is optional.) Be prepared to provide this information at the tea and in your research paper: 1. Your full name 2. Your place of birth (including country) 3. Which party you are attending, how old you are, and what you are accomplishing at this time (either 1840 or 1900) 4. Your literary accomplishments—poetry? plays? short stories? novels? Other? (Know titles and dates of publication.) What is your favorite or best-known work(s)? What is it about? What did the critics say about your major work? 5. Your interests—tell us something about other things that are important to you. 6. Your attitude toward at least two things that happened during the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901); see pages _____ in textbook. 7. Some interest (other than writing) that you have in common with one of the other guests—be specific; would your ideas be similar to or different from the ideas of this other person? 8. Something about your family life: parents, siblings, lovers, spouse, children 9. Date, place, and circumstances of death (time-warp, remember?) If you are able to attend this Time-Warp Victorian Tea, your rewards will be immense. Besides receiving up to _____ points for active participation in this affair (plus an unbelievable number of bonus points for "extras"), you will be able to visit with the Queen and to partake of a genuine English Cream Tea (real food) provided by the Queen and Her Majesty's Royal Chef.