Classroom Activities

Morning tea is over. Time to get back to class.

These suggested activities and resources are to further support the teaching of the key concepts from Time For Tea. This digital resource is a useful starting point for introducing historical terminology and sources of information.

Staff room

Design a menu for a Teddy Bear's picnic. What teddy bear themed foods will be served?
Students research tea traditions of one country. Is there a style or flavour of tea that is preferred in that country? Are there traditions surrounding how and when tea is served?
Look closely at either the picnic or tea party photos. Create a Venn diagram comparing the past to the present. What is different and what has stayed the same over time?
Choose a picnic photograph from the Time For Tea resource. What is the date on the photograph? Students write a diary entry from the point of view of one of the people in the photograph; describing their day out, their surroundings, the food and drink served at the picnic.
Students draw a portrait of their favourite teddy bear. Give the teddy human characteristics and compose a narrative whereby the teddy bear goes on an adventure.
Plan an 'olden days' class picnic. Dress up in olden days clothes, make olden day picnic food and play olden days picnic games. Students present an oral retell of one aspect of the day, using photographs taken of the food and activities.
Students write a step by step guide on how to play their favourite picnic game. Compile the guides into a class "How To" book.
Search the State Library catalogue to find a photograph about tea parties, picnics or teddy bears. Describe what you see in the photograph. What date was the photograph taken? What does your photograph tell you about life in the past?

Suggested reading

Anderson, S, 2016, The teddy bears' picnic, Cantata Learning, USA

Birmingham, J, 2014, Picnic, Candlewick Press, USA

Dyckman, A, 2013, Tea party rules, Viking (Penguin Books), UK

Hayes, S, 1998, This is the bear and the picnic lunch, Walker Books, Australia

Hutchins, P, 2013, We're going on a picnic!, Red Fox (Penguin Books), Australia

Jolly, J, 2014, Tea and sugar Christmas, National Library of Australia, Australia

Kerr, J, 2006, The tiger who came to tea, Harper Collins Children's, UK

Sharratt, N, 2021, Tea party parade, Barrington Stoke, UK

Vass, Carol, 2017, A perfectly posh pink afternoon tea, Koala Books (Scholastic Australia), Australia

Suggested rhymes and songs

Ask Mr Bear