Three Cups of Tea Curriculum Project

A group of New Hampshire educators has been collaborating on differentiated projects and lesson plans for Three Cups of Tea.  I wish there was a way to somehow share the energy through the blog that is in the room when these educators are together!  Watch our blog over the next few weeks as the creative ideas are shared here.  We hope you find the blog to be a great resource as you teach, and that you will be inspired to share your own ideas here!  This is only the beginning...

***Please read comments below...

Three Cups of Tea Poem

The following was submitted by Linda Beaulieu, English Teacher at Stevens High School in Claremont, NH:

I taught Three Cups of Tea to a Grade 10 English class.  The unit worked out well and the students came up with a little poem that summarizes best what they experienced as they read the book.  

What can $15,000 do?

It can build a school

That educates kids in the village,

That develops its economy.

It can train future teachers and nurses 

To improve life in the village.

It can create HOPE 

And build GOODWILL.

The final project for my students was to write a proposal explaining what they could do in Claremont that would benefit people.  The kids took the project seriously and created wonderful proposals ranging from running summer youth camps to organizing SHS students to walk in the Audrey Prouty fundraiser.  Some of the students plan to use their proposals as part of their community service.  On the last day, we shared iced tea and cookies in honor of the book.  

Kindness Project

The following is a summary of the Kindness Project which was created by Mrs. Jasmine Tyler, English Teacher at Woodsville High School:

The Kindness Project is taught as part of my 12th grade World Literature curriculum and is introduced with Mortenson's Three Cups of Tea.  This unit frequently follows our postcolonial literature unit, where students have looked at how outsiders change and affect cultures.  

Students are introduced to the Kindness Project by participating in a 24-hour day of kindness, where they are required to be purposely and reflectively kind.  Students keep a log of this day and write a reflection on their experiences.  This becomes the starting point of a research project in which they explore different types of kindness (or the lack thereof), caring, social responsibility and their impact on others.  

Unit materials include:

Three Cups of Tea by Mortenson and Relin

Edges of the Lord (film)

The Stranger by Camus

*To view Mrs. Tyler's classroom blog and website, see links under "For More Information".