DESCRIPTION
Humans have a long and rich history with the tea plant, Camellia Sinensis. Over time humans learned how to manipulate the abundance of phenolic substances and aromatic molecules within tea leaves to exhibit different aromas, flavor, appearance, and even the physiologic, psychologic, and therapeutic effects one will experience when consumed. I will be studying the science behind the different categories of tea and the preparation and processes that produce their unique flavor, aroma, appearance, and health benefits. I will then connect the chemical alchemy needed to produce each tea with the unique traits one experiences when drinking them. When appropriate I will also share political, cultural, and historical information connected to each type of tea and its production.
I will read portions of the book, Tea: a symposium on the pharmacology and the psychologic effects of tea; Therapeutic effects of tea; Chemistry and applications of green tea; caffeinated beverages: health benefits, physiological effects and chemistry. Plus any additional media, books, or peer reviewed research papers that will support my ability to synthesis my research.
I will write weekly e-journal posts to document my work, as well as, curate weekly tea tasting workshops where I will be able to share my research with my peers and faculty.
| Learning Objectives | Activities that will help me to attain this objective | What my sponsor will evaluate |
|---|---|---|
| I will learn about different chemicals that give the physiological, psychological, and therapeutic effects of tea. | I will read portions of the book Tea: a symposium on the pharmacology and the psychologic effects of tea; Therapeutic effects of tea; Chemistry and applications of green tea; caffeinated beverages: health benefits, physiological effects and chemistry. Plus any additional media, books, or peer reviewed research papers that will support my research. | I will write weekly e-journal writings |
| I will use my e-journal posts to supplement workshops to teach and explore the different characteristics of Green, Oolong, Black, and Pu-erh tea; with the intent to connect the chemical uniqueness of each tea with the unique traits one experiences when drinking them. | I will read about the different tea processing techniques and the chemical outcomes and how they produce the unique qualities in each tea. | Faculty will evaluate my e-journal writing, the quality of my tea workshop, and my ability to explain my research to my peers. |
| I will explore Kyla Wazana’s concept of critical eating and extend the concept to critical consumption of tea by studying the history and politics of tea production, consumption, and tea culture. | I will make connections between the content in the book Racial Indigestion, by Kyla Wazana Tompkins, with current news connected to tea, or draw connections between points in the book with events related to tea throughout history. | My faculty will evaluate the quality of the connections I make between Kyla Wazana Tompkin’s book Racial Indigestion with my research about tea synthesized into a weekly paper. |
Evaluation of Work
The student will complete all assignments as described on the syllabus, including weekly documentation on the Project pages of the SOS program website. Whenever possible, the student will provide the faculty with a field supervisor, subcontractor, or mentor’s descriptive assessment of in-program ILC work completed with their guidance, expertise, or supervision by week 10. The student
will complete comprehensive mid-quarter and final narrative self-evaluations and submit them to faculty prior to mid-quarter and final end of quarter student-faculty conferences. For the final blog post on Project websites, each student will post, and when possible present in class on Tuesday of week 10, a 10-minute PowerPoint Presentation of 10-15 slides with text that demonstrates the highlights of the student’s in-program ILC Project website.