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Types of tea and its uses …………………………………………………. 3How tea was discovered ………………………………………………….. 5From plantations to homes ……………………………………………... 6 How tea is produced ……………………………………………………...... 8

Quiz ………………………………………………………………………………….. 11Glossary ………………………………………………………………………….... 13References ……………………………………………………………………….. 15

Tea ceremonies ………………………………………………………………… 10

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Index ………………………………………………………………………………. 14

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Tea is used for drinking during ceremonies, cultural events or just for

relaxing.

Some people like to eat bread when drinking tea.

Some people drink tea when they are tired or feeling distressed.

Some people drink tea just because it is tasty.

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The history of tea in China is long and complicated. The Chinese have enjoyed tea for a couple thousand years. Scholars used tea as a cure for a variety of sicknesses; the nobility considered the drinking of good tea as a mark of their status, and the common people simply enjoyed its flavor.Tea was first discovered by the Chinese Emperor Shennong in 2737 BC. It is said that the emperor liked his drinking water boiled before he drank it so it would be clean. One day, on a trip to a distant region, the Emperor and his army stopped to rest. A servant began boiling water for him to drink, and a dead leaf from the wild tea bush fell into the water making it turn into a brownish color. The emperor drank it and found it very refreshing, and tea was born.

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First, a plantation worker takes off the leaves from the Camellia Sinensis plant. The leaves are fermented for a few years so it changes it to a brownish color. The longer the leaves are dried the more darker it gets.

After the leaves are fermented, they are then grinded into little pieces or powder. The leaves are either fermented again or put into a tea bag.

If the grinded tea leaves are fermented again, it is done for only for a few months. Some teas like ginger tea are fermented longer than teas like ice tea.

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If the leaves are put in tea bags, they are then sent to a company to check whether it is safe or not. After checking for safety, the tea bags go to a market to be sold.

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First, the leaves are spread out on shelves called withering racks, where air is blown to dry them. Next, the leaves are put through rolling machines to press out their juices, put into a fermenting room, where controlled humidity and temperature chemically change them to a coppery color.The last step is the drying out of the leaves in an oven, where they turn a brownish-black color.

The key steps of how main teas are madeIndoor Wilted Baking Light Rolling Drying White TeaPanning Moist Heating Rolling Drying Yellow TeaSteaming Rolling Drying Green TeaSteaming Rolling Drying Wet Pilling Post-fermented Tea

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The tea ceremony is a way of preparing and drinking tea. The custom has been strongly influenced by Buddhism. Nowadays, the tea ceremony is a relatively popular hobby. Many Japanese, who are interested in their own culture, take tea ceremony lessons. Tea ceremonies are held in traditional Japanese rooms in cultural community centers or private houses. The ceremony itself consists of many rituals that have to be learned by heart.  

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Now I will test your skills:

What are the four main types of tea?

What is the plant that all teas come from?

When was tea first discovered and who discovered it?

How was tea discovered?

What are the key steps to make green tea?

What is a tea ceremony?11

What are the four main types of tea? Black, white, green, oolong

What is the plant that all teas come from? Camellia Sinensis

When was tea first discovered and who discovered it?2737 BC by Emperor Shennong

How was tea discovered?A leaf fell into Emperor Shennong’s cup making tea

What are the key steps to make green tea? Steam, Roll, Dry

What is a tea ceremony? A way of drinking tea to celebrate

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Ceremony- an event that takes place at a certain time of the year.

Culture- a ceremony or an event that a certain religion or a country will do; the way of life.

Humidity- dryness

Influenced- Taught by or persuaded.

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green tea 3,8,9 Camellia Sinensis plant 3,6

white tea 3,8,9 ceremony 3,10

oolong tea 3,9 plantation 6

black tea 3,9 Emperor Shennong 5

yellow Tea 3,8,9

post-fermented tea 3,8,9

ice tea 3

ginger tea 3

mint tea 3

milk tea 3

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea

http://www.teavana.com/tea-info/new-to-tea

http://web-japan.org/kidsweb/explore/culture/q1.html

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/585115/tea/65377/Fermentation

www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?t=4363

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