A cream, gold and blue cardboard box. Writing on box reads 'The Bell Tea, Delicious, Wholesome, Refreshing, One Quality, One Price, The Secret of Popularity is found in every Tin, Packed by the Bell Tea Co. Ltd. Dunedin'.
Named after Norman Bell, the Bell Tea Company was established in 1905 in Dunedin, New Zealand. During WW1 Bell became a household name. This cardboard packaging replaced tin containers in 1937. This box would have contained loose tea as teabags were not introduced until 1974.
https://www.belltea.co.nz/about-us/
date: 1940s
manufacturer: Bell Tea Company, New Zealand
maximum dimension: 160mm
subject area: Social Science, The Arts
subject themes: Domestic, Food, Packaging, Design
handling collection number: HC115
Why not get your hands on:
Billy Can > https://www.handsontauranga.co.nz/hot-items/te-ao-tangata-social-sciences/billy-can-hc261/
Check out our objects related to tea in the Tauranga Museum collection > https://view.taurangaheritagecollection.co.nz/objects?query=tea
Teaching and Learning activity ideas - All About Tea
Note: Resources needed for the following activities are not provided by Hands on Tauranga.
These ideas below have been written with the help of Co-Pilot.
Science & Nature Activities
- Grow a Tea Plant: Start a small tea plant (Camellia sinensis) or herbal alternatives like mint or chamomile. Students can observe growth and learn about plant care.
- Tea Tasting Experiment: Try different types of tea (herbal, green, black) and compare color, smell, and taste. Use a chart to record observations.
- Tea Dyeing: Use tea to dye paper or fabric and explore how natural dyes work.
History & Culture
- Tea Around the World: Create a world map showing where different teas come from (e.g., green tea in China, chai in India, matcha in Japan).
- Tea Ceremony Role-Play: Learn about Japanese or Chinese tea ceremonies and act them out with simple props.
- Story Time: Read books or folk tales involving tea, such as The Story of Tea or Three Cups of Tea.
Creative Arts
- Design a Tea Set: Draw or craft a tea set using clay or paper. Decorate it with cultural patterns.
- Make a Tea Box Collage: Collect empty tea boxes or labels and create a collage or scrapbook.
- Create a Tea Menu: Invent fun tea blends and design a menu like a tea shop.
Math & Literacy
- Tea Shop Role-Play: Set up a pretend tea shop with prices. Practice counting money, making change, and writing orders.
- Tea Time Poetry: Write poems or short stories inspired by tea.
- Measurement Activity: Use measuring cups and spoons to prepare tea, learning about volume and temperature.
ClassTrips & Experiences
- Visit a Tea Shop or Garden: Webster's Tea in Te Puna is a premium loose leaf tea company. https://websterstea.co.nz/pages/about
- Te Puna Quarry has a lovely herb garden you could visit as a class.
- Interview a Tea Expert: Talk to someone who works with tea and ask questions about their job and tea knowledge.
Handling information:
Additional information:
Please sign into enable item cart
