Junto Society Tea

Over the summer while I was standing in the checkout line at WalMart, I spotted this:

Inside, one of the articles explained that once a week, while living in Philadelphia, Benjamin Franklin would get together with a group of men as part of his social networking group called the Junto (who-n-toe).  He created a list of topics for the members to discuss at each meeting.  Here are some of the topics listed in the article:

1.  Have you met with anything in the author you last read remarkable or suitable to be communicated to the Junto?

2. Hath any citizen in your knowledge failed in his business lately; and what have you heard of the cause?

 3. Have you lately heard of any citizen’s thriving well, and by what means?

 4. Have you lately heard how any present rich man, here or elsewhere, got his estate?

 5. Do you know of any fellow citizen who has lately done worthy action deserving praise and imitation?  Or who has committed an error proper for us to be warned against and avoid?

 I thought it would be really fun and interesting to recreate the Junto Society with my students and have them discuss the same questions that Franklin posed to his group.  They were asked to 'decode' what Franklin was asking in each question then answer with what is going on in their lives today.  Here's  the invitation they received to our meeting:

 They were also asked to bring a colonial dish/food to share with their classmates.  I supplied the beverages, in this case tea, which many students commented they had never had!  After watching a video where the colonists were milking goats, the students decided they also wanted to try goat milk so I brought some in for the brave ones to sample!  Here are some pictures from the event:

 (Some tea, homemade biscuits, and even homemade butter!)

 (One of Mr. Smith's classes joined one of my classes for our tea)

(they're busy discussing the questions)

Here are some of the adventurous students sampling goat milk:

I think their expressions show who liked it and who didn't:

We had a really great time and the students had some great discussions!  

I will definitely do this activity again next year!