Harvest Primary Schools Assembly 2017

Harvest Primary Schools Assembly 2017: Brighten Up

For teachers: If you are having a CAFOD visitor this Harvest, please let them know if you are planning to use this assembly with your students, so they do not repeat it.

For volunteers: Remember to check with your schools whether they are planning to run this Harvest Assembly themselves.

Introduction Good morning/afternoon everyone. Welcome to our assembly for Harvest Fast Day.

At Harvest time, we celebrate and give thanks for the food we have. We think of others who live in poverty and do not have enough food, wherever they live in the world, nearby or far away.

We remember the words of the Gospel: [Click to reveal the quote] “I have come so that they may have life and have it to the full” John 10:10

Today let’s think about how we can Brighten Up this Harvest, and play our part to build a brighter world, so that we can all share in the Harvest and live life to the full.

[Ask the children to talk to Slide 3: the person next to them First, I want you to think about whether you have ever before choosing a few children planted a seed. Have you or one of your friends grown to share their experiences of cress, tomatoes or some other plant? How long did it take?

1 What do seeds need to grow?

It takes time for seeds to grow. They need lots of different things to help them grow into strong and healthy plants, like water, sunlight and nutrients. growing things.] Just like seeds, people need different things to help them to live. Today we are going to think about some of the things people need to grow their way out of poverty. Slide 4: Do you recognise these children? [We first met Diego in 2015 in the Harvest Fast Day resources. Both Diego and Jacqueline feature in the KS2 El Salvador Geography pack.]

This is Jacqueline and Diego. These photos were taken a [Click to reveal recent photos few years ago, when they were eight years old. Now of Jacqueline and Diego.] Jacqueline is ten and Diego is eleven. With your support, CAFOD have been supporting their families for many years, so they can have the things they need to grow their way out of poverty. Slide 5: Jacqueline and Diego live in El Salvador. Let’s watch the animation to find out more about them.

[If possible, watch the Harvest animation.] Slide 6: CAFOD’s partners have been helping lots of families in El Salvador to work their way out of poverty. You can see some of these families in the photo, with a special piñata that has ribbons attached to it.

[Usually piñatas are broken as In the animation, we heard about lots of different ways part of a ceremony or these families have been supported. Let’s see how many celebration. But this piñata is we can remember! made from ribbons which, when pulled, open it up.] Slide 7:  Training – When Jacqueline was little, her family barely had enough to get by. Through training, they have learned how to grow their own seeds as well as better ways to grow food. They now grow more than 40 crops and have what they need. [Click the butterfly to reveal  Safe spaces – CAFOD’s partner set up safe spaces key words (on ribbons). As away from the gangs, so children like Diego can each word is revealed, talk stay safe and learn skills to help them now and in about what it means and who the future. They can help build peace in their they relate to in the community. animation.]  Education – By aiming to get a good education and study science at university, children (like [Alternatively, you may wish Isabel) are building a brighter future. to make your own piñata to  Small businesses – With support to set up small use in the assembly. Attach businesses, families (like Angela’s, Lazaro’s and ribbons to a decorated Edelmira’s) can support themselves and buy the butterfly or use the butterfly things they need, like food and uniforms for school. template below. As you unfold  Sharing skills – By sharing the skills they have each ribbon, talk about what learned with others, whole communities can grow the words mean and who they their way out of poverty. relate to in the animation.]  Support – With continued support from you, more families around the world can build a brighter future for themselves, free from poverty. Slide 8: Although things are improving, one in ten people in the world still live in extreme poverty – this means families do not have enough food and children miss out on school and achieving their dreams.

[Call ten to the front to help demonstrate this statistic.] Slide 9: That’s why we are asking you to Brighten Up this Harvest – to help build a brighter world and support more families around the world to work their way out of poverty, so that we can all share in the Harvest.

£1 buys one week’s attendance at a children’s club, safe from gang violence £38 gives a family grains, vegetables, organic manure and livestock to start a farm £105 buys chickens and materials to start a family business [If using this assembly on Slide 11: You can see lots of ideas in the photos but what can you do in school/class to Brighten Up? Use the bright colours of El Salvador to inspire you. Perhaps you could dress up in bright clothes or hold a bright cake sale.

How will you get involved and raise money this Harvest, to help build a brighter world? Harvest Fast Day, please rephrase to include how the [Invite ideas from the children.] school has got involved and Brightened Up this Harvest, to help build a brighter world.] Slide 12: We are going to finish with a prayer, so let’s sit quietly for a minute. Close your eyes and think about one thing that has struck you from today. Then think about the one thing you are going to tell your friends and family when you go home.

Let’s pray together: Loving God, Help us to work together to build a brighter world, where each of us can become the best person we can be. Let us learn from communities around the world, who are working hard to grow their way out of poverty. We pray we may share generously all you have given us. Amen

Teacher note: Find out more about Diego and Jacqueline, and life in El Salvador in class, using our award-winning geography photo pack and films, available at cafod.org.uk/geography 5