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Peace

To provide an opportunity to experience different kinds of peace.

by Karen Pennison

Suitable for Whole School (Pri)

Aims

To provide an opportunity to experience different kinds of peace. To help children develop their own understanding of peace in relation to others.

Preparation and materials

  • This assembly can be presented by a class who have prepared all or some of the elements below. Alternatively, you can base the assembly around the acrostic without the accompanying performances.
  • Possible class preparation elements:
    • Flashcards of individual letters spelling peace (made by children)
    • White paper doves (made by children)
    • Poems about peace (written by children)
    • Pictures painted in response to listening to a piece of music
    • Simple dance to create a moving picture to music
  • Music: Buddhist peace music and/or other peaceful music, e.g. Enya.
  • Prepare six children to wait outside the hall and enter on cue: two angry, two noisy, two frightened.

Assembly

  1. Play the Buddhist peace music or other peaceful music to begin the assembly. Explain that the assembly is about peace. Say that being peaceful and promoting peace is an important part of all major religious faiths.
  2. Child holds up letter 'P', and says, 'P is for people'. Pause as if you are suddenly aware there are some children missing. Explain that these children are now going to come into the hall. They come in, in twos. Ask the rest of the children how they think these new children are feeling as each pair enters. Do they feel peaceful? How can we help them feel peace? Tell them that you are going to show them some ways of developing a peaceful feeling inside.

  3. Child holds up letter 'E' and says, 'E is for ears'. Listen to the peaceful music while sharing the Christian symbol of peace - the white doves.
  4. Child holds up 'A' and says, 'A is for assemblies'. Remind the children that assembly time is a time for peace, and a time to listen and reflect on the thoughts of others and ourselves. Children read their peace poems.

  5. Child holds up 'C' and says, 'C is for cuddles'. Ask the children how they feel inside when somebody gives them a cuddle. Sing the song, 'Love is something if you give it away'.

  6. Child holds up 'E' and says, 'E is for eyes to look at colourful pictures'. Hold up the paintings. Say that when we listen to music we often have pictures in our heads of something the music reminds us of. This little dance is bringing a colourful picture to life. Ask the children to close their eyes and think about the pictures while the dancers get into position. Perform the simple dance.

Time for reflection

Dear God,
Thank you for giving us the ability to make others feel better.
Help us to share our lives together in peace,
and to love and care for those who need us,
as well as our families and friends.

Amen.

Song/music

'Deep Peace' (Come and Praise Beginning, 23)
'Love is something if you give it away' (Come and Praise Beginning, 16)

Publication date: November 2000   (Vol.2 No.11)    Published by SPCK, London, UK.
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