We’re All in This Together

The importance of unity

by Rachael Crisp

Suitable for Whole School (Pri)

Aims

To explore the theme of unity and consider how unity brings out the best in people.

Preparation and materials

• You will need the PowerPoint slides that accompany this assembly (We’re All in This Together) and the means to display them.
  
  
• Have available the YouTube video ‘High School Musical 1 – We’re All in This Together’ and the means to show it during the assembly. It is 4.12 minutes long and is available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFu8Z-cV0Xk&list=RDiFu8Z-cV0Xk&t=25

Assembly

1. Ask if any of the children have heard of High School Musical, and go on to explain that it is a popular series of films. The first film was released in 2006, and the three films and subsequent books and TV programmes followed a group of friends through high school. Zac Efron (who appeared most recently in The Greatest Showman) rose to fame through his lead role in High School Musical.
   
   In 2016, the tenth anniversary of the films, many of the main cast members returned to the high school in the films to celebrate.
   
   
2. Show the YouTube video ‘High School Musical 1 – We’re All in This Together’. 
   
   
   
   
3. Ask the children what they think the main point of the song was. Point out that the answer is in the title: ‘We’re all in this together’. Ask the children what they think this means.
   
   Listen to a range of responses.
   
   
4. Ask the children what the word ‘unity’ means.
   
   Two dictionary definitions of unity are:
   
   - the state of being united or joined as a whole
   - being together or at one with someone or something
   
   Being united is the opposite of being divided. Unity is a word for togetherness or oneness.
   
   
5. Explain that unity is important in our lives, whether it’s in school, in teams, in the playground or at home. It means that we work together for the good of others. We care for each other and we support each other.
   
   
6. Explain to the children that you are going to show them a series of pictures, which you want them to look at and decide whether they show unity or disunity.
   
   Show Slides 1-8 in turn.
   
   As each picture is displayed, have a short discussion about what it represents.
   
   
7. Give school-specific examples of unity to which the children can relate, such as the following.
   
   - Football team. It’s imperative that everyone on the team communicates well, supports one another and plays their part so that they play as a team and score goals. If a team is divided and its members don’t get on and don’t pass to one another, the team is unlikely to win.  
   - School project. We sometimes work in small teams on a particular project or presentation. This requires everyone to contribute and communicate. If people don’t do their best or don’t encourage one another, the project is unlikely to be as good as it could be.
   
   When people work together well, encourage one another and try their best, it makes for a happy and successful team.
   
   
8. There are many examples in the Bible where people work together. Jesus didn’t just work on his own: he had lots of disciples and friends alongside him. The apostle Paul travelled with other people rather than on his own. A well-known story about a man called Nehemiah tells of how, when the walls of the city of Jerusalem had been destroyed, people worked together so well that it was rebuilt in just 52 days! People must have worked well together for that to happen. There must have been a lot of unity, teamwork and encouragement.
   
   
9. When we value each other and work together, it makes things easier, we get things done faster and we realize that everyone’s contribution is important.

Time for reflection

Let’s think of one team that we are involved in that requires unity.

How could you be a good team player?

Pause to allow time for thought.

Is there anything that stops you being a good team player?

Pause to allow time for thought.

Prayer
Dear God,
Thank you for the school, the clubs and the family that we are part of.
Please help us to encourage and support others.
Please help us to play our parts in the teams that we are in.
Please help us to encourage unity.
Thank you.
Amen.

Song/music

‘We’re All in This Together’ from High School Musical, available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFu8Z-cV0Xk&list=RDiFu8Z-cV0Xk&t=25