Pause for Thought: Can You Imagine?
Using our imaginations
by Rebecca Parkinson
Suitable for Whole School (Pri)
Aims
To help us to realize the wonder of the world and that God is an imaginative creator.
Preparation and materials
- You will need the Powerpoint slides that accompany this assembly (Pause for Thought: Can You Imagine?) and the means to display them.
Assembly
- Show Slide 1.
Ask the children to look at the birds and describe their similarities and differences. Can they name them? (Going clockwise from top left, the answers are curlew, barn owl, toucan and robin.) Can they see ways in which they might be adapted to live in different environments?
It may be possible to tie this in with the Big Schools’ Birdwatch, which many schools are taking part in, at: https://www.tinyurl.com/abbx5q11 - Show Slide 2.
Ask the children whether they can name the flowers. (Going clockwise from top left, the answers are rose, daffodil, daisy and snowdrop.) Ask them to describe what they are like, such as their colour, shape and smell.
Ask the children whether they can think of any other flowers and describe what they are like. - Show Slide 3.
Ask the children what their favourite fruits are. What are the differences between the fruits in the pictures? - Ask the children what their favourite animal is and why.
Listen to a range of responses.
Show Slide 4. (Going clockwise from top left, the animals shown are lion, zebra, giraffe and fennec fox.)
Ask the children to describe some of the differences between the animals that they have suggested. They may describe features of the animals or where they live, whether they are domestic or wild and so on.
Ask the children whether any of the animals’ characteristics will help them to live in different environments or help them to eat. - Christians and people of many different religions believe that God made the world. They believe that this happened in various ways, but that ultimately, God was involved with its creation.
- Ask the children to close their eyes and imagine what the world would be like if God had only made, say, a robin rather than the wide variety of birds that we have around us. Imagine if the only flowers we could see were daisies and the only animals were cats. Ask the children to imagine what it would be like if the only food we ever ate was bananas.
Time for reflection
Explain that God wanted the world to be full of wonder so that it would be an amazing place to live. This is why he created far more variety than we can ever imagine!
Point out that the children have all been given their imaginations to help them to see the wonder in the world around them.
Ask the children to close their eyes and think about the following things. As they are thinking, encourage them to thank God for the wonderful variety in the world and remember the importance of taking care of the world.
- Think about your favourite animal.
- Think about your favourite bird.
- Think about your favourite flower.
- Think about your favourite food.
- Thank God for the wonderful variety in the world.
Prayer
Dear God,
Thank you for the wonderful world we live in.
Thank you that you didn’t make a world that is dull and boring, but one that is bright, colourful and full of amazing variety.
Please help us always to take care of this amazing world.
Amen.
Song/music
‘A whole new world’ from the film Aladdin, available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eitDnP0_83k (3.09 minutes long)
