Are You a Good Apple?

We can make a difference

by Brian Radcliffe

Suitable for Whole School (Pri)

Aims

To consider how the way in which we behave affects other people.

Preparation and materials

• You will need a ripe apple.

Assembly

1. Ask the children, ‘Do you have an apple tree in your garden? Do you pass one on your way to school?’
   
   Explain that we are getting close to the time when apples are ready to be picked. If we pick them too soon, they’re sour and hard. We need them to be ripe: sweet; firm, but not hard; glossy; and with that distinctive flavour.
   
   Show the apple to the children and take a bite.
   
   
2. Ask the children, ‘What causes an apple to ripen?’
   
   Explain that it’s due to a gas called ethylene. Each apple releases this gas, which then enables the apples around it to ripen. The effect is mutual – all of the apples help to ripen all of the other apples.
   
   
3. This is a lovely illustration of the way in which we affect each other.
   
   Ask the children whether they can explain why this is a good illustration.
   
   Listen to a range of responses.
   
   
4. Explain that most things that we do affect those around us in some way. We can make people feel good about themselves by being friendly and encouraging. Alternatively, we can make people feel sad and unwanted by the way in which we treat them. Our words and actions influence other people.
   
   
5. Wouldn’t it be great if we always influenced people in a good way? Unfortunately, the opposite is sometimes true.
   
   If we put a bad apple in a box of good apples, all of the good apples go off slowly and become bad.
   
   
6. Let’s aim to be good apples and have a good influence on others rather than a bad one!

Time for reflection

Ask the children the following questions.

- If you were an apple, what kind of apple would you be?
- What kind of effect do you spread into your family, your friendship groups and this school?

Pause to allow time for thought.

Hopefully, if we are encouraging, patient, kind and friendly, we can have a positive ripening effect on every group to which we belong. Other people will become better people because of who we are.

Pause to allow time for thought.

Song/music

‘Love is something (Magic penny)’ by Malvina Reynolds, available at: https://youtu.be/1Zx5iSExD9I (2.56 minutes long)

Extension activities

1. Give each child an apple.
   
   - Ask them to hold it and feel the smoothness.
   - Ask them to think about how the apple produces ethylene, which affects all of the other apples nearby.
   - Encourage the children to think about how they will affect the people around them today.
   
   Ask them to think of three ways in which they might help others to ripen today.