So Many Fruits and Vegetables!
A plentiful harvest
by Janice Ross
Suitable for Whole School (Pri)
Aims
To consider the variety of seed-bearing fruits at harvest-time.
Preparation and materials
- You will need the PowerPoint slides that accompany this assembly (So Many Fruits and Vegetables!) and the means to display them.
- You will need to be familiar with the script in the ‘Assembly’, Step 5, and you will need an assistant to play the part of the customer. This will need rehearsing before the assembly. Two children could perform this short sketch, but they will need time to rehearse.
- Have available an instrumental version of the song ‘I can sing a rainbow’ and the means to play it during the ‘Time for reflection’ part of the assembly. A version is available at: https://youtu.be/skVh44TNsro (3 minutes long)
Assembly
- Explain that this assembly is going to consider the huge variety of fruits and seed-bearing plants in the world.
- Show Slide 1.
Explain that you would like each child to think about how they would complete this sentence: ‘If there was only one fruit in the world, I would want it to be a . . . because . . .’
Listen to a range of responses.
Identify the variety, colour and qualities of a particular fruit that make it a favourite. (You may wish to do this as a circle-time activity.) - Show Slide 2.
Ask the children to think about how they would complete this sentence: ‘If there was only one vegetable in the world, I would want it to be a . . . because . . .’
Ask the children to imagine how they would feel if there was only one type of vegetable available to them. - Explain that fruit and vegetables used to be local and seasonal, so variety was limited. In winter, people would eat turnip, cabbage and carrots, but never peas, sweetcorn or salad leaves. In summer, there would be tomatoes and broad beans, but never broccoli or leeks.
Explain that now, because of refrigeration, canning and the availability of imported goods from around the world, we can eat carrots, peas, strawberries and pineapples at just about any time of the year. - Act out (or invite the prearranged children to act out) the following short sketch.
Customer: Good morning. I would like some oranges, please.
Trader: Certainly. What kind would you like? I have some sweet-tasting Lima oranges here that are very popular. Or, if you prefer something extra-sweet, there are these lovely Cara Cara oranges, fresh in today. Perhaps you like a sweet orange with a slight bitterness? In that case, I recommend these Navel oranges. Or if it’s sweet and tart you’re looking for, you’ll find some Tangelo oranges over there.
Customer (looking confused): Er . . .
Trader: Are the oranges for juicing or snacking? If you’re going to be juicing them, might I suggest Valencia oranges? But if you just want a good orange for snack-time, you’re better off going for a Mandarin.
Customer (sounding exasperated): I just want oranges!
Trader: Well, you probably won’t want a blood orange. Their flesh is rather red. What about pips? Do you want seedless oranges, or ones with pips?
Customer: Seedless, please.
Trader: In that case, perhaps clementines would be best. But if you want oranges for making marmalade, you’ll need Seville oranges.
Customer (totally fed up): Look, just give me any old oranges from the Mediterranean.
Trader: Right, in that case, I’d better rule out the ones from Venezuela, California and Brazil.
Customer: Forget the oranges! I’ll have grapes instead!
Trader: No problem. Will that be green grapes, red grapes or black grapes? - Show Slide 3.
Reiterate that there are many types of orange. This slide shows ten different types.
Show Slide 4.
Explain that this slide shows what the oranges look like inside. You may like to point out some of the types that were mentioned in the sketch in Step 5. - Show Slide 5.
You may wish to ask the children to name any vegetables and fruit that they can see.
Time for reflection
Remind the children about all the different fruits and vegetables that are available for us to enjoy. The same amount of variety applies to cereal crops too.
Christians believe that God created all of the amazing food that is available for us in the world. Explain that harvest is a time when we thank God for all of the things that he has made for us to eat and enjoy.
Show Slide 6.
Ask the children whether they know the song ‘I can sing a rainbow’. Explain that the song on the slide can be sung to the same tune. It will help us to give thanks at harvest-time.
Play the instrumental version of the song ‘I can sing a rainbow’ (3 minutes long).
Grapes and apples and kiwi and dates,
Oranges, bananas and plums.
Thank you for this harvest, for this harvest,
For juicy fruits, every one.
Potatoes, carrots and onions and peas,
Cauliflower, broccoli, beans.
Thank you for this harvest, for this harvest,
For vegetables, every one.
Oats and barley and rice and wheat,
Sorghum and millet and rye.
Thank you for this harvest, for this harvest,
For cereals, every one.
Prayer
Dear God,
Thank you for the rich variety of food that you have made to grow in our world.
Thank you for all of the different tastes and flavours.
Teach us always to say ‘Thank you’ for our food.
Amen.
Song/music
‘I can sing a rainbow’, available at: https://youtu.be/JA3O2bYT3g0 (1.04 minutes long)
