All About Cotton
The cotton plant
by Janice Ross
Suitable for Whole School (Pri)
Aims
To consider cotton and its uses.
Preparation and materials
- You will need the PowerPoint slides that accompany this assembly (All About Cotton) and the means to display them.
- Have available the YouTube video ‘Cotton boll popping open’ and the means to show it during the assembly. It is 0.38 minutes long and is available at: https://youtu.be/uQuXjj5ze6c
- Optional: you may wish to show some sample items of clothing that are made from cotton.
Assembly
- Show Slide 1.
Ask the children what kind of plant they think this is.
Listen to a range of responses. - Explain that you are going to show the children a short video of the plant growing and you want them to see whether they can identify it.
Show the YouTube video ‘Cotton boll popping open’ (0.38 minutes long).
Ask the children whether they can identify the plant now. - Show Slide 2.
Explain that we saw some white fluffy balls appear from the casing of the bud.
Ask the children whether they have seen white fluffy balls like this before. Can they tell you anything about them?
Listen to a range of responses.
Answers might include that the balls are made of cotton wool, light, soft, used on babies’ skin and to remove make-up and so on.
Show Slide 3. - Show Slide 4.
Explain that cotton fields are vast. - Show Slide 5.
Tell the children that people harvest the cotton after it has finished growing. - Ask the children whether they can think of anything that we use that is made from cotton.
Listen to a range of responses. - Show Slide 6.
Optional: if using, show some sample items of clothing that are made from cotton.
Explain that the cotton goes through a process that makes it into thread, which can then be used to make clothing.
Optional: if using sample items of clothing, show the children how we can look at the labels in the clothing to discover what the clothes are made from. - Ask the children, ‘Why do you think it’s important to have a label in our clothes that tells us what material has been used?’
Listen to a range of responses. - Explain that materials have different properties.
List the properties of cotton, discussing why each property might be important in different circumstances.
- Cotton is a natural material. It appeals to people who are concerned about the environment and sustainability.
- Cotton is light and cool. It is comfortable in warm summer weather.
- Cotton wears well, and can be washed at high temperatures. It’s a good material for clothes that need to be washed regularly and items that need a hot wash, such as towels and bedding.
- Cotton is hypoallergenic. It is a good material for those who have sensitive skin, or who suffer from skin conditions such as eczema. Babies wear a lot of cotton. - The countries that produce the most cotton in the world are India, the USA and China.
Cotton is not just used in clothing and beauty; it is also used in coffee filters, fishing nets, tents and even US dollar bills.
Time for reflection
Show Slide 2 again.
Read the Bible passage Genesis 1.11-12: ‘Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.’
Remind the children that God has made an amazing world. Encourage them to think about nature in the world, and its beauty and usefulness.
Prayer
Dear God,
We thank you for creating the cotton plant.
We thank you that it provides us with such comfortable, light, cool clothes for warm summer weather.
Please be close to those who harvest cotton throughout the world.
May they be well cared for and rewarded well for all they do.
Amen.
